Current Clean Air Vehicle Decal

2021 Blue CAV Decals Expire January 2025

Apply for a Decal

2021 blue CAV decals are for first-time applications only and will expire on January 1, 2025. The California DMV began the new Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) decal program on January 1, 2019 for qualifying vehicles that have never received a CAV decal.

Qualifying vehicles must meet one of the following:

California's Zero Emission vehicle standard, these are 100% electric or hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles.
Plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles certified to meet California TZEV standards.
Dedicated Compressed Natural gas (CNG) vehicles that meet both the California SULEV and Federal ILEV emission standards.

Each year the California DMV will establish a new CAV decal color. The colors for future decals have not yet been determined. Future CAV decals will expire on January 1st of the fourth year after the year they are issued. This provides an access period of three full years plus the partial year from when the decal was issued. For example, if a decal was issued anytime in 2021, it expires January 1, 2025.

Please note that the CAV decal program will end, and any remaining valid decals will expire on September 30, 2025.

CAV Decal Expirations

CAV Decals Issued on	Will be Valid Until	Decal Color
January 1, 2022 or later	All decals expire on September 30, 2025	To be determined by DMV
January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021	January 1, 2025	Blue
January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020	January 1, 2024	Orange
January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019	January 1, 2023	Purple

Income-Based (IB) CAV Decal Program

Beginning on January 1, 2020, some owners have the option to apply for an income-based program that may allow CAV decals to be available to new owners of qualifying used vehicles, if specific requirements are met. Learn more on DMV's website.

CAV Decal and Clean Vehicle Rebate Program Combination

If you are applying for a CAV decal for a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, and your gross annual income is above the thresholds provided below, you must choose between a CAV decal or a Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP) rebate. This is due to requirements of the CVRP program.

Be aware that a smaller subset of vehicles will qualify for the CVRP program than the CAV decal program, so be sure to refer to eligible vehicles for the CVRP program.

Gross Annual Income	Battery or Plug-in Hybrid	Hydrogen Fuel Cell
At or Above: $150,000 for single filers $204,000 for head-of-household $300,000 for joint filers	CAV decal only	CAV decal or CVRP rebate (New owner has 60 days from the date of purchase to chose between the two programs)
Under: $150,000 for single filers $204,000 for head-of-household $300,000 for joint filers	CAV decal and CVRP rebate*	CAV decal and CVRP rebate

Gross Annual Income

Battery or Plug-in Hybrid

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

At or Above:

$150,000 for single filers

$204,000 for head-of-household

$300,000 for joint filers

CAV decal only

CAV decal
or
CVRP rebate

(New owner has 60 days from the date of purchase to chose between the two programs)

Under:

$150,000 for single filers

$204,000 for head-of-household

$300,000 for joint filers

CAV decal
and
CVRP rebate*

CAV decal
and
CVRP rebate

* Based on list of CVRP eligible vehicles.