CA: Purple vs Red HOV stickers ?

Discussion in 'Clarity' started by 4sallypat, Dec 19, 2018.

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  1. 4sallypat

    4sallypat Active Member

    So I hear that anyone applying for a CA HOV sticker after 1/1/19 would receive the purple color that expires in 2023 (1 more year than the red stickers).

    So does that mean you have to buy the car after 1/1/19 or can I get it now (December) and then apply after 1/1/19 ???
     
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  3. rodeknyt

    rodeknyt Active Member

    They all will expire in 2023...on January 1st.
     
  4. ozy

    ozy Active Member

    It doesn't matter when you buy the car. The only thing that matters is when you get the sticker. I called the clean air resource board to confirm this.
     
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  5. Kendalf

    Kendalf Active Member

    Current red stickers will expire Jan 1, 2022, unless new legislation extends them. Only the new purple stickers are good till 2023.
    https://insideevs.com/california-new-hov-sticker-debut-2019/

    @4sallypat As long as you haven't applied for the sticker prior to 2019 you will receive the new purple sticker.
     
  6. ozy

    ozy Active Member

    The other important thing that no one at any dealership seems to understand is that the timing of the sticker is important. For example, if you get your sticker on Dec 31 it will be good for 3 years. If you get it on Jan 1 it will be good for 4 years. Jumping the gun by one day will cost you one year on the HOV lane. I personally checked this info by calling the CARB to confirm. Not one dealership salesperson that I spoke to understood this information.
     
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  8. 4sallypat

    4sallypat Active Member

    ^^ this is correct - timing!

    To make matters worse, my local dealer has the red stickers already on the new unsold vehicles BEFORE they are sold.
    Guess the dealer paying for the stickers ahead of time to the prospective buyer thought they would entice the customer to buy their car ???

    I think that was not smart because now I can not get the purple stickers by applying after Jan 1st......
     
  9. ozy

    ozy Active Member

    4sallypat. I would not buy a car in which the dealer has already put on the sticker. The only reason why I bought my Clarity is because I desperately needed the HOV sticker. I have a 70 mile commute on horrendous So. Cal freeways and was recently informed that my CNG car is no longer good for the HOV lane. Therefore, every day counts for me. I would not purchase a car in which the dealer has stupidly thrown away a year of stickerhood by applying too early. Incidentally, I asked this question of every dealer that I went to ie: "Can you guarantee for me that you did not apply for a sticker for this car". If you have any doubts you can call a special division within the DMV in which they will tell you if anyone has applied for a sticker for a particular VIN. They are very difficult to reach and it took me about 20 attempts to get them. I think they are called "special unit" or something like that within the DMV. If you call the DMV they will give you that number in Sacramento.
     
  10. dnb

    dnb Active Member

    I just got my (Red) stickers in this week. Didn't realize I could have waited for the purple when I applied a month or two ago
     
  11. JulianClarity

    JulianClarity Active Member

    I think by common sense it only matters when you get the sticker not when you buy the car, because you can drive in carpool lane without a sticker.
    It should be fine for those who bought before the new year, I haven't done my research though.
     
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  13. JulianClarity

    JulianClarity Active Member

    The salesman told me that I can't apply before getting my license plate, what are you worrying about?
     
  14. 4sallypat

    4sallypat Active Member

    Wrong - the HOV stickers can be ordered ahead of the plates.
    The dealers can pay for $22 stickers ahead of time (before they are sold).

    Because I wanted a purple sticker, I had the dealer find a new Clarity that did not have a sticker ordered for it.
    It was a new Clarity that arrived to the dealer lot few days before I came in.

    But the dealer re-did the contract in order to officially buy the car on the 1st of January.

    While doing the paperwork, the dealer had me fill out the DMV for the HOV stickers (Purple). So when they re-did my paperwork including paying $22 to the dealer to have them mail in the sticker request.

    Now I am happy!
     
  15. JulianClarity

    JulianClarity Active Member

    I am totally not aware of this, they did not mention anything about the sticker, but the salesman told me clearly I have to apply by myself. I don't really need a sticker, it is fine if I receive a red one in the end.
     
  16. Geor99

    Geor99 Active Member

    By having the dealer move the purchase date back to Jan 1st, I sincerely hope that you didnt just push back your $7,500 federal by an entire year even though it makes no difference when the car was purchased as far as the HOV sticker?
     
  17. Geor99

    Geor99 Active Member

    My wording sucked on my post above. I meant that I hope by moving your purchase date forward to Jan 1, you didn't delay your $7,500 from the Feds by an entire year:(
     
  18. Kendalf

    Kendalf Active Member

    The federal EV tax credit applies to the tax year that the car was purchased, so if the contract states that the car was purchased on 1/1/2019, then @4sallypat will need to wait until 2020 to apply for the credit (for taxes paid in 2019).

    EDIT: Looking at 4sallypat's other thread, it appears that he leased, so the issue is moot for him. :)
     
  19. Geor99

    Geor99 Active Member

    Good- that would be a terrible unintended consequence to unknowingly delay getting 7500 bucks for a year with absolutely no HOV sticker benefit:)
     
  20. 4sallypat

    4sallypat Active Member

    That's correct - I do not need to get the federal credit in 2020.

    I got immediate credit from Honda on 1/1/19 - Honda who owns the car - as I leased the Clarity.
    It was nice to a $7600 incentive applied to the car as well a $500 state employee credit plus the $2500 dealer discount.
    Total discount on the car was $10,600 off the MSRP of the car - such a nice low payment for the next 3 years.
    Then at the end if the car has been great, I will buy out the lease for $14K and own it.
     
  21. 4sallypat

    4sallypat Active Member

    I also got the newest CA HOV stickers (Purple) for 2019 because I re-did the lease contract on 1/1/19.
     
  22. 4sallypat

    4sallypat Active Member

    You will receive a purple HOV if your application was made after 1/1/19.

    Your dealer may not have had a dedicated DMV person on site. Most smaller dealers do not have a DMV person on site - they rely on YOU going to DMV for any stickers.

    My dealer has a DMV POC who processes all DMV requests including HOV stickers and personalized plate reissue.
    So in addition to collecting the $22 HOV plate form they filled out for me, I also paid for a transfer of plates (personalized) to the new car so that I don't have to make a trip to the DMV to give them a plate change form.
     
  23. JulianClarity

    JulianClarity Active Member

    Nice, thank you for the clarification. I am glad that I will get both the purple sticker and a federal credit for 2018. The dealership is small, they surely don't have an onsite DNV POC.
     

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