Has anyone received a CA Green HOV Sticker yet?

Oy. So one of my green stickers is peeling up. I've been pushing it back down but it is now clear that it will not last long. I've had the sticker for less than a month.

I just called the special processing unit of the DMV to see if there was any options since it may be a sticker-stickiness issue (I know, a long shot).

Get this, I was told that once they reach the 40k stickers no REPLACEMENTS would be available. I'm hoping I was just talking to a disgruntled employee with a mean streak but now I'm worried. The sticker faq's address replacements on totaled vehicles indicating those could be replaced but doesn't address other loss or damage

Anyone inquire with the DMV about this or have knowledge of the replacement policy?

 

Boy, that doesn't sound right.

Aren't there clear protective films for car paint? Get a small piece, cut it a little larger than the peeling sticker, and paste it over.

Or, take the sticker off before it falls off, keep it in the car, and show it to the cop in the hugely unlikely event you get stopped. Heck, they don't even stop solo drivers without stickers.

 

The DMV Form Reg 1000 (application for stickers) seems to me to have ambiguous wording relating to replacement stickers. On the front side it mentions "prior" to reaching the 40k limit, but it isn't clear whether they are referring to the original purchase or needing replacements. On the back side of the form it says that you have to turn in your old stickers if you have them, and that a NEW number will be issued (lower # than 40k?). You can Google the form info above to read it for yourself. Scroll down to the last two pages for the owner application.
I would do as suggested, and seal it in place or use a hair dryer to heat the glue in order to remove it, then tape it to a piece of paper to carry in the car. I use only two stickers, and have never been stopped, since the yellow stickers came out years ago.

 

So I called back (can you say OCD?) and got a totally different answer. No problem exchanging. I read the info on reg 1000 and it seems to indicate that replacements will be made and is supported by the serial numbers currently being issued being above the original application count.

I think my plan is bite the bullet and send for replacements....but first make a high quality scan or photo of both sizes.

While common sense tells me that replacements will not be an issues, I have a plan b of using the scan to recreate stickers if the DMV denies me while twisting their tiny villain mustache.

 

May I ask how it was applied? Did you clean the surface with alcohol or do any cleaning at all prior to putting it on, or did you just wipe it down and put it on?

1 month does seem very short for these (as usually, the problem you have is trying to get them off).

 

Brenna,
Recreating the stickers would probably constitute fraud. Then there is the matter of the counterfeit-prevention process used on the originals. I hope you are being facetious. and where have you seen that the numbers now being issued exceed the "application count" (whatever that is)?
What if you mail in your stickers and they don't replace them?

 

Yup....I realize recreating the stickers is a terrible idea on a lot of levels.

The thought about "application count" maybe a bad term was eluding to the posts on this thread of they fact that people have received sticker ## 39,500 and the CARB is indicating 38k+ issued in an similar time frame.....it think someone did math and thought about the actual sticker ## was 1100 or 2.6% above what CARB was reporting (this is from recollection so I apologize if I off). This seems to support that replacement stickers are not counted in the 40K.

Applying and being declined for replacement would be rough. Not only would it have a direct effect on my daily commute in time and cost but it also would decrease the value of my car.

I did clean the surface with alcohol before I applied but with the problem sticker (full disclosure....I feel like an idiot) I may have not waited long enough and stuck it before the surface was completely dry.

 

Thanks for the info, that may have been it (though usually even some wet alcohol under a sticker will eventually dry, but I can see if it's undiluted, it might also degrade the adhesive... especially if it's then driven immediate w/o time to dry/cure.)

EDIT: Oh and good luck with the replacement, I'm sure there are many of us that want to see how it turns out!!

 

Brenna,
Which sticker and location is causing the problem? I used only the two small ones, front one on the chrome strip and rear under the spoiler on the glass. Easily seen by the CHP. I really don't think missing one would be a problem.
I believe Dianne Whitmire posted here or in the thread regarding extending the number of stickers that replacements would come from the original 40k. She's in the biz, so I tend to take her word.

 

So let me get this straight...
you stuck a sticky sticker on a bumper and the sticky sticker is sticky no more and is becoming unstuck.
Bad luck. Oh f**k.
Did you try and rub it with a stick?
Yes a glue stick should do the trick and make it stick.

Sorry.

Mike

 

I gotta' go get some green eggs.............

 

I'll bring the ham.

 

Just bought a Plug-in end of March and may just barely miss out on getting a sticker at all because apparently there's some hold up in the financing preventing our dealer from sending in the vehicle reg paperwork.

 

Bummer! You might ask the dealer if once they have the financing complete, they could have someone go to the local DMV office to register your car. It can be done, if the dealer is willing.

 

just called again, agent checked and said it has not been processed yet...now i'm just hoping they didn't kick it out to be sent back to me before my registration got straightened out (he said now they're supposedly working on applications received on april 9th).

at this point, should i fill out another form and send a new one in?

 

For the price of a domestic stamp, I would just send another in by regular mail. I remember reading somewhere that if DMV detects that it is a duplicate, the duplicate one is not processed.

 

I don't see how it would hurt. Just another $8, (or $28 if you overnight it again ). You could mark it "Duplicate application" or something similar. Maybe then they wouldn't cash the check if the other one had been issued already. But you are dealing with the DMV, so who knows? Welcome to California.

 

I did this after realizing I didn't fill out the back of the form. My stickers came in an envelope w the bad form and my extra check. Someone is really on the ball in this dept.

 

alright, that makes it an easy call then...i'll put another one in the mail this afternoon. maybe even overnight, again, just to be safe...since now i know that my registration is in the system at least.

 

Been lurking for a while, and I appreciate all the info over the past few weeks. I was fortunate to receive my green stickers yesterday and wanted to provide the timeline in case it helps anyone.

- 3/21 Purchased PIP
- 3/27 Called the dealer for my LP # but said they couldn't process until after Cesar Chavez holiday (3/31)
(I should have called a few days earlier but didn't realize the frenzy until later)
- 4/1 Called the dealer for my License Plate #
- 4/1 mailed application over night
- 4/2 application reached DMV
- 4/8 Called the DMV, was told that they couldn't find my application were processing up to apps received before 3/20
- 4/9 Called the DMV again, got a different person who couldn't find my LP # but asked for my VIN. Using my VIN, she said that my app was processed 4/7 (Obviously, the 4/8 DMV person didn't really want to bother with me)
- 4/9 Cashed check shows up in my bank (says cashed 4/7)
- 4/12 received stickers : EH398xx (it said issued on 04/07)

Good luck everyone, thanks for the updates on this forum