California License Plates + HOV Sticker

I'm not sure how you got yours so quick! I applied end of January and still nothing...

 

I just got my green stickers today and it's been quite the wait. Form mailed on 12/21, check cashed on 2/17, post-marked 2/24.

 

Got mine today. Going to put them on now but still not sure where I'll place the rear sticker.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Above the black part of rear. Looks weird on the lower black part.

 

I just put it on the black part. Doesn't look so featureless anymore.

 

Went across the bridge in the carpool lane yesterday. It felt good to pay $2.50 instead of $5.00 for the toll.

 

I guess half price is better than nothing. ^_^ On the 110 (LA) I am now saving around 20 bucks a day as it lets green stickers ride for free.

 

Are you sure about that? Ill have to look into that some more. If true, that is awesome.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Yup, I ride the express lanes too and it states to set your flex number to 3+ if you have the green or white sticker. I called and spoke to someone to confirm. There's some old document online from 2011 that said they do not allow the stickers to be exempt from the toll, but that has since changed.

 

So nice to cruise in the HOV lanes!

saved 10+ minutes today.

 

It's a great feeling zipping by in the carpool lane, isn't it?! I only use the carpool lane for 6 miles of my evening commute, but it saves me between 10-20 minutes.

I just wish the state of California had come up with a better way to identify eligible cars instead of slapping on 4 tacky stickers. I had a 2nd gen Prius beginning in 2006 and we had those ugly yellow stickers; when I peeled them off in 2012, you could definitely see the fade of where the stickers were. Between now and then I would have hoped California could come up with a better identifier like a special license plate. Not looking forward to peeling the stickers off when they expire in 2019...

 

They may extend them to 2025 i was reading. hope so!

 

You would have changed to another car by then.

 

In 2019? I kept my Gen 2 Prius for over 10 years

 

my mpg has precipitously dropped can't have it all.

 

Got my Green Stickers today. Placed on 2/17. Got them 3/15.
No PG&E rebate yet.
No CARB rebate yet.
Got my Lic plates on 3/09. Used the temp registration numbers for my stickers and rebates.

 

I was wondering how long it would take for the average buyer to get them once applying with their plate #. As a dealership, we apply for all in advance and pre-pay for them. Once I have a vin#, I can order them. Initially, we ordered them immediately as far back as late November/early December, once the forms were available, but the DMV was playing games (don;t get me started down THIS road again LOL) and some requests were returned, and some stickers did get sent, there was little rhyme or reason to it all. I figure it just depended on WHO opened the request we sent in the mail to Sac'to and how lazy or diligent or well trained they were in doing so. There really was no sense to what they assigned and what they returned and refunded.

It's smoother now. Thank God. We seem to be getting everything I'm asking for before the car even gets here... in 75% of the cases the sticker beats the car in but we are still getting them all... but it's taking almost three weeks from the day it's mailed to the day the decals arrive now.

 

I mailed my application on 1/7, and my check was cashed 2/13. I still haven't received my stickers, so I just sent in another request. I wish my dealership had supplied me with stickers.

 

Update on my end:
HOV Stickers: Sent application on 02/23, check cashed 3/16 (check endorsed on 3/10), received 3/18

CA Rebate: Application 02/23, no rebate yet.
Federal Tax Credit: Updated w-4 on 02/23 (Trying to do the math to make sure I owe the Feds $4500 by the end of the year)

 

I've placed a deposit for my Prius Prime which arrives at the end of next month! Can't wait. I'd like to jump on the HOV decal piece asap and would like to plan ahead. Based on what I've read here so far, here are some options:

1. Have the dealership apply for you. I've asked multiple people including Director of Sales and advised advised they couldn't do this. I'm not sure how others including Diane could get this done but I'm considering this a no go for me.
2. Use the VIN number on the application and leave the license plate field "Blank". Presumably, this can be submitted the day I pick up my vehicle.
3. Request the license plate number from the dealership. It appears they have this info once the registration is processed (however long that takes).
4. Call the DMV for your license plate number after the registration is processed from the dealership. Probably takes a few days at minimum?

I know many of you have gone through this and I'd like to hear what your thoughts are. I'd really like to avoid having to wait for my license plate to arrive before submitting this application if possible. If that's what it is and considering it can take anywhere between 2-6 weeks from sending in the app to receiving the decals, I'm looking at sometime in June before I can access the HOV lanes...