Order Road Signs

Regulatory road signs are road signs that give orders. The majority of regulatory signs are circular with a red outer ring or red circle which indicates a prohibition.

Other familiar signs consist of a blue circle that give mandatory instruction. Blue circular road signs often are used to indicate a route to be taken by arrows or that only particular classes of vehicles may use a route. There are two exceptions for the regulatory order road signs shapes. These are the ‘STOP’ and ‘GIVE WAY’ road signs as illustrated below.

This section provides pictures and meaning for the most frequently used regulatory UK road signs.

Understanding these order road signs is essential in passing the theory test and the practical driving test. Once you have revised road signs for the theory test, take the theory test quiz for UK road signs.

Road signs theory test quiz

Once you have studied these regulatory order road signs and the various other types of road signs and feel confident in your ability to know them, take the road sign test quiz

Road sign test quiz 1Road sign test quiz 2Road sign test quiz 3


Stop road sign

See Stop signs and lines law for driver and cyclists. Why are there stop signs and do you need to stop at a stop sign.

Stop road sign
Stop road sign

Give Way sign

See give way signs, rules, road markings and lines for further information.

Give way sign
Give Way sign

No entry sign

No entry for motor vehicles and including pedal cycles.

No entry sign
No entry sign

No vehicles sign

No vehicles except pedal cycles being pushed by hand sign.

No vehicles sign
No vehicles

NO VEHICLES SIGN

No vehicles at specified times show on sign, except for access. The sign may be accompanied by an additional plate.

No vehicles at specified times sign
No vehicles
Except for access road sign
Except for access to premises or land adjacent to the road, where there is no other route. Other exemptions may be shown sign
Except buses and cycles exemption sign
Exemption plate
Except for loading sign
Except for loading and unloading by goods vehicles sign

Other Order Road Signs

These are common road signs that give you orders

No motor
No motor vehicles sign
No solo motorcycles sign
No solo motorcycles sign
No towed caravans sign
No towed caravans sign
No pedestrians sign
No pedestrians road sign
No motor vehicles except solo motorcycles sign
No motor vehicles except solo motorcycles sign
No ridden or accompanied horses sign
No ridden or accompanied horses sign
No goods vehicles over maximum gross weight shown in tonnes sign
No goods vehicles over maximum gross weight shown in tonnes sign
End of goods vehicles restriction sign
End of goods vehicles restriction sign
No horse-drawn vehicles sign
No horse-drawn vehicles sign
No articulated vehicles sign
No articulated vehicles sign
No cyclists sign
No cyclists road sign
Clearway Road Sign
‘Clearway’ No stopping sign

No local buses allowed sign

No local buses or vehicles designed to carry more than 8 passengers (excluding driver) allowed sign.

No buses allowed sign
No local buses sign

National speed limit road sign

Usually found on single carriageway ‘A’ roads. The national speed limit is the fastest legal speed limit for that particular road where the sign is located.

National speed limit road sign
National speed limit sign

Low bridge sign

Low bridge regulatory order road sign. Maximum height displayed in metric and imperial units. See low bridge signs for further information.

No vehicles or combinations of vehicles over maximum length shown sign
No vehicles or combinations of vehicles over maximum length shown sign
No vehicles over maximum width shown sign (width shown in metric and imperial units)
No vehicles over maximum width shown sign (width shown in metric and imperial units)
Weak bridge road sign
No vehicles over the maximum gross weight shown in tonnes sign. The bottom plate is used where empty vehicles are exempt
Low bridge road sign metres
Low bridge sign

No waiting sign

A no waiting sign allows for a driver to for example, briefly stop the vehicle to allow a passenger to exit or enter the car. Any longer periods may be deemed as waiting. See no stopping and no waiting signs for further information.

No waiting sign
No waiting sign

No overtaking sign

See no overtaking signs and road markings for details on when it is legal to overtake and when it is illegal. A solid white line in the centre of the road may also be in place where no overtaking road signs are placed.

No overtaking sign
No overtaking sign

Give priority to oncoming vehicles sign

Where a road or bridge is very narrow, priority must be given to traffic from the other direction (there will usually be a “give way” line indicating where to wait)

Give way to oncoming vehicles sign
Priority sign

Multiple Order Signs on One Plate

Sometimes you may find multiple order road signs on a single white rectangular plate

Do not use verge road sign
Specified traffic must not use verge maintained in mown or ornamental condition

School crossing patrol sign

Vehicles must not go beyond the sign where displayed by a school crossing patrol person.

School crossing patrol sign
School crossing patrol sign

Stop Police sign

Vehicles must not go beyond the sign where displayed by a police officer or traffic warden.

Stop police sign
Stop police sign

No Turning sign

This signs tell the driver that they must not turn

No U-turn sign
No U-turn sign
No right turn sign
No right turn sign
No left turn sign
No left turn sign

What do blue road signs mean?

Blue circles generally give a mandatory instruction, such as ‘turn right’ or to provide information on lanes. Often they are used to indicate a route available only to particular classes of traffic, e.g. buses and cycles only. Blue rectangular road signs are used for informational purposes except on motorways where blue is used for direction signs. See blue road signs for further information.

Proceed in direction indicated by the arrow sign
Proceed in direction indicated by the arrow sign
Turn left ahead sign
Turn left ahead sign (right if symbol is reversed)
Vehicles may pass either side to reach the same destination sign
Vehicles may pass either side to reach the same destination sign
Keep left road sign
Keep left sign (right if symbol reversed)
Mini-roundabout sign
Mini-roundabout (give way to traffic from the immediate right) sign
One-way traffic sign
One-way traffic sign
Route for pedal cycles only road sign
Route for pedal cycles only

Road signs test quiz

Once you have studied these regulatory order road signs and the various other types of road signs and feel confident in your ability to know them, take the road sign test quiz

Road sign test quiz 1Road sign test quiz 2Road sign test quiz 3


OTHER TYPES OF ROAD SIGNS

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