Tasmania will phase-out registration labels for light vehicles from September 1^st, because of major advances in technology.

The Minister for Infrastructure, David O'Byrne, said police and DIER Transport Inspectors can now conduct roadside registration checks using Automatic Number Place Recognition (ANPR), making registration labels obsolete.

"This major step-forward simply means car owners will no longer receive a registration sticker in the mail," he said.

"However, rest assured - the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources will continue to send out renewal notices and courtesy reminders to help people renew on time.

"And people will still be able to check the DIER registration page free-of-charge, to ensure their vehicle is registered," he said.

Light vehicles include cars, motorcycles, trailers, boat trailers, caravans and horse floats.

The changes will not lead to more unregistered vehicles on the roads.

"With the very latest technology available - if you have an unregistered vehicle, you will get caught," he said.

Tasmania is not going-it-alone in this reform. Western Australia and South Australia have already abolished registration labels in January 2010 and July 2011 respectively.

Other states are currently considering their position, and New South Wales is planning to abolish labels for light vehicles early next year.

"Abolishing registration labels opens up future opportunities - like new payment methods, and delivering registration notices electronically," Mr O'Byrne said.

"It's an efficiency win for drivers, as well as helping us keep unregistered vehicles off our roads.

"This is another example of the State Government using innovative modern technology to help keep our roads safer," he said.

Tasmania Police and other key stakeholders have been consulted - including the Local Government Authority of Tasmania, the Motor Accidents Insurance Board of Tasmania, the Tasmanian Automobile Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania.

Heavy vehicles (more than 4.5 tonnes of gross vehicle mass) are administered under nationally agreed law, and not covered by these changes.

For more information, go to www.transport.tas.gov.au.