End of an Era: Solo EV Drivers Stripped of Carpool Lane Access

California's Clean Air Vehicle Decal Program Officially Expires

SACRAMENTO — After more than two decades of incentivizing electric and hybrid vehicle adoption, California's Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) decal program officially ended on September 30, 2025, leaving hundreds of thousands of drivers without their coveted carpool lane privileges.

Starting October 1, all CAV decals became invalid, meaning solo drivers of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell cars must now meet posted occupancy requirements to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes or risk receiving citations. The change affects more than 528,000 registered vehicles with active decals across the state as of December 2024.

Federal Authorization Expires Despite California's Extension Efforts

The program's demise stems from a federal "sunset provision" in Section 166 of Title 23 of the United States Code, which required congressional authorization for states to continue issuing the decals. Despite California lawmakers' efforts to extend the program through 2027 with Assembly Bill 2678, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2024, Congress failed to provide the necessary federal extension.

"In 2005, Congress authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to allow solo drivers in energy-efficient vehicles to use carpool lanes to help push alternative-fuel vehicles and meet environmental goals. Over the years, federal lawmakers continued to approve extensions, including in the highway funding bill enacted in 2015, which extended that power through Sept. 29, 2025."

California Department of Motor Vehicles Director Steve Gordon expressed frustration with the federal decision, stating: "This is a great program for climate-conscious Californians. We have issued over one million decals since this program was approved, which has helped to foster a change in how we drive. Californians are committed to lowering their carbon footprint and these decals helped drivers be good stewards of our highways and environment. By taking away this program, hundreds of thousands of California's drivers will pay the price."

Massive Impact on Electric Vehicle Incentives

The program, which allowed qualifying vehicles to access carpool lanes regardless of occupancy, had been a significant factor in electric vehicle purchasing decisions. A 2016 study by the UCLA Luskin Center For Innovation found that 40% of people who purchased plug-in vehicles bought their cars specifically for carpool access.

Since its inception in 1999, the program has issued more than 1.1 million decals to qualifying vehicles. In March 2024, there were 411,133 vehicles in California with active CAV decals, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The decals came in different colors depending on their issue year:

  • Purple decals (2019) expired January 1, 2023
  • Orange decals (2020) expired January 1, 2024
  • Blue decals (2021) expired January 1, 2025
  • Red decals (2022) expired January 1, 2026
  • Green decals (2023) expired September 30, 2025
  • Burgundy decals (2024) expired September 30, 2025

Financial Impact on Drivers

Beyond losing carpool lane access, drivers also face increased toll costs. FasTrak CAV toll tags, which provided discounted rates on Bay Area bridges and express lanes, automatically converted to standard FasTrak Flex tags on October 1, meaning drivers now pay full tolls unless they meet carpool occupancy requirements.

On Bay Area bridges, solo EV drivers previously enjoyed discounted carpool toll rates of $4, but now must pay full bridge tolls. The change particularly affects commuters like Tesla driver Sammy Sida, who told NBC 7 San Diego that losing carpool access adds 30 minutes to his commute between San Diego and Los Angeles, especially on heavily trafficked routes like State Route 91.

Environmental and Traffic Implications

Transportation officials remain cautious about predicting the full traffic impact, as human behavior variables make precise forecasting difficult. John Goodwin, spokesperson for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, noted: "It's really hard to predict what the impact(s) of the sunset on the carpool decal program will be. This is largely because human behavior is involved."

The program's end raises concerns about potential setbacks to California's ambitious environmental goals. The state's zero-emission vehicle regulation requires new vehicles to reach 100% zero-emission and clean plug-in hybrid-electric by the 2035 model year, according to the California Air Resources Board.

California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph lamented the program's termination, stating: "Clean Air Vehicle Decals are a smart, cost-effective incentive that has played an important role driving the adoption of clean and zero-emission vehicles in California. But thanks to the federal government's failure to act, this successful program is coming to an end."

Alternative Transportation Options Emerge

With the program's end, transportation authorities are promoting alternative solutions for commuters:

  • Carpooling and Ride-sharing: Bay Area's 511 Carpool Program and similar services offer shared transportation options
  • Casual Carpool Revival: Grassroots efforts are underway to restart "Casual Carpool" programs, where commuters line up at designated spots for rides
  • Vanpool Programs: The Orange County Transportation Authority Vanpool Program provides group transportation with potential government incentives

Key Timeline and Enforcement

  • August 29, 2025: Final day for CAV decal applications
  • September 30, 2025: All CAV decals expired
  • October 1, 2025: Enforcement began for new occupancy requirements
  • Ongoing: Caltrans electronic road signs display warnings: "CLEAN AIR DECALS NOT VALID STARTING OCT 1"

California Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies are now prioritizing carpool lane enforcement to ensure compliance with occupancy requirements.

