CA and Az HOV!?!

It sounds like you have AZ HOV license plates, but you also would like to "double dip" when you visit California by using the carpool lanes there solo. Is that right?

See the following CA DMV website:
Clean Air Stickers - High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane Usage

Note the two references to CA Vehicle Code sections at the beginning of that webpage.

21655.9 says "(b) A person shall not drive a vehicle described in subdivision (a) of Section 5205.5 with a single occupant upon a high-occupancy vehicle lane pursuant to this section unless the decal, label, or other identifier issued pursuant to Section 5205.5 is properly displayed on the vehicle, and the vehicle registration described in Section 5205.5 is with the vehicle."

5205.5 says "(f) For purposes of subdivision (a), the Department of the California Highway Patrol and the department, in consultation with the Department of Transportation, shall design and specify the placement of the decal, label, or other identifier on the vehicle. Each decal, label, or other identifier issued for a vehicle shall display a unique number, which number shall be printed on, or affixed to, the vehicle registration."

Given the above, I would say that if the prior owner gave you the CA hybrid carpool sticker registration form that came with the stickers, and you keep this form in the car, then you can make a reasonable claim that the CA stickers are still valid under Section 21655.9. Contrary to 5205.5, the carpool serial number is not printed on the vehicle registration form that is issued annually when you pay your license fees.

 

So: you're living in CA but the car is registered in AZ? or do you just visit CA frequently?

In any case, as things stand now, you need to be aware that in CA, the privilege goes away Jan 1, 2011.

 

I believe that in California HOV status goes with the sticker not the license plate.