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CA carpool sticker -- Best to order in November for 2021?

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By the time a lot of us are able to take delivery of our Model Y (either this month, or possibly in Sept or could be Oct), and then waiting another month for plates to come in from CA DMV before we can finally apply for a new HOV decal, I wouldn't doubt that our application and checks will get processed sometime in January or February 2022.

But hey, at least we'll probably get the last decal made available to use for the next few years before this program sunsets on Sept 2025.

I haven't done the math, but maybe there's an advantage in delaying your application so that you get the maximum length of time on new stickers?

I think mine (blue) expire January 2024?

As you stated, the entire HOV sticker program is supposed to end (after several extensions) in 2025. People have speculated on this Forum whether it will even be extended again by the California Legislature, since BEVs appear to be "winning" and sales may increase dramatically with the new pickups (Cybertruck, Rivian, Ford) and long-range road cars. (Looking in my crystal ball, I see huge traffic jams of BEVs crammed into Bay Area HOV lanes during commuter hours. Ha, ha.) Maybe HOV stickers will eventually have to be limited to just solar-powered vehicles (like the Aptera) only?

Anyway, perhaps next year's stickers (what color?) will last until the final end?
 
A two month delay is, imo, unnecessary and inexcusable. Question is, what to do about it?

There are two fundamental problems with the DMV (actually Air Resources Board) HOV sticker program:
  1. The unnecessarily lengthy delay in receiving stickers.
  2. An inexcusable lack of communication about application status.
Excuses (by DMV) would, I imagine, center around real or alleged claims of inadequate resources (personnel and/or funding). The ongoing COVID situation doesn't help (and provides a handy excuse). So too the increasing numbers of eligible vehicles on California's roads, all applying for stickers. As argentina4eva rightly points out, this will all end eventually with diamond-lane access ending for BEVs. Harried DMV staff know this, and are probably just waiting out the time until the HOV sticker program finally ends.

Meanwhile, there are at least three legitimate reasons why the applicant population fails to take a concerted group action to try to correct the problem:
  1. Well-to-do individuals (e.g., attorneys and other influential people) may now be exempt from the sticker program due to income.
  2. Standard human psychology: once stickers are eventually received, the memory of the previous inconvenience quickly fades.
  3. Furthermore, and any efforts at corrective action will no longer greatly benefit previous applicants (unless they have to reapply for some reason).
But there are at least three or four years left on the program. Is it worth developing petitions, writing letters, and badgering legislators and the Governor's Office on behalf of future applicants?

Possibly not. There would probably be little support from still predominantly ICE-vehicle households. On the other hand, there increasing numbers of BEV drivers out there (which is part of the underlying problem--sigh).

Perhaps we should just count our belessings that there was even an HOV sticker program at all?
LOL, I feel like someone haven't visited the line at a DMV office in a while ;-) , as "harried" is not a term I'd ever use to describe the mental state of DMV workers, even when there are hundreds of weary, angry customers who've been waiting 2+ hours in plain view - "leisurely" might be more of the adjective that comes to mind. There's a reason Zootopia used sloths to represent DMV staff.

That said, had a pleasant experience the last time I had to go in person, to renew my license for REAL ID - but made sure to go late afternoon on a Xmas eve to a more out-of-the way branch (only time ever I could count more workers than customers at a DMV...).

Two months actually seems like typical turnaround for anything by mail with DMV - e.g new plates, license renewal, custom plates, rebates - don't think they would even claim excuses, it's just processing time, not delay, if it's within their operating metrics. For something low volume like HOV stickers, it's almost certain there's not someone checking the mail every day, they batch them up and probably a single person with other responsibilities does the whole pile every few weeks or so. Actually two months seems downright speedy compared to other government things by mail - passports, visa, tax returns, etc.

Anyways, I remember when they first announced the HOV sticker program for hybrids, it was unexpected and sounds-too-good-to-be-true, we mailed in our stuff, patiently waited months-upon-months with low expectations, until finally one day magical yellow stickers started showing up in mailboxes...
 
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6 month delay for Clean Air Vehicle tags per CA DMV. I submitted an app on July 25, 2021 for a Tesla Model Y for what it's worth.


Miles (8/31/2021, 10:27:03 AM): Thank you for contacting us. We have logged case number 05508427 for your inquiry. Please wait for the next available agent.
DMV Chat Support (8/31/2021, 10:48:54 AM): Thank you for contacting the California Department of Motor Vehicles. I'm Stephanie, my agent number is 1710.

How may I help you today?

