It's the end of the road for the paper tax disc as part of a host of changes to bring vehicle excise duty into the modern world of motoring.

I noticed at the weekend that my son's car tax runs out at the end of October but he won't get a new one to display in the windscreen.

From October 1 the paper tax disc will no longer need to be displayed on the windscreen – if you have a tax disc with any months left to run after this date, it can be taken off the windscreen and destroyed.

Instead of displaying a paper disc to show your vehicle is taxed, tax-dodgers will be picked up by the automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) CCTV network.

You can apply online to tax or SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) your vehicle using your 16-digit reference number from your vehicle tax renewal reminder (V11) or 11-digit reference number from your log book (V5C). You can also pay at a post office. To drive or keep a vehicle on the road you will still need to get vehicle tax and DVLA will still send a renewal reminder when your vehicle tax is due to expire. This applies to all types of vehicles including those exempt from vehicle tax.

From October 1, when you buy a vehicle, the tax will no longer be transferred with the vehicle so you will need to get new tax before you can use it. You can tax the vehicle using the New Keeper Supplement (V5C/2), part of the vehicle registration certificate (V5C) online, or by using an automated phone service – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or you can visit a post office.

If you sell a vehicle after October 1 and have told DVLA, you will automatically get a refund for any full calendar months left on the vehicle tax and will no longer need to make a separate application.

And from October 1 (October 5 if setting up at a post office), direct debit will be offered as another way to pay for vehicle tax on an annual, twice-yearly or monthly basis but it will cost 5% more to pay monthly. As long as an MOT remains valid, the payments will continue automatically until you tell DVLA to stop taking them or you cancel the direct debit with your bank.

Vehicle history check provider HPI is warning motorists to be aware of the changes and highlights the risk of a fine, as well as facing penalty charges against a vehicle they no longer own.

Shane Teskey, senior consumer services manager of www.hpicheck.com, said: 'The move away from paper tax discs will save motorists money on postage and offers more flexible payment options, not to mention making it harder for tax-dodgers to drive untaxed.

'For used car buyers, from October 1, the vehicle tax will no longer be transferred with the vehicle, so it's important to ensure they get tax as soon as possible.

'Importantly, under the new rules, used car sellers are responsible for notifying the DVLA and then they will receive a refund for any months left on the vehicle tax. Sellers who fail to inform the DVLA could be fined and they will still be liable for any speeding or parking fines and vehicle tax for a car they don't even own any more. We remind sellers to always send the V5C to the DVLA, rather than relying on the buyer to do it. And if they scrap a vehicle, they should get a certificate of destruction (CoD) from an authorised treatment facility.

'We're hoping that the new DVLA initiatives will make it harder for dodgy drivers to head out on the road untaxed. It's easy to check if your vehicle is taxed by heading online at the Vehicle Enquiry Service, making this the first step for anyone planning to sell their vehicle and avoid the risk of fines.'

For more information visit www.gov.uk/government/news/vehicle-tax-changes, www.hpicheck.com or vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk