If you drive an electric vehicle in California, a big change is coming: starting October 1, 2025, the state’s Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) decal program will no longer allow single-occupant EVs into the carpool lane.

What’s Changing?

For years, EV drivers with a CAV decal could legally use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes even when driving alone. That perk saved commuters time—sometimes up to 30 minutes a day on routes like the 91 freeway between San Diego and Los Angeles.

But according to the California DMV, the federal regulations that allowed states to issue these decals will expire on September 30, 2025. After that date, the stickers will no longer be valid anywhere in the U.S.

That means:

• All drivers will need to meet posted occupancy rules to use carpool lanes.
• EV drivers will have to pay required tolls where applicable.
• Anyone using the HOV lane without meeting requirements risks a citation.
  

Key Dates to Know

• August 29, 2025 → Last day to apply for a CAV decal.
• September 30, 2025 → Program officially ends.
• October 1, 2025 → CAV decals no longer valid.
  

Who’s Affected?

Roughly 500,000 vehicles in California currently use CAV decals. Many EV drivers say the program was a big reason they went electric in the first place.

“I got it in 2020, and I use it all the time. I love it,” said Tesla driver Sammy Sida. “In heavy traffic, it saves me about 30 minutes.”

Others, like driver Josh Geller, said the program wasn’t a deal-breaker for them:

“Most of the time I am by myself, and I probably should’ve applied. But I didn’t want a sticker on my car.”

Why Is the Program Ending?

The Clean Air Vehicle program has been around since 1999, but it requires federal authorization. The federal government notified California that it would not extend the program past September 2025.

According to Lindsey Buckley with the California Air Resources Board (CARB):

“The program itself requires federal authorization… unfortunately, it will be ending at the end of September.”

What’s Next?

California leaders say they are exploring other options to support EV adoption, but for now, the HOV access incentive is ending.

Local EV groups, like the Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego, have spoken out against the change, arguing that the decal program was a low-cost, high-impact incentive that nudged drivers toward cleaner vehicles.

With transportation emissions remaining a top contributor to climate change and air pollution, many worry this could slow momentum for EV adoption.