Department of Transportation : State of Hawaii

Hawaii Administrative Rules changed to allow Electric Vehicles to use HOV lanes

Hawaii Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 11/09/2021 02:52 PM HST

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Department of Transportation

DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR

JADE T. BUTAY
DIRECTOR

For Immediate Release: Nov. 9, 2021
21-0346

HAWAII ADMINISTRATIVE RULES CHANGED TO ALLOW ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO USE HOV LANES

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) announces that Hawaii Administrative Rule (HAR) 19-108-7 has been amended to allow Electric Vehicles (EVs) with EV license plates affixed to them to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes regardless of the number of people in the vehicle. Full text of the rule can be found here.

The exemption for EV use of HOV lanes authorized by Act 168 (2012) sunsetted on June 30, 2020. HDOT continued to support EV use of HOV lanes and took steps to ensure EV drivers were not cited under 291C-223.

EV use of HOV lanes is supported because of the reduction in transportation related pollution and reduction in fossil fuel dependency. In general, HOV lanes are designated to remove vehicles from normal lanes by incentivizing carpooling or use of public transportation. A list of HOV lanes on state highways can be found at https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/special-use-lanes/.

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