Owners of the qualifying 2015 models can now apply for the Energy Efficient license plates.
To qualify for the Energy Efficient plate, a customer must own one of the qualifying plug-in hybrid electric vehicles from specific model years that is currently registered at the time of application. The new qualifying 2015 models include: Chevrolet Volt, Ford C-MAX Energi, Ford Fusion Energi, Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, Cadillac ELR and the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid.
The full eligible vehicle list for the Energy Efficient plate can be found online at www.azdot.gov/eev.
The federal program, which began in 2007 as a pilot, is designed to test the impact of allowing 10,000 hybrid vehicles to have access to the HOV lanes in Arizona during peak travel times without occupancy restrictions. Last May, 1,800 of the 10,000 special plates became available as a result of non-renewed or canceled registrations.
More than 1,000 of those 1,800 plates have been issued.
If qualified, the vehicle owner must complete the online Energy Efficient plate application process located only on ServiceArizona.com and submit a payment of $8 (initial application fee) plus postage and handling. Plates will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Energy Efficient plates will not be distributed at Motor Vehicle Division or Authorized Third-Party offices. The standard Arizona vehicle license tax applies to all plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Those vehicles with a temporary registration paper plate or permit are not eligible until the owner actually receives an issued license plate.
After completing the Energy Efficient license plate application and the customer chooses to have the disability emblem added, the customer must complete a Disability-Hearing Impaired Plate/Placard Application found at azdot.gov/mvd/mvd-forms-library. The completed application form must be mailed to: Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division-Special Plates Unit; P.O. Box 2100-Mail Drop 801Z; Phoenix, AZ 85001-2100.
Customers with a vehicle that qualified under the previous program (Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight and non-plug-in Toyota Prius) and is currently registered with an Energy Efficient plate will be allowed to continue to use their plate on that vehicle and drive in the HOV lane until they sell or transfer the vehicle. The Energy Efficient issued plate may be transferred only to a qualifying plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that is owned or leased by the same registered owner.
Drivers are reminded that this is a federal- and state-approved program that could be changed or ended at any time.