Clean Special Fuel Vehicles/Plates
Clean Fuel plates are issued to qualifying vehicles based on the date of DMV receipt of the plate application. Plates issued before July 1, 2011, may only be renewed or transferred to a newly purchased qualifying vehicle.
Clean Special Fuel Plate Types
| PLATE TYPE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| This plate is issued on or after July 1, 2011, and exempts the vehicle from the occupancy requirements of any HOV lanes except those in the I-95/395 corridor and I-66 corridor. | |
| This plate was issued between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2011, and exempts the vehicle from the occupancy requirements of any HOV lanes except those in the I-95/395 corridor. | |
| This plate was issued before July 1, 2006, and may be used in HOV lanes statewide without regard to the occupancy requirement. |
Clean Special Plate Fees
The annual fee for both clean special fuel license plates is $25 in addition to the regular vehicle registration fee. $15 of the $25 fee goes to the Virginia State Police HOV-Enforcement fund.
[Back to Top]Qualifications for Clean Special Fuel License Plates
In order for your vehicle to qualify as clean fuel it must be exclusively powered by clean special fuel. The following types of fuels may qualify a vehicle for clean special fuel plates:
- Compressed Natural Gas
- Electricity
- Ethane
- Hybrid Gasoline/Electric
- Hydrogen
- Hythane
- Liquefied Natural Gas
- Liquefied Petroleum Gas
- Methane
- Solar
- or Combination of two types of clean special fuels
Please refer to the table below for a list of vehicles qualifying for clean special fuel license plates
| YEAR | QUALIFYING VEHICLES |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Acura ILX 1.5L, Buick Lacross 2.4L, Buick Regal 2.4L, Chevrolet Volt 1.4L, Chevrolet Impala 2.4L, Chevrolet Malibu 2.4L, Ford C-Max 2.0L, Ford C-Max Energi Plug-in 2.0L, Ford Focus Electric, Ford Fusion 2.0L, Ford Fusion Energi Plug-in 2.0L, Honda Accord Plug-in 2.0L, Honda Civic 1.5L, Honda Civic 1.5L (Man.), Honda CR-Z 1.5L, Lincoln MKZ 2.0L, Mercedes Benz E400 3.5, Nissan Leaf, Tesla S, Tesla X, Tesla Roadster, Toyota RAV 4 EV |
| 2013 | Acura ILX 1.5L, Buick Lacross 2.4L, Buick Regal 2.4L, Chevrolet Volt 1.4L, Chevrolet Malibu 2.4L, Ford C-Max 2.0L, Ford C-Max Energi Plug-in 2.0L, Ford Fusion 2.0L, Ford Fusion Energi Plug-in 2.0L, Honda Civic 1.5L (auto-CVS trans.), Honda Civic 1.5L (Man.), Honda CR-Z 1.5L, Honda Insight 1.3L Hyundai Sonata 2.4L, Kia Optima 2.4L, Lexus CT 200h 1.8L, Lexus ES300h 2.5L, Lexus GS450h 3.5L, Lexus RX450h 3.5L, Lexus LS 600hL 5L, Mercedes-Benz S400 3.5, Mercedes Benz E400 3.5, Nissan Leaf, Tesla S, Tesla X, Tesla Roadster, Toyota Avalon 2.5L, Toyota Camry 2.5L, Toyota Highlander 3.5L, Toyota Prius c 1.5L, Toyota Prius 1.8L, Volkswagen Jetta 1.4L |
| 2012 | Buick Lacross 2.4, Buick Regal 2.4, Chevrolet Volt 1.4L, Fisker Karma 2.0L, Ford Escape 2.5L, Ford Fusion 2.5L, Honda Civic 1.5L (auto-CVS trans.), Honda Civic 1.5L (manual), Honda CR-Z 1.5L, Honda Insight 1.3L, Hyundai Sonata 2.4L, Kia Optima 2.4L, Lexus CT200h 1.8 L, Lexus HS250h 2.4L, Lexus RX 450h 3.5L, Lexus LS 600hL 5L, Lincoln MKZ 2.5L, Mercedes-Benz S400 3.5, Mercury MKZ 2.5L, Nissan Leaf, Tesla Roadster, Toyota Camry 2.5L, Toyota Highlander 3.5L, Toyota Prius 1.8L, Toyota Prius 1.8L plug-in |
