Department of Transportation

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) provides clarification on Electric Vehicle (EV) driver’s use of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes in consideration of the sunset of Act 168 (2012) on June 30, 2020.

HDOT supports the continued exemption for EVs from HOV lane restrictions and has sent a letter to the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) asking them not to ticket vehicles with EV plates for illegal use of an HOV lane as described in Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 291C-223.

Under HRS 291C-222, HDOT may authorize use of HOV lanes to certain vehicles under its own administrative rules. HDOT will revise its administrative rules to exempt EVs with electric vehicle license plates from High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane restrictions.

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