Anyone get their CA HOV stickers?

[racerkit]

I got my car on 6/16, still waiting for plate and registration, so that I can begin HOV sticker application. The waiting is longer than expected

Has anyone taken a chance to drive on HOV lane without the sticker?

I am tempting. You have to think CHP would know zero emission vehicles can drive on HOV lane, it's just question of "Proof".

 

[Devin]

I've pondered this too, I suspect it depends on the officer. That said, they can certainly write you a ticket for the full solo driving in the HOV lane violation ($361?). I doubt they'd let you go as I'm sure many a Civic driver has attempted this (I've seen a few non-hybrid Civics sporting the hybrid badge) and officers will just follow the letter of the law being no sticker no dice. Of course we do have the benefit of being able to point out the charge port, gauges, spec sheet, etc to prove it. Still, I wouldn't take the chance.

The only way I think an officer would allow it is if your car had out of state plates, thus you'd never get HOV stickers anyways. I've driven the Prius in HOV lanes in other states (and BC) without issue but I usually have another person in the car anyways.

 

[astrorob]

I just spoke with the DMV and my VIN was not in the system yet and thus not assigned a plate number. The lady said that they were still processing mail from the first week of July for registrations, so that sort of makes sense. I bought the car on June 16th from Fontana, they may not have sent the paperwork until the end of the month which would mean it arrived at the DMV in July.

the problem is that it all depends on your dealer. some dealers transmit electronically to the DMV, some don't. by law the dealer has *60 days* to send the registration forms to the DMV. in my case the car was bought June 6th and the DMV had allocated a license plate on June 29th. no idea when they received the paperwork from the dealer.

as it turned out, i received the title in the mail the same day that i was told over the phone what the license plate # was.

 

[idunk]

Car pool lane stickers check cashed today (sent around 6/28).
EV parking stickers check cashed on 7/13 (sent around 7/1), stickers not received yet.

 

[EVDrive]

Got my parking sticker after 8 weeks. Still no HOV after 6 months- sent in again with certified mail and delivery verification. Interminable- this all should be handled as part of initial vehicle registration. Could not possibly be less efficient. :roll:

Sounds like my issue but worse. Leaf in April :O, Plates in June. I sent my sticker app in first week of June and still nothing. Called the dmv today and waited for 15 minutes on hold before i gave up. I commute 100 miles a day so I would love to have my damn stickers. The DMV is sad in Ca. We should be able to stop by our local branch and pick them up the same time as we submit the completed app. I would let them touch the car to verify if that would help.

It's a sticker not a gun. Idiots are in charge.

 

[oakwcj]

Got my parking sticker after 8 weeks. Still no HOV after 6 months- sent in again with certified mail and delivery verification. Interminable- this all should be handled as part of initial vehicle registration. Could not possibly be less efficient. :roll:

Sounds like my issue but worse. Leaf in April :O, Plates in June. I sent my sticker app in first week of June and still nothing. Called the dmv today and waited for 15 minutes on hold before i gave up. I commute 100 miles a day so I would love to have my damn stickers. The DMV is sad in Ca. We should be able to stop by our local branch and pick them up the same time as we submit the completed app. I would let them touch the car to verify if that would help.

It's a sticker not a gun. Idiots are in charge.

I also sent my sticker application in the first week of June. I called today and learned that no stickers have been issued for my LEAF. I was shocked! I sent in a second application today with a note about the first one. Maybe the applications from the first week in June are in DMV purgatory, aka the lost stack on someone's desk.

The sticker applications should have been handled with an initial online application similar to the CVRP process. The $8 could be paid by credit card. They don't really need a signature, because they can look up the registration records to verify the type of car, the owner, and the address. I don't blame the poor DMV workers who have to deal with paper applications. I blame DMV management for failing to give any serious thought to how the application process could be streamlined.

 

[drmanny3]

Well everything went as it should until I sent in the application. I made sure I sent in the money $17 for the parking sticker, but failed to send an $8 check for the HOV sticker. When I realized what I had done I put together another application and with the $8 send it in. Then I received an envelop back from the State requesting my $8. I Called in and asked if it was better to use their envelop or just go with the new application I had sent. The individual indicated that their envelop would not get preference. So I waited a couple of weeks. Then I got scared and decided to mail the check in their envelop just to be sure. Well finally the check has been cashed. I verified that it was the first check I sent with the new application. So now I await the HOV sticker.

As for dates. I picked up on the car on 5/28, got the plate number on 6/8, sent in the first application on 6/8 without a check, sent in the second application and first check on 6/18, My bank shows first $8 check on 7/19. Just received the sticker on 7/22 in one envelop. So it looks like they are about a month behind. As more and more cars are sold I can see the lead time extend out further. Oh well,
Manny

 

[gbarry42]

You have to think CHP would know zero emission vehicles can drive on HOV lane, it's just question of "Proof".

