Can a shipping container home be classified as a HUD-code manufactured home?

Generally not, unless it is built from the start to the HUD Code. HUD's own FAQ states that a converted shipping container cannot qualify as a manufactured home unless it is built on a permanent chassis and fully complies with all of the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. HUD also says certification labels are issued only during original manufacture and cannot be added afterward. So a container building without a red HUD label is regulated some other way, typically under the state or local building code that applies where it is placed. Ask your local building official which code path they will apply before you buy.

Sources

• FAQs for On-Site Completion of Construction of Manufactured HomesU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development