PHOENIX — On May 20, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division created another opportunity for specific hybrid vehicle owners to obtain one of the “Clean Air – Blue Skies” Energy Efficient license plates. At the time of the release of the latest series of plates, there were six initial vehicles on the qualifying list and now three additional vehicles have since been added.

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. The maximum limit of 10,000 plates is still part of program stipulations; there are 1,800 of the special plates now available as a result of non-renewed or canceled registrations.

Until Sept. 30, 2017, states may allow low emission vehicles, and those certified and labeled as low emission and energy-efficient vehicles (including alternative fuel vehicles) that do not meet the established occupancy requirements to use high-occupancy vehicle lanes so long as the state establishes procedures to enforce the restrictions on the use by these vehicles.

The program requirements for qualifying vehicles remain the same as announced on May 20, limited to only plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is the federal authority that establishes the certification and labeling requirements for low emission and energy-efficient vehicles. When vehicles are added to the qualifying list, ADOT will immediately update Arizona’s qualifying list.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles may be driven for a longer period of time on solely electric power, reducing both the amount of fuel consumed and tailpipe emissions released compared to normal hybrid vehicles. Reduced vehicle pollution supports the purpose of the “Clean Air – Blue Skies” program by encouraging the use of low-emission vehicles to improve the air quality in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

To qualify for the Energy Efficient plate, a customer must own one of the following plug-in hybrid electric vehicles from specific model years, which must be currently registered at the time of application: Chevrolet Volt (2011-2014), Fisker Automotive Karma (2012), Ford C-MAX Energi (2013-2014), Ford Fusion Energi (2013-2014), Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid (2014), and Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (2012-2014). The following vehicles have been added to the qualifying list: BMW i3 Range Extender (2014), Cadillac ELR (2014) and the Porsche Panamera S E Hybrid (2014).

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 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 the 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 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/transfer the vehicle. The Energy Efficient issued plate may only be transferred 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. For more information on the Energy Efficient Plate Program, application process and qualifying vehicles, please visit the ADOT Motor Vehicle Division website at azdot.gov/mvd.

PHOENIX – As part of our commitment to service and public safety, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division joins with the country to remember the 72nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and to recognize the efforts of our active duty and veteran members of the United States military. In fact, ADOT provides a host of year-round services to support Arizona’s veterans.

The MVD offers a variety of specialty license plates specific to military service. The Pearl Harbor Survivor plate is issued to an armed forces member — or a qualifying family member of the veteran — who served at Pearl Harbor during the attack that occurred between 7:55 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. on Dec. 7, 1941.

Other specialty license plates include: the Congressional Medal of Honor, Former Prisoner of War, Legion of Valor, Military Support/Freedom, National Guard, Purple Heart, Women Veterans and the standard Veteran plate. Specialty plates may be obtained through ServiceArizona.com or by submitting an application at any Motor Vehicle Division or Authorized Third Party office.

Veterans also have the option to include a military-service designation on their Arizona-issued driver license, commercial driver license, identification card or instruction permit. In addition, veterans applying for an Arizona commercial driver license have the option to request a waiver of the skills test if they meet certain requirements based on their military experience.

ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division is one of more than 50 agencies that annually come together to assist homeless and at-risk military veterans at the various StandDown events held statewide.

This year, ADOT followed the Arizona Department of Public Safety to be the second state agency involved with the U.S. Army Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) program. Through the program, recruits enter the Army with the encouragement to develop skills in their military service to apply to  future employment with ADOT.

“ADOT is proud to participate in honoring veterans along with offering services which help to recognize the sacrifices of our military veterans while also supporting their efforts to obtain employment in the civilian workforce,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “Efforts by Governor Brewer, the Arizona Legislature and veteran-support organizations helped to make these new services a reality for the thousands of veterans in Arizona.”

Over the years, ADOT has partnered with other governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations to erect monuments and designate memorials to veterans throughout the state. Many of the monuments date back to the 1800s.

Interstate 10 outside of the Phoenix metropolitan area is dubbed the Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. Business Loop I-8 in Yuma and Business Loop I-19 in Nogales are each a Blue Star Memorial Highway, a tribute to the service members in the armed forces who have defended the United States. Flags proudly fly at the McGuireville Veterans Memorial located within the McGuireville rest area along Interstate 17, a site noted in travel destination magazines. The Veterans Bronze Memorial Plaque in Yavapai County, originally dedicated by the Arizona State Highway Commission in July 1954, was recently dedicated to the city of Prescott.

Visit azdot.gov/mvd or servicearizona.com for more information on MVD services for veterans and to learn how to order special license plates.

PHOENIX – Recent improvements to the design of the ServiceArizona website will make it easier for Arizonans to skip a visit to an Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division office for many common transactions. Instead, customers may renew their vehicle registration, purchase a special license plate and conduct more than 20 other transactions online by using their computer, smartphone or tablet. The website also provides a wealth of information to answer questions about driver license, vehicle title and registration requirements in Arizona.

Over the past 15 years, ServiceArizona has set the industry standard for online customer service.

“When the Motor Vehicle Division launched ServiceArizona in November 1997, it was the nation’s first motor vehicle division eGov service for online vehicle registrations at a time when very little business was conducted over the Internet,” said Stacey Stanton, director of the ADOT Motor Vehicle Division. “Today, ServiceArizona handles more than eight million transactions per year as the preferred transaction method for many of Arizona’s MVD customers.”

ServiceArizona is the only ADOT-authorized online service for conducting driver license and motor vehicle registration transactions. Any transaction that requires a fee will be the same on ServiceArizona or what would be charged in an MVD office. Customers may renew their vehicle registration, purchase personalized and other special license plates, update address/email information, and order a duplicate driver license or identification card.

Other available services allow a customer to purchase a restricted use 3-day or 30-day general use permit, view the available plate credit, apply for driver license reinstatement, obtain duplicate registration, request a plate refund, post a vehicle sold notice, inquire about a lien on a motor vehicle, view a vehicle fee recap for the prior calendar year, obtain their own vehicle or driver license record, verify insurance on file, and request a tab replacement or off-highway vehicle decal.

New technologies include a mobile version of the website and also the installation of ServiceArizona self-service workstations in more than half of the local MVD offices statewide. The workstations provide customers who do not have access to the Internet the ability to renew vehicle registration, obtain a motor vehicle record or register to vote without taking a number and waiting to be served.

Maintaining the privacy and security of each MVD customer’s personal information is ADOT’s highest priority. All confidential records are kept locked inside an “electronic vault” protected by the most advanced security technologies that transmit all transactions in a secure mode using Secure Sockets Layer encryption.

Visit ServiceArizona to experience the redesigned MVD website.