WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (WWSB) – Some changes are underway on Sunshine state interstates that lawmakers hope will make traveling a little less stressful.
Beginning Tuesday July first, Florida repealed the state law overseeing high occupancy vehicle, or HOV lanes.
Florida rules once made it mandatory that vehicles with multiple passengers drive in the specially marked lanes during weekday morning and evening rush hours.
Violations of the former laws resulted in drivers receiving $158 fines.
The new changes also roll back which vehicles can use the HOV lanes. Prior to the July changes, single drivers with hybrids and electric vehicles could bypass the carpool rules with a special decal.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website: “The 2025 Florida legislature passed SB 1662 – Transportation, repealing Section 316.0741, Florida Statute.
As a result, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) will no longer be issuing, renewing or replacing High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) decals.
Effective July 1, 2025, if a customer requests an Original, Renewal, or Replacement of an HOV decal do not process the request.
The motor vehicle issuance systems will be updated on a future date to remove this functionality.
FLHSMV will no longer be supporting orders for HOV decals and is requesting issuing offices to destroy any remaining HOV decal inventory.”
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