HOV sticker certificate/papers

Hi Duncan,

The certificate shows the owner's name, the VIN, and the serial number of the carpool stickers. This is evidence that the carpool stickers are legitimate and not illegally transferred from another vehicle.

Have you checked the CA DMV website yet for info about how to register a new owner name (if not, go to that website, then query "carpool stickers".)

 

i purchased my Prius used w/ HOV stickers.
when i ordered/transferred a certificate to match my name:
1) they called me about two weeks after i had mailed it w/ payment
2) they required that i send in the stickers to them via mail by peeling off car
3) then, about 3 additional weeks later (abt 5-6 weeks in all), i received a new certificate w/ new stickers

it's a very inefficient operation

 

Odd. I bought mine used about 16 months ago with stickers. I sent in the form with a check for $8. A month or so later, I got the certificate with the serial numbers of my existing stickers (and the check was returned as unnecessary). There was no need to peel off the stickers and send them in.

 

wow. The last two posts were fascinating. Avocadoman, can you say when you had that experience? Was it more recent than TedMarshall's very different experience 16 months ago?

I didn't even know it was possible to peel the stickers off. Was it hard?

I got a 2007 Prius with stickers earlier this month. I forgot all about getting the stickers changed to my name. I was assuming at this point that because the car is in my name, the stickers are too, because they came with the car. I think i'll call DMV and see what the current policy is. I sure don't want to peel the stickers off and then be without any stickers for a while. What a depressing possibility.

A certificate came with my car. It does have the previous owner's name on it.

My only other exposure to this issue was when i first started looking at Priuses to buy, in December, the first one i looked at was a 2006 black one that was advertised on Craigs list as having "carpool sticker and sunroof." I went to see it. I was put off by the fact that it only had one sticker, and that one was a bit wrinkled and crooked. The guy said he was selling it for his father who was ill and couldn't drive it any more. He said he had ordered more stickers. He showed me the certificate and a copy of an application for stickers, and a copy of a check for $8. The check was dated April 2008, and this was December. He said he didn't know why it was taking so long to send the stickers. i wondered out loud if maybe he ought to call to see what happened. needless to say, i wasn't interested in getting that car, for that and other reasons.

I'm still back on peeling the stickers off. I would've thought that something which is sold for $4000 would not be easy to peel off. What's to prevent anyone from peeling off your sticker and stealing it?

Very odd.

I sure am enjoying those stickers, i.e. the carpool lanes. Every day i sail past gridlocked bunches of cars and make much better time than before.

slamdunc, looking forward to hearing what you find out.

I just found this on the DMV site under the section called Transferring Stickers to Your Name:

"All Clean Air Stickers remain with the vehicle they were originally issued to and cannot be transferred to any other vehicle. If you purchase a vehicle that has a Clean Air Sticker you may transfer the sticker to your name."

That's certainly at odds with what Avocadoman was put through.

I just filled out the form. It's ambiguous about whether you are replacing stickers or just the ID card. If you're just replacing the ID card, it's not crystal clear whether you need to fill in the ID card number of the existing certificate. it sounds like you are not supposed to put it, unless you are replacing the stickers themselves, but it's not completely clear. In another section, there are three boxes, Original, Replacement ID Card Only, and Replacement Stickers. Under that, it has Reason for Replacement, and the choices are Lost, Stolen, Damaged and Other. That seems to be referring only to the stickers, not to just the id card, but it's not clear because it just says 'reason for replacement.' It doesn't say 'reason for replacement of stickers.' So maybe it also means ID card replacement.

I want to take care of it tomorrow, i'm so glad you posted this because i had forgotten about it.

 

Getting the stickers off is pretty easy if you soften the glue with a hair drier or heat gun (on the LOWEST possible setting).

Even without the heat, it's probably a bit too easy to remove them, which is why there are all the hoops to jump through in replacing them. There have been a few reports I've heard about people stealing the stickers. When they are removed, they are supposed to say "void" all over the sticker, but my experience is that the words are not easily seen except with close inspection. So a CHP officer might not notice someone driving around with voided stickers unless the driver is stupid enough to get caught at something else.

 

FOR REFERENCE...my vehicle had only two stickers when i purchased it, in order to have the required four stickers on the vehicle i had to send the two in to DMV.
that is, if you currently have four stickers and are legal, you will not be required to send them in. the certificate name change process will be fairly simple.

However, retain copies of current certificate in car as a precaution during the time the original certificate is sent in to DMV...

- my experience was 3/08
- removed stickers w/ hair dryer and easily peeled off
- i believe that current registered owner is not required to transfer the stickers into the current registered name. that is, you can leave stickers in previous owners name if you desire, no law prohibiting that