Anyone get their CA HOV stickers?

[tgrich]

A couple of questions as I just sent in my form with the $8 fee today (which, yes, they don't advertise the fee boldly enough and don't tell you whom to make it out to).

1) I want to get a vanity plate to replace the ones already in my possession, but see the plate number is listed on the HOW stickers. Does this mean I will have to request new stickers after I receive my vanity plates?

2) When is the best time to request vanity plates that will impose the least amount of problems, fees, waiting, etc?

3) Is it okay to put the hov stickers on a window instead of the paint?

Thanks,
Tim

 

[ttweed]

3) Is it okay to put the hov stickers on a window instead of the paint?

The directions for applying them are quite specific about the location. I think it relates to where cops will look to see if your car is legal in the HOV lane. I wouldn't chance it but YMMV. The stickers are the vinyl film type that are very easy to remove without damaging the paint if necessary in the future for some reason.

TT

 

[huangrenfu]

Does anyone have the Sacramento address where we can apply for the HOV sticker in person?

Another question: do we need to have FasTrak if we live in the Bay Area?

Thanks.

 

[Googler]

Today marks 30 days since I mailed in the application for HOV stickers, and it also marks 60 days since picking up my Leaf. (The first 30 days were spent waiting for the state to mail the license plates). I still haven't received the stickers. It's not the sort of thing that makes anyone feel warm and fuzzy about state workers. Why hasn't this been automated?

 

[tgrich]

Today marks 30 days since I mailed in the application for HOV stickers, and it also marks 60 days since picking up my Leaf. (The first 30 days were spent waiting for the state to mail the license plates). I still haven't received the stickers. It's not the sort of thing that makes anyone feel warm and fuzzy about state workers. Why hasn't this been automated?

Maybe the fact that they've been working with a schedule that includes 3 furlough days a month (%15 pay cut)? Or that vacancies have not been filled because of the budget situation, leading to understaffing?

Whatever the reason, I got mine a week and two days after taking delivery of my car.

Don't take your frustration out on those who are already doing more with less. Take it out at the ballot box by voting against those who refuse to compromise one iota on a fair budget solution that includes a mix of cuts and revenue. Better yet, contribute to one of the opponents of the non-compromisers in the next election.

 

[Googler]

Today marks 30 days since I mailed in the application for HOV stickers, and it also marks 60 days since picking up my Leaf. (The first 30 days were spent waiting for the state to mail the license plates). I still haven't received the stickers. It's not the sort of thing that makes anyone feel warm and fuzzy about state workers. Why hasn't this been automated?

Maybe the fact that they've been working with a schedule that includes 3 furlough days a month (%15 pay cut)? Or that vacancies have not been filled because of the budget situation, leading to understaffing?

Perhaps you missed the question of "Why hasn't this been automated?" 60 days is an unreasonable amount of time for what should be a completely automated procedure.

Don't take your frustration out on those who are already doing more with less. Take it out at the ballot box by voting against those who refuse to compromise one iota on a fair budget solution that includes a mix of cuts and revenue. Better yet, contribute to one of the opponents of the non-compromisers in the next election.

I mostly agree with you about changing the budget process in Sacramento. On the other hand, it's hardly a good argument to say that we need to raise taxes in order to pay someone to sit with a pencil and process paper forms. This is 2011, not 1971. They managed to find funds to develop an Android app and an iPhone app for the DMV, but apparently routine forms processing still requires humans with pencils. The program for issuing these stickers has existed for at least six years now.

 

[ttweed]

Does anyone have the Sacramento address where we can apply for the HOV sticker in person?

You can turn in the forms at any DMV office, but I think they end up mailing them to the address on the form anyway, so you will just delay processing.

Today marks 30 days since I mailed in the application for HOV stickers, and it also marks 60 days since picking up my Leaf. (The first 30 days were spent waiting for the state to mail the license plates). I still haven't received the stickers. It's not the sort of thing that makes anyone feel warm and fuzzy about state workers. Why hasn't this been automated?

There must be a problem with processing your app. My stickers came faster than that, as did others. As far as automating the process, it may be awhile. They are still struggling with the latest $63M systems upgrade http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2010/12/08/new-63-million-computer-system-spurs-dmv-delays/69268/ that is just the latest part of an ongoing clusterf@$k of biblical proportions for over 15 years now, starting with the failure of the first system "upgrade" they did back in the '90s: http://www.lao.ca.gov/analysis_1995/chit2740.html.

TT

 

[Beachcliffs]

For informational purposes only ...

• picked up Leaf 4/21 - PD says it is best to wait for plates
• 5/7 - after reading various posts in this thread, decide to mail in forms anyway
• 5/9 - while plates have not arrived, pink slip with license plate number does (just "the way o' the world")
• future update for arrival of plates
• future update for arrival of EV parking decal
• future update for arrival of HOV stickers

 

[Googler]

DMV cashed the check yesterday. Still no stickers. They are just sloooooowwwwww.