| 2011 | Chevrolet Volt 1.4L, Ford Escape 2.5L, Ford Fusion 2.5L, Honda Civic 1.3L, (auto-CVS trans.), Honda CR-Z 1.5L, Honda Insight 1.3L, Hyundai Sonata 2.4L, Kia Optima 2.4L, Lexus CT200h 1.8L,Lexus HS250h 2.4L, Lexus GS450h 3.5L, Lexus RX450h 3.5L, Lexus LS 600hL 5L, Lincoln MKZ, Mazda Tribute 2.5L, Mercedes-Benz ML450 3.5, Mercedes-Benz S400 3.5, Mercury Mariner 2.5L, Mercury Milan 2.5L, Nissan Altima 2.5, Tesla Roadster, Toyota Camry 2.4L, Toyota Highlander 3.5L, Toyota Prius 1.8 L |
| 2010 | Ford Escape 2.5L, Ford Fusion 2.5L, Honda Civic 1.3L, Honda Insight 1.3L, Lexus GS450h 3.5L, Lexus HS250h 2.4L, Lexus RX450h 3.5L, Mazda Tribute 2.5L, Mercedes-Benz ML450, Mercedes-Benz S400, Mercury Mariner 2.5L, Mercury Milan 2.5L, Nissan Altima 2.5, Tesla Roadster, Toyota Camry 2.4L, Toyota Highlander 3.3L, Toyota Prius 1.8L |
| 2009 | Ford Escape, Honda Civic, Lexus GS450h, Lexus LS600h, Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner, Nissan Altima, Tesla Roadster, Toyota Camry, Toyota Camry Hybrid 2.4 L., Toyota Highlander, Toyota Prius |
| 2008 | Ford Escape, Honda Civic, Lexus GS450h, Lexus RX400h, Lexus LS600h, Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner, Nissan Altima 2.5, Tesla Roadster, Toyota Camry, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Prius |
| 2007 | Ford Escape, Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Lexus GS450h, Lexus RX400h, Mercury Mariner, Nissan Altima 2.5, Toyota Camry, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Prius |
| 2006 | Ford Escape, Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Honda Insight, Lexus RX400, Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Prius |
| 2005 | Ford Escape, Honda Civic, Honda Insight, Toyota Prius |
| 2004 | Honda Civic, Honda Insight, Toyota Prius |
| 2003 and Earlier | Honda Civic, Honda Insight, Toyota Prius |
NOTE: As new vehicles qualify, this information will be updated. Flexible fuel vehicle engines that do not utilize only a clean special fuel DO NOT qualify for the plates.
[Back to Top]Applying for Clean Special Fuel License Plates
You must submit a "License Plate Application" (VSA10) to include the entire vehicle identification number (VIN) and title number. If you have just purchased the vehicle, DMV can verify if your vehicle qualifies for clean fuel plates; however, we cannot process the transaction until your vehicle is titled on our automated system.
DMV's Special Registration Work Center is the only division that can issue, reissue or transfer clean special fuel plates. To speed the processing of your application, you may fax your VSA 10 directly to us at 804-367-6379 or mail to DMV Registration Work Center, P.O. Box 26668, Richmond, VA 23261-6668. If you submit your application to a Customer Service Center or DMV Select, staff will fax your application to the Special Registration Work Center for processing. Clean special fuel plates cannot be issued at a Customer Service Center or by a DMV Select agent, an automobile dealer, or via the Internet.
After a thorough review of your application and documentation, the DMV Special Registration Work Center will determine whether or not your vehicle qualifies for clean special fuel plates. You will then be notified by mail, and if qualified, the clean special fuel license plates and an invoice for payment will be mailed to you unless payment has already been submitted.
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