HOV Sticker in CA - Is a license plate needed?

Yes , you need number plate before. The application form has a place to fill car number place, without this they will not accept this form.

 

You need the plate number, not the actual plates. If you can get the number from the DMV after they have assigned it, you don't have to wait until you receive the plates. Note that some dealers are authorized to process the registration and hand you the plates themselves. They typically will wait until the payment for sale has cleared.

 

Are you talking about real plates with the "dealer" designation on them, or temporary paper ones with just the dealer's name? Actual "Dealer" plates are registered, fully legitimate plates under which the dealer could presumably get the green decals. These are cars used internally by the dealership, like loaners or courtesy cars.

 

From what I understand in reading the vehicle code, service and loaner vehicles from the dealership have to have regular license plates and registration. Dealer plates are primarily for the use of dealership management and employees in the course of doing business. When I worked for a dealership and drove each new "demo" car for two to three months at a time, I had the same plate just switched with each change of vehicle. A car with dealer plates can be loaned to a prospective purchaser or lessee for up to seven days. Since a dealer plate isn't assigned to a specific vehicle, it wouldn't qualify for the HOV stickers. It is possible that some sort of trade deal is in the works, and the dealer put his assigned dealership plate on temporarily, in order to use that car. (If the prior owner had personalized plates, for example, and retained them.) He could be in trouble if stopped by the CHP, as he isn't qualified, in the strictest sense of the law. His name doesn't appear as a registered owner matching the info on the HOV certificate.
OTOH, if it is, as Charles asks, a dealer advertising paper insert in the area where the license plate goes, then maybe someone is just slow in putting his plates on the car. Maybe he is waiting until he gets his personalized plates assigned to his car, or got the stickers using the number, rather than waiting on the plate, as Charles said in his earlier post. He too might get questioned by a CHP officer.
If Dianne Whitmire sees this thread, maybe she can correct and clarify my interpretation as necessary.

 

Thanks for the correction about the use of "Dealer" plates.

 

You are most welcome. What the vehicle code sets out as the law doesn't mean there isn't a whole lot of abuse, of course. I have seen a lot of dealerships use personalized plates to identify their loaners for the extra advertising. Otherwise, they usually arrange for a rental, and pay for it under warranty, etc. the same as they would in loaning out their own cars.

 

Well on my 05' I wrote new vehicle in the plate section and only had the VIN number and I STILL recieved my yellow HOV stickers. I did the same thing with my 12' Plug in. I will keep you all updated if I get the stickers.

 

I am driving around with my stickers and no plates. I bought my car almost 2 months ago and still haven't received the plates. About 3 weeks after I purchased the car, I called the DMV and asked them for my plate number. They gave it to me and I wrote it on the form to get the stickers. My stickers came a couple weeks ago. With the stickers was my registration and a supplemental piece of paper verifying the HOV eligibility, so I assume I am good to go.

 

What does gives out HOV? I live in WB, do I get a chance for getting that HOV sticker? Btw mine is Gen3, not PIP