Last week, Erika Smith got a ticket in St. Paul for expired tabs. She was peeved, because she dutifully renewed her tabs. Yet the little license plate stickers had something in common with last year's — they were red.

Tabs are supposed to change color every year. Whistleblower contacted the state's Driver and Vehicle Services Division, which apologized for the error and said the 2012 tabs should have been gold.

"This was the first we had heard of this oversight," a division spokeswoman said.

The division wants anyone who received red 2012 tabs to e-mail a photo of the incorrect tabs and license plate number to DVS.motor.vehicles@state.mn.us or visit a deputy registrar office or call 651-297-2126 to have the tabs replaced at no charge.