Note: Please see DMV’s privacy policy for more information about our privacy policy, records retention, and privacy compliance: ~!Privacy Policy!~Privacy and Security - California DMV
Me (8/31/2021, 10:48:59 AM): Hello, it's been over a month since I sent form REG-1000 Application for Clean Air Vehicle. Can you please check the status?
Me (8/31/2021, 10:48:59 AM): hello
Me (8/31/2021, 10:49:08 AM): thanks for helping
DMV Chat Support (8/31/2021, 10:49:57 AM): Hello, the processing times for clean air decals are 6 months right now. I apologize for the delay. They are working on applications received in April
Me (8/31/2021, 10:50:11 AM): why such a delay?
DMV Chat Support (8/31/2021, 10:50:49 AM): The dept is running behind, I believe because of the high demand
Me (8/31/2021, 10:52:24 AM): can you please check that you received my application?
DMV Chat Support (8/31/2021, 10:53:07 AM): It will not show up on the record, you would need to contact the Registration dept or Special Plates unit at 916-657-8035
DMV Chat Support (8/31/2021, 10:53:27 AM): You would know when it is received when your funds clear your account
 
Increasing bureaucracies are using electronic communications to track submitting and calm worried applicants. For example, Yolo County just sent me tracking info by email about my mailed-in California governor's-recall ballot. DMV needs to do that (but won't). California DMV is a sad agency. The workers are unhappy and a grim, unpleasant atmosphere permeates most field offices. Yet it is an important job. We should pay the workers well and get them adequate resources. That is a job for the Legislature. But California Legislators (used to?) have access to a "secret" DMV field office near the Capitol building, I believe. So they avoided the insult of having to deal with average DMV waits and delays.
 
6 months delay but they will happily cash your check as soon as they receive it. smh

They won't cash your check until they get to your app and process it, and when they do you'll usually get the stickers in the mail a week later.

I actually submitted my app & check for my Model 3 on the first week of January, but ended up selling the car in late-February. When the DMV finally got around to processing my app in early May, they just returned the check and on the DMV notice is said the reason was "owner of vehicle is different" since the buyer for my car was already the registered owner in the DMV database by then.

So no, they won't just happily cash your check as soon as they receive it, unless they approve you to get the HOV decals.
 
For what it's worth, I sent in mine late March, they returned it as incomplete in June with no reason marked, so a sent in another copy with updated form (2020 version instead of 2019). They finally cashed check in middle of this month, so fingers crossed I finally receive it.
 
For what it's worth, I sent in mine late March, they returned it as incomplete in June with no reason marked, so a sent in another copy with updated form (2020 version instead of 2019). They finally cashed check in middle of this month, so fingers crossed I finally receive it.

Sad, unnecessary, stupid, and lazy. Typical signs of bureaucracy.
 
For what it's worth, I sent in mine late March, they returned it as incomplete in June with no reason marked, so a sent in another copy with updated form (2020 version instead of 2019). They finally cashed check in middle of this month, so fingers crossed I finally receive it.
Update on this. So I just received the sticker. Postmark was 9/23, says issue date was 9/08.

So like others experienced, once they cash the check, you should get the sticker fairly quickly in the mail.
 
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For what it's worth, I sent in mine late March, they returned it as incomplete in June with no reason marked, so a sent in another copy with updated form (2020 version instead of 2019). They finally cashed check in middle of this month, so fingers crossed I finally receive it.
I just realised I sent in the 2019 version too... it's the first one that show's up on the Google search and is on the DMV site. FWIW I emailed DMV Tech Support and told them they should remove the outdated form.

Guess I'm sending in another application with 2020 form to hedge by my bets. The forms aren't all that different other than them removing the "Exhaust" checkboxes.
 
I just realised I sent in the 2019 version too... it's the first one that show's up on the Google search and is on the DMV site. FWIW I emailed DMV Tech Support and told them they should remove the outdated form.

Guess I'm sending in another application with 2020 form to hedge by my bets. The forms aren't all that different other than them removing the "Exhaust" checkboxes.
Yeah, I made the same mistake, the 2019 is the first to show up, and back then it was also the one that the CARB website still linked even though the new form had been in use for a while already.
 
Going to send this in a few days, hopefully the current 2020 form will still be good, I hope they don't come out with a 2022 form after I send it out on the first week of Jan 2022.

On a side note, I did see my neighbor who got their VW ID4 in August just get their Blue HOV stickers, so it seems it is taking 3-4 months.
 
Looks like they actually updated the form to a 12/2021 revision, I just mailed mine out on Saturday, looks like they only updated the header with the PO Box, debating whether I should send it again as it might go to the wrong PO BOX?

1641265940574.png
 
What did they do with your original check that was marked as incomplete?
They did not mark it as incomplete. There was zero marking on the check that they returned. I just submitted it back to them with the updated form (filled out with the same information). There was a "notice of incomplete application for clean air vehicle decals" (REG 1010) returned with my original application and check, but that notice had nothing marked on it for the reasons (it only had an employee date stamp and no box checked or filled out). It's a mystery why they returned my application.
 
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