CA: Purple vs Red HOV stickers ?

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4sallypat

4sallypat

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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 ???
 
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.
 
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.
 
ozy said:
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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^^ 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......
 
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.
 
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
 
ozy said:
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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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.
 
ozy said:
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.
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The salesman told me that I can't apply before getting my license plate, what are you worrying about?
 
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!
 
4sallypat said:
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!
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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.
 
4sallypat said:
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!
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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?
 
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:(
 
Geor99 said:
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:(
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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. :)
 
Good- that would be a terrible unintended consequence to unknowingly delay getting 7500 bucks for a year with absolutely no HOV sticker benefit:)
 
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.
 
Geor99 said:
Good- that would be a terrible unintended consequence to unknowingly delay getting 7500 bucks for a year with absolutely no HOV sticker benefit:)
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I also got the newest CA HOV stickers (Purple) for 2019 because I re-did the lease contract on 1/1/19.
 
JulianClarity said:
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.
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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.
 
4sallypat said:
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.
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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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