UK road signs and their meanings

Each page below has the sign itself, what it means in plain English, where you see it, a common mistake and a one-question quiz. Every fact comes from The Highway Code or Know your traffic signs on GOV.UK, and the sign pictures are the Department for Transport's own images. Short of time? Start with the guide to sign shapes and colours.

Regulatory signs

Signs that give orders. Most are circles: a red ring or circle tells you what you must not do, and a blue circle tells you what you must do. STOP and GIVE WAY are the exceptions. All regulatory signs

• Stop signStop completely at the line, then give way.
• Give way signLet traffic on the major road go first.
• No entry signNo vehicles may go in from this side.
• National speed limit signThe national limit for the road and vehicle applies.
• 30 mph speed limit signMaximum speed 30 mph.
• Minimum speed limit signGo at least this fast, if it is safe.
• No U-turns signDo not turn round to go back the way you came.
• No overtaking signDo not overtake until the restriction ends.
• No motor vehicles signCars and motorcycles must not go in.
• No vehicles signNo vehicles, except bicycles pushed by hand.
• Keep left signPass on the left of the island or bollard.
• Mini-roundabout signGive way to traffic from your immediate right.
• Give way to oncoming vehicles signOncoming traffic goes first through the narrow part.
• No waiting signNo waiting or parking at the times shown.
• No stopping (clearway) signNo stopping at all, not even to drop off.
• One-way traffic signAll traffic goes in the direction of the arrow.

Warning signs

Signs that warn of a hazard ahead. Almost all are red-bordered triangles pointing up. All warning signs

• Crossroads signA crossroads is ahead.
• T-junction signYour road ends at a T-junction ahead.
• Roundabout ahead signA roundabout is ahead.
• Bend ahead signThe road bends ahead, here to the right.
• Two-way traffic signTraffic ahead goes in both directions.
• Traffic signals ahead signTraffic lights are ahead.
• Pedestrian crossing signA zebra or parallel crossing is ahead.
• Children going to or from school signWatch for children near a school.
• Slippery road signThe road surface ahead may be slippery.
• Other danger signA hazard ahead; the plate says what it is.
• Level crossing with barrier signA railway crossing with gates or barriers is ahead.
• Level crossing without barrier signA railway crossing with no gates or barriers is ahead.
• Road works signRoad works ahead.

Information signs

Rectangular signs that give information, from motorway markers to hospital signs. All information signs

• Start of motorway signMotorway rules apply from here.
• End of motorway signMotorway rules end here.
• Countdown markersBars that count down to a motorway exit.
• Priority over oncoming vehicles signYou go first through the narrow part, with care.
• No through road signA dead end for vehicles.
• Hospital signRed for A and E, blue for no A and E.

Road markings

Lines and patterns painted on the road. They can give orders, warn you or guide you, just like signs. All road markings

• Give way linesDouble broken white lines across a junction.
• Double white linesThe line nearer to you decides if you may cross.
• Yellow box junctionDo not go in unless your exit is clear.
• Zigzag linesNo parking, waiting or overtaking near a crossing.
• Yellow linesSingle and double yellow waiting restrictions.
• Hatched markingsDiagonal stripes that separate traffic.

How to learn them

• Learn the system first: shapes and colours explain most signs before you read them.
• Test yourself with the Highway Code quizzes, then try each sign's own question.
• Play it as a family quiz: how a DriveQuiz game works.

The theory test's multiple-choice questions are based on The Highway Code, Know your traffic signs and Driving: the essential skills (GOV.UK). See how the theory test works.

Sources

1. The Highway Code: traffic signs, GOV.UK
2. The Highway Code: road markings, GOV.UK
3. Know your traffic signs: the signing system, GOV.UK
4. Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Traffic sign images are Crown copyright, from the Department for Transport. Sources and image credits.