Sadly, it is not question of "proof", but a question of your having paid your $17 to the state. Having an EV merely makes you eligible for a sticker. CHP isn't interested in what you're driving. They just want to see that your papers are in order. Maybe you'd get some slack if the officer had a LEAF of his own.

 

[xtremeflyer]

Got my HOV sticker with my registration yesterday. Still don't have my plates yet, but I do have a plate number (because it was on the registration). I hope someone doesn't pull me over because I have stickers on and no plates thinking I'm just not putting my plates on.

 

[TRONZ]

So how quickly are they getting the stickers back to people now?

 

[oakwcj]

So how quickly are they getting the stickers back to people now?

Judging by the responses in this thread, somewhere between three weeks and never.

 

[Kataphn]

I had called DMV a few days ago asking about the parking sticker which did not come with the HOV stickers. She said she would forward the inquiry to the proper office. I fully expected no action but lo and behold today, I got a call from the "proper office" who said they had looked for and found my application. No explanation as to where it was or why they had to look for it. Maybe it was stuck in a drawer somewhere? :roll: So my sticker was not "in the mail" like I was hoping. She said they sent it out today and gave me her name and number to call her back if it does not come by next Friday. Wow, a personal call from the DMV...a first for me. Once I get that sticker, we are done tricking out this car....oh, except we have to put the moldings on...but otherwise...done!

 

[xtremeflyer]

My first day with the HOV stickers and I learned something.. They don't do you any good if there is an accident IN the carpool lane..

 

[astrorob]

oh good god - i put a single check in for $25. if there is some holdup for the parking sticker, i'm doomed. my wife is going to kill me.

also, i sent the envelope via certified mail, but there was never any "delivered" activity. what are the odds it was never delivered? i can see the DMV not doing whatever they have to do to properly accept a certified letter, and so they have it but the USPS does not show the status...

maybe i'd better call them.

edit: called; they said the applications are in the system (and being processed) and the combined check should be okay. mailed it june 29th from berkeley, ca.

received the stickers in the mail yesterday, 7/21/2011. HOV and parking sticker both included. HOV certificate says it was generated on 7/14 and parking sticker receipt says it was generated on 7/18. so perhaps my HOV stickers got held up waiting for the parking sticker?

6/07/2011 - took delivery
6/29/2011 - dmv allocated license plate # (was calling DMV every other day since 6/20 or so)
6/29/2011 - sent in applications (certified mail - never got past the "your mail was accepted" phase on the USPS tracker)
6/30/2011 - received title in the mail.
7/19/2011 - called DMV office; told that stickers were being processed
7/21/2011 - received HOV and EV parking stickers
7/21/2011 - single check for $25 cashed

still no license plates...

i am thinking of applying the stickers on the hatchback and the body, forward of the bumper, in an attempt to avoid the bumper cover. in my prius i was rear-ended about 2 months after having gotten stickers and needed a new bumper cover but never got it because i didn't want to go through the hassle of getting replacement stickers. is there any consensus about whether or not this is legal? the stickers would definitely not be "behind the wheel well" as the instructions say.

 

[jackal]

my timing is exactly the same as yours! Got mine yesterday and am a happy man!

like you, still no license plates too.

 

[idunk]

Got my car pool stickers today.

4/27 - Took delivery
6/? - DMV ran out of car pool stickers
6/28 - Sent car pool stickers application (got license plate info from dealer)
7/1 - Sent EV parking stickers application
7/12 - EV parking stickers check cashed
7/20 - EV car pool stickers check cashed
7/22 - EV car pool stickers received
?/?? - License plate received
?/?? - EV parking sticker received

 

[JCBNJB]

Got our HOV stickers, the parking sticker and the registration for the new plates today… all in one envelope.

Timeframe:
5/18 picked up car
5/25 or so - mailed checks and forms for HOV stickers and parking sticker
6/5 or so - got checks and forms sent back saying registration wasn't in yet
same time - got the plates
6/15 or so - got the vanity plate; traded in orig plates
6/20 or so - mailed in the check and the forms again
7/22 - got the stickers and the vanity plate registration

DONE with Leaf stuff for a bit - just need to put on the side molding!

 

[astralfish]

Do you apply the ZEV parking "decal" like a regular sticker or a decal?

I just applied my Clean Air stickers which look great, but the ZEV sticker has me confused. It's called "decal" but it looks like a regular sticker? :?

 

[derkraut]

Do you apply the ZEV parking "decal" like a regular sticker or a decal?

I just applied my Clean Air stickers which look great, but the ZEV sticker has me confused. It's called "decal" but it looks like a regular sticker? :?[/quote

I ordered my HOV and Parking stickers on 6/25. Received my HOV decals on July 23. No parking sticker yet.

 

[gascant]

HOV lane stickers arrived after about 3 weeks (maybe 4). But the parking sticker is MIA--submitted in the same envelope and clearly indicated two applications. They haven't cashed the $17 check yet. Do you think that CHiPs would object if I "taped" the white HOV lane stickers to my bumper? LOL :lol: