No overtaking sign: what it means

No overtaking sign: a white circle with a red ring, showing a black car and a red car side by side
Image: Crown copyright, OGL

The no overtaking sign means you must not overtake until you pass a sign that cancels the restriction (Highway Code rule 165).

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What it means

Rule 165 lists places where you must not overtake. One of them is after a no overtaking sign and until you pass a sign cancelling the restriction.

Even where overtaking is allowed, rule 166 says not to overtake if there is any doubt, for example when approaching a bend, a hump bridge or the brow of a hill.

Where you see it

On lengths of road where overtaking is banned. The ban lasts until a sign shows that it has ended.

A common mistake

Taking a broken white centre line as permission. After a no overtaking sign the ban applies until it is cancelled, whatever the lines in the middle of the road look like.

Quick quiz

After a no overtaking sign, when may you overtake again?

  1. When the road ahead looks clear
  2. After a sign cancelling the restriction
  3. After one mile
Show answer

B. After a sign cancelling the restriction. Rule 165: you must not overtake after a no overtaking sign until you pass a sign cancelling the restriction. Source: The Highway Code, rule 165, GOV.UK; The Highway Code, rule 166, GOV.UK; Know your traffic signs: regulatory signs, GOV.UK; The Highway Code: traffic signs, GOV.UK; Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK

Compare with

Next in regulatory signs: No motor vehicles sign. See all regulatory signs or the full road signs list.

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Sources

  1. The Highway Code, rule 165, GOV.UK
  2. The Highway Code, rule 166, GOV.UK
  3. Know your traffic signs: regulatory signs, GOV.UK
  4. The Highway Code: traffic signs, GOV.UK
  5. 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.