Clean Air Vehicle HOV Sticker Status
The white/green sticker program that let clean vehicles drive solo in carpool lanes ended September 30, 2025 — a lot of content online hasn't caught up.
The program ended on 2025-09-30 and was not renewed. If you're searching for how to get a white or green Clean Air Vehicle decal in California, there currently isn't one to apply for — and an old decal no longer allows solo carpool-lane access.
Enter your decal type (if you have one) to see exactly what its status is today.
Clean Air Vehicle Decal Status
Program Status
What actually happened
The Clean Air Vehicle decal program let eligible battery-electric, fuel-cell, and plug-in hybrid vehicles use HOV/carpool lanes with only a single occupant. That privilege depended on a federal authorization under 23 U.S.C. Section 166, which expired — and a further extension requires new federal approval that Congress/USDOT has not granted, despite California passing state-level legislation anticipating an extension through 2027.
As a practical result, decals — both white (older zero-emission/fuel-cell vehicles) and green (newer PHEVs) — stopped granting carpool-lane privileges as of October 1, 2025, and DMV stopped issuing new ones. If you still have a physical decal on your car, it's now just a sticker; it doesn't change your legal right to use the HOV lane, which now requires the same passenger count as any other vehicle.
Watch for legislative or federal action that could revive the program, but don't plan around it until it's actually reauthorized.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) decal program still active?
No. The program ended September 30, 2025. All Clean Air Vehicle decals — white and green — are no longer valid, and you can no longer apply for a new one.
Can I still drive solo in the carpool lane with my old decal?
No. As of October 1, 2025, a Clean Air Vehicle decal no longer allows single-occupant access to HOV/carpool lanes, even if the sticker is still physically on your car.
Why did the program end instead of being renewed?
The underlying federal authorization (23 U.S.C. Section 166) that lets states grant single-occupant HOV access to clean vehicles expired, and a new authorization for California requires federal approval that has not been granted, despite state legislation attempting to extend the program through 2027.
Will California's Clean Air Vehicle decal program come back?
Possibly, if Congress or USDOT grants the needed federal authorization — California has already enacted state-level legislation anticipating an extension through 2027. But as of now, there's no active program to apply to, and no guaranteed return date.
Do I still get any benefit for owning an EV in HOV lanes without a decal?
With 2+ occupants, any vehicle can legally use an HOV lane regardless of decal status — that requirement never depended on the decal program. The decal only ever mattered for solo driving in the carpool lane.
This tool provides an educational status update only and is not affiliated with the DMV or CARB. Check dmv.ca.gov directly for any future program changes.