California Carpool Stickers

[dgstan]

When I got my Model 3 in August of 2018, I elected to wait until Jan. 2019 to apply for the carpool stickers. This was done to ensure and extra year of carpool access. My Model Y was delivered on 6/30, so it was EXACTLY halfway between calendar years. Since I'm not driving too much now, and when I do, traffic is relatively light, I'm planning to wait until 2021 to apply for the stickers again.

My question is: What are the chances the program is discontinued in 2021? Everything I've heard says it will continue. Do we know if it's a done deal, approved and budgeted? Or could 2020 possibbe the last year they issue the stickers?

I'm also guessing the 2021 stickers would be blue, since we haven't used that yet.

 

[jf64k]

This is my $0.02 (and worth just that, haha!!) but the existing HOV sticker program is set.

I will be picking up one MY this week, hoping for the second this month. And I’ll be waiting until January, 2021 to apply for both so I can go until 2025.

But...they’ve always tinkered with the HOV sticker program when it’s about to expire. Remember the Yellow for hybrids? Then Green for plug-in hybrids and White for FCEV, CNG, and BEV’s? Now Red, Purple, Orange and who knows in January haha!!

Point is, I’m not convinced that the program really will end in 2025. But for now, I’m singing up 01/2021 haha!!

 

[Wennfred]

I opted out, just didn’t want to have 4 stickers on each corner on the car, for me the only time we use the HOV lane we have 2 of us together in the car so we can still use it without the stickers.

Hard to say if they will discontinue the stickers or change to another color.

Fred

 

[dgstan]

I opted out, just didn’t want to have 4 stickers on each corner on the car, for me the only time we use the HOV lane we have 2 of us together in the car so we can still use it without the stickers.

Hard to say if they will discontinue the stickers or change to another color.

Fred

I had the original yellow ones, then green, and then purple.

I never once mounted all 4 stickers. Just the two small ones and in the windows (one rear and one passenger side). I realize this violates the suggested mounting locations, but I see so many different people mounting them incorrectly in so many different ways that it's clearly not enforced.

This dates back to the early days when I lived in Orange County. People there were vandalizing cars that had the stickers because Orange County. I figured that if I put the stickers on the glass, it would be less likely to get damaged if someone tried to scrape it off.

 

[Silicon Desert]

You reminded me, are those California cops blind or what?
About 6 months ago, I got pulled over for being in the car pool lane (without sticker). As soon as the cop came to the window, he saw my wife leaning against the window, very still and sleeping. He said "Oh sorry, you can go ahead. I thought you had a blow-up doll in the passenger seat." Seriously? Is this a problem these days?

I replied, we left the blow-up doll at home since I don't need it today He couldn't figure out if I was telling him the truth or just kidding.

 

[Wennfred]

Same in San Diego, never had a. Issues with 1 white sticker in the back of my Nissan Leaf and only 1 green sticker in the back on the Chevy Volt. The rules are all 4 on each corner and if you have only 3 you can still be cited. All we need is that one police officer that if he stops you could be looking for the 4 stickers as well. I just didn’t want to deal with it. Same with the front license plate, got the License plate wrap in the front just Incase.

Fred

 

[Wennfred]

You reminded me, are those California cops blind or what?
About 6 months ago, I got pulled over for being in the car pool lane (without sticker). As soon as the cop came to the window, he saw my wife leaning against the window, very still and sleeping. He said "Oh sorry, you can go ahead. I thought you had a blow-up doll in the passenger seat." Seriously? Is this a problem these days?
replied, we left the blow-up doll at home since I don't need it today He couldn't figure out if I was telling him the truth or just kidding.

not blow up dolls but Mannequins with cowboy hats here in San Diego! Some of them look scary real.

Fred

 

[Silicon Desert]

not blow up dolls but Mannequins with cowboy hats here in San Diego!

Fred

ha ha. great. Hey I visit my son there occasionally. Sometimes I wonder if mannequins are actually driving the cars Not that people drive any better up here.

 

[dgstan]

not blow up dolls but Mannequins with cowboy hats here in San Diego! Some of them look scary real.

Fred

Have we learned nothing from Larry David?

 

[Bombadgen]

When I got my Model 3 in August of 2018, I elected to wait until Jan. 2019 to apply for the carpool stickers. This was done to ensure and extra year of carpool access. My Model Y was delivered on 6/30, so it was EXACTLY halfway between calendar years. Since I'm not driving too much now, and when I do, traffic is relatively light, I'm planning to wait until 2021 to apply for the stickers again.