Looking Forward

While some hope remains for federal intervention, transportation experts acknowledge the political reality makes extension unlikely in the current Congress. The program's end marks a significant shift in California's electric vehicle incentive landscape, potentially affecting future adoption rates and commuting patterns statewide.

The DMV has stated that decals do not need to be physically removed from vehicles, though they provide no legal protection for HOV lane use. Drivers who wish to remove them can do so by gently heating the decal with a hair dryer and peeling it off slowly to avoid paint damage.

As California continues pursuing its aggressive climate goals, state officials indicated they are "looking at other options to provide this service to Californians" while the federal government's authorization remains absent.

Sources

  1. California Department of Motor Vehicles. "Federal Government Ends Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) Decal Program." DMV Press Release, September 2025. https://email.dmvonline.ca.gov
  2. California DMV. "Clean Air Vehicle Decals - California DMV." https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/license-plates-decals-and-placards/clean-air-vehicle-decals-for-using-carpool-lanes/
  3. California Air Resources Board. "Current Clean Air Vehicle Decal." https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/current-clean-air-vehicle-decal
  4. California Air Resources Board. "Carpool Stickers." https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/carpool-stickers
  5. KCRA 3 Sacramento. "California's Clean Air Vehicle decal program set to end in October." August 12, 2025. https://www.kcra.com/article/california-clean-air-vehicle-decal-program-to-end/65671827
  6. NBC 7 San Diego. "California's Clean Air Vehicle decal program ending in September." August 2025. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/californias-clean-air-vehicle-decal-program-ending-in-september/3886221/
  7. CBS San Francisco. "California's Clean Air Vehicle carpool sticker program set to end in September." August 13, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/california-clean-air-vehicle-carpool-sticker-program-september-2025-end/
  8. ABC7 San Francisco. "Changes for Bay Area Drivers: 'Casual Carpool' making a comeback as California's 'Clean Air Decal' program expiring soon." June 26, 2025. https://abc7news.com/post/changes-bay-area-drivers-casual-carpool-making-comeback-californias-clean-air-decal-program-expiring-soon/16848582/
  9. San Francisco Chronicle. "Your EV is about to lose California carpool-lane access and FasTrak perks: What to know." September 2025. https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/drive-vehicle-carpool-fastrak-california-21031597.php
  10. San Francisco Chronicle. "EVs to soon lose access to California carpool lanes, officials warn." August 1, 2025. https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/carpool-clean-air-vehicle-decals-19973886.php
  11. Patch.com. "Some California Vehicles Slated To Lose Carpool Lane Access In 2025." January 4, 2025. https://patch.com/california/across-ca/some-california-vehicles-slated-lose-carpool-lane-access-2025
  12. Marin Independent Journal. "Marin planners, clean air advocates eye demise of carpool decal program." September 3, 2025. https://www.marinij.com/2025/09/03/marin-planners-clean-air-advocates-eye-demise-of-carpool-decal-program/
  13. Bay Area FasTrak. "Clean Air Vehicles." https://www.bayareafastrak.org/en/help/clean-air-vehicles-guide.shtml
  14. ABC7 Los Angeles. "California's Clean Air Vehicle Decal program, letting EVs drive in carpool lane regardless of occupancy, could be ending soon." March 22, 2025. https://abc7.com/post/californias-clean-air-vehicle-decal-program-letting-evs-drive-carpool-lane-occupancy-could-ending-soon/16059339/
  15. Westminster Accident Lawyer. "California Clean Air Vehicle Decals (HOV Stickers) are expiring!" February 5, 2025. https://www.winn-lawyers.com/blog/cav-decals-expiring-485zf
  16. LAmag. "California Clean Air Vehicle Decal program to expire on September 30." August 2025. https://lamag.com/transportation/california-clean-air-vehicle-decal-program-to-expire-on-september-30/
  17. email.dmvonline.ca.gov/t/y-e-qjkudkl-ihduurllhd-f/

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