 

[ybitz]

A couple of questions as I just sent in my form with the $8 fee today (which, yes, they don't advertise the fee boldly enough and don't tell you whom to make it out to).

1) I want to get a vanity plate to replace the ones already in my possession, but see the plate number is listed on the HOW stickers. Does this mean I will have to request new stickers after I receive my vanity plates?

2) When is the best time to request vanity plates that will impose the least amount of problems, fees, waiting, etc?

3) Is it okay to put the hov stickers on a window instead of the paint?

Thanks,
Tim

I'm in the same situation as Tim, except I haven't sent my forms in yet. I think someone posted earlier in this thread that it's possible to get the stickers without putting down a license plate #. Has anyone else done that? It would be a hassle to have to (re)apply after vanity plate arrives.

 

[greenleaf]

A couple of questions as I just sent in my form with the $8 fee today (which, yes, they don't advertise the fee boldly enough and don't tell you whom to make it out to).

1) I want to get a vanity plate to replace the ones already in my possession, but see the plate number is listed on the HOW stickers. Does this mean I will have to request new stickers after I receive my vanity plates?

2) When is the best time to request vanity plates that will impose the least amount of problems, fees, waiting, etc?

3) Is it okay to put the hov stickers on a window instead of the paint?

Thanks,
Tim

I'm in the same situation as Tim, except I haven't sent my forms in yet. I think someone posted earlier in this thread that it's possible to get the stickers without putting down a license plate #. Has anyone else done that? It would be a hassle to have to (re)apply after vanity plate arrives.

The check attached to my application without the license plate number was cashed yesterday.

Still yet to receive the stickers.

 

[jcesare]

When is the best time to request vanity plates that will impose the least amount of problems, fees, waiting, etc?

I ordered my personalized plates online the day after I got my car. You don't even need a VIN#. The personalized plates take 8-12 weeks to arrive and you will be notified by mail. You make an appointment with your designated DMV office and you swap your existing plates. I expect my "standard" plates to arrive well before the personalized ones.
http://dmv.ca.gov/ipp2/welcome.do?localeName=en

1) I want to get a vanity plate to replace the ones already in my possession, but see the plate number is listed on the HOW stickers. Does this mean I will have to request new stickers after I receive my vanity plates?

Anyone have an answer to this? I assumed it was done by VIN# and this would not be an issue.

 

[Electric4Me]

As it turned out, I ordered my personalized plates almost six months before I got my car. They sat at the local DMV office for almost 4 before I could pick them up. When I bought my car I had my dealership send in the plate transfer application form with the rest of the DMV paperwork. I got my registration in the mail about two weeks after that and brought that in to the local office and they handed me the plates.

 

[jason98]

Both HOV and ZEV-Parking stickers arrived yesterday in one envelope from DMV.
It took just one month since I mailed the application.
Used it first time today during the morning commute on CA-85.
F@@@ Yeah!

 

[Beachcliffs]

Update of prior post ...

• picked up Leaf 4/21 - PD says it is best to wait for plates
• 5/7 - after reading various posts in this thread, decide to mail in forms anyway
• 5/9 - while plates have not arrived, pink slip with license plate number does (just "the way o' the world")
• 5/11 - license plates in today's mail
• future update for arrival of EV parking decal (estimate of June 10, or so)
• future update for arrival of HOV stickers (estimate of June 10, or so)

 

[garygid]

They cashed my $17 check for the EV Parking sticker yesterday.
So, I should have it within a few days, I suspect.

 

[ericsf]

Here's my timeline for the bureaucratic part of owning a LEAF:

- Got the LEAF on March 5th.
- Applied and mailed application for CVRP rebate on March 11th.
- Got $5.000 check on March 26th.
- Got my CA plates on April 15th.
- Mailed the HOV sticker application on April 18th.
- Got the CA HOV stickers on May 13th.

In summary the wait I experienced (approx) :
- CA CVRP rebate : 2 weeks
- CA Licence plates : 6 weeks
- CA HOV stickers (must have licence # to apply) : 10 weeks (+4 weeks after getting the plates).

Next and final stop: next year's tax return for the $7,500 credit.

 

[waiting4leaf]

They cashed my $17 check for the EV Parking sticker yesterday.
So, I should have it within a few days, I suspect.

When did you mail them in? I mailed on 4/29. Nothing yet.

 

[palmermd]

My parking sticker arrived yesterday.....hov stickers arrived a while ago...I'd have to go back on this thread to find it.

 

[greenleaf]

I received the HOV stickers today. The application was sent in before the license plate arrive. I had left the field for the license plate number empty.

The HOV $8 check was apparently cashed after the license plate number was known -- since on the image of the canceled check, I noticed that the license plate number was written behind the check.

So for those who are wondering, yes, it looks like you can submit the HOV application without the license plate number. Just leave the field empty. It worked for me.