My question is: What are the chances the program is discontinued in 2021? Everything I've heard says it will continue. Do we know if it's a done deal, approved and budgeted? Or could 2020 possibbe the last year they issue the stickers?

I'm also guessing the 2021 stickers would be blue, since we haven't used that yet.

This program is guaranteed through 2025, so 2021 might be the final year of full eligibility.

 

[dgstan]

This program is guaranteed through 2025, so 2021 might be the final year of full eligibility.

Thanks for the info.

 

[frankvb]

not blow up dolls but Mannequins with cowboy hats here in San Diego! Some of them look scary real.Fred

Last year I followed a guy with a doll in the passenger seat up to the 805 (S) carpool entrance at Qualcomm/MM blvd. Note that there are (were?) frequent checks at the various SB 805 entrances around this area.

Also I have noticed Teslas without stickers with a solo driver in the carpool lanes. Slightly tempted to do that, but right now traffic is rather good so really no point.

I never once mounted all 4 stickers. Just the two small ones and in the windows (one rear and one passenger side). I realize this violates the suggested mounting locations, but I see so many different people mounting them incorrectly in so many different ways that it's clearly not enforced.

Actually the rules have changed from year to year. In 2018 the stickers had to be mounted in a different way than a few years before.

 

[quadroplexor]

One of the first MYs I saw on the road that wasn't mine had only two stickers: one pink and one orange and paper plates. LOL.

 

[tjkessler]

The federal law that authorizes all of this expires in 2025. So congress needs to act before then to go longer.

 

[wick013]

What is the advantage to waiting until 2021? I’ve just now received my new 2020 plates and planned on registering for the HOV lane stickers!
I like the idea of mounting the stickers on the windows/ windshields but when I wrapped the car the company put special HOV sticker location wraps!

 

[Wennfred]

What is the advantage to waiting until 2021? I’ve just now received my new 2020 plates and planned on registering for the HOV lane stickers!
I like the idea of mounting the stickers on the windows/ windshields but when I wrapped the car the company put special HOV sticker location wraps!

Remember what the instructions say, 4 on each corner. Sticker on the window/windshield could cause a cop to stop you if they know what to look for and at that point a fix it ticket.

Here’s a copy of the instructions:

CA HOV decal front bumper

Fred

 

[jf64k]

What is the advantage to waiting until 2021? I’ve just now received my new 2020 plates and planned on registering for the HOV lane stickers!...

If you get the stickers now, they’re only good until 12/31/2023. Stickers are only good for four years from when they were valid, not from when you get them. So you’d only get about 3 years, 5 months out the Orange stickers.

If you wait until 01/01/2021, the stickers are good until 12/31/2024. So you’d get about 4 years out of the (unknown color) stickers.

 

[RoBoRaT]

Remember what the instructions say, 4 on each corner. Sticker on the window/windshield could cause a cop to stop you if they know what to look for and at that point a fix it ticket.

Here’s a copy of the instructions:

CA HOV decal front bumper

Fred

They have since updated how to affix the decals:

Clean Air Vehicle Decals for Using Carpool and HOV Lanes - California DMV

 

[Dcd7041]

Thanks for all the info here as I was trying to figure out if I can wait until next year to apply. After reading this, I decided that I am waiting for 2021 decals

Question: In order to get the 2021 decals should we "apply" or be "issued" in Jan '21. Ca.gov website uses the word "issued" not "applied". Given it takes at least four weeks, it sounds like applying in Dec 1, 2020, will get you 2021 decals issued. I realize I am trying to optimize on the edges so humor me please.

Thoughts, or real life experiences?

 

[jf64k]

Thanks for all the info here as I was trying to figure out if I can wait until next year to apply. After reading this, I decided that I am waiting for 2021 decals

Question: In order to get the 2021 decals should we "apply" or be "issued" in Jan '21. Ca.gov website uses the word "issued" not "applied". Given it takes at least four weeks, it sounds like applying in Dec 1, 2020, will get you 2021 decals issued. I realize I am trying to optimize on the edges so humor me please.

Thoughts, or real life experiences?

Haha, I was doing the same cost/benefit calculation.

What I finally decided was: If I apply in Dec and time it wrong, I'll lose 12 months. However, if I apply in January, and it really takes 4 weeks (IIRC, the last time I applied for my Red stickers it took 2 weeks, but we've got COVID now) then I only lose a month. The potential down side for applying in December is too much, IMO.