EV Drivers: Plan Now to Keep Your HOV Lane Access

If you’ve been cruising solo in the carpool lane thanks to your electric or hybrid car, that perk has ended. On October 1, 2025, California and 11 other states officially closed HOV lane access for solo EV and plug-in hybrid drivers following the expiration of the Federal law that allowed access. 

Why this matters 

Carlsbad commuters—whether on the 5, 78, 15, or the new 805—have relied on those lanes to save time. The green and red Clean Air Vehicle decals made that possible, but with the law expired, that advantage is gone. For anyone who bought an EV to cut commute time, this change affects how you plan your day, how long it takes to get home, and even how you view your vehicle’s value. 

What’s changed—and when 

• August 29, 2025: DMV stopped accepting new decal applications. 

• October 1, 2025: All decals—green, red, purple, or blue—lost HOV privileges. 

  
  

After nearly two decades, California’s Clean Air Vehicle Decal Program has ended. You’ll now need at least one passenger (or meet toll rules) to use HOV lanes. The decals can stay on your car, but they no longer hold legal weight. 

What it means for Carlsbad drivers 

For local EV commuters, this isn’t just a rule change. It’s a daily adjustment. Morning southbound on I-5 or eastbound on the 78? Expect longer drives. The goal is fairness: keeping HOV lanes for true high-occupancy travel. But for solo EV drivers, it’s not all bad news. Sure, you could leave earlier and spend more of your life staring out the windsheild. But why not use our free tool  coast.CarlsbadCommuter.com to find a carpool match and jump back in those lanes. Enforcement is expected to increase this fall, and HOV fines are steep. 

The smart move forward 

If you’re one of the thousands of EV owners living in or coming to North County for work, now’s the perfect time to rethink how to stay in those lanes. Carlsbad Commuter makes finding a carpool partner easy, reliable, and rewarding. Connect with nearby coworkers or neighbors heading your way. You’ll save cash. You’ll get places faster. And you’ll avoid the soul crushing stress of watching cars fly by you in the HOV lanes.  Hosted by the City of Carlsbad and free to use, the platform is built for our community. With Carlsbad Commuter, you don’t just share a ride. You share life in the fast lane.