Rego reminders help prevent costly fines

Has the demise of the humble rego sticker caught you out? Follow our tips and make sure you don't cop a fine for driving an unregistered car.

Over the past five years, all Australian states and territories have phased out registration stickers for private cars and light commercial vehicles.

The brightly coloured labels, previously a staple of everyone's windscreen, were not only a certification of road-worthiness but also served to remind motorists as to when their registration would be due for renewal.

As the labels have been phased out, an increasing number of motorists have found themselves being caught out driving unregistered vehicles.

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However, there are a few ways to can make sure you don't find yourself on the receiving end of a hefty fine from the local constabulary.

Check online

The transport authorities in every state and territory have tools on their websites where you can punch in your car's registration number and get the expiry date, along with other information in some cases.

Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia (SA even has an app you can download for your smartphone)
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia 

Do-it-yourself stickers

A quick search on the internet will bring up a number of different retailers offering various stickers you can put on your car to remind you the date your registration is due for renewal. Designs and prices are as wide and varied as the types of cars on the road.

Alternately, you can make your own with a blank sticker and a marking pen.

Smartphone / tablet calendar

When was the last time you didn't jump to action the moment your phone beeped at you?

Simply adding a reminder in your smartphone or tablet calendar app is an easy way to be reminded your registration is coming up for renewal.

If you think you might need a bit of prodding, you can schedule several reminders in the lead up to the due date to make sure you never find yourself accidentally driving an unregistered vehicle.