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

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.

Give Way sign

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

No entry sign

No entry for motor vehicles and including pedal cycles.

No vehicles

No vehicles sign

No vehicles except pedal cycles being pushed by hand sign.

No vehicles

NO VEHICLES SIGN

No vehicles at specified times show on sign, except for access.

No motor vehicles sign

No solo motorcycles sign

No towed caravans sign

No pedestrians road sign

No motor vehicles except solo motorcycles sign

No ridden or accompanied horses sign

No goods vehicles over maximum gross weight shown in tonnes sign

End of goods vehicles restriction sign

No horse-drawn vehicles sign

No articulated vehicles sign

No cyclists road sign

‘Clearway’ No stopping sign

No local buses sign

No local buses allowed sign

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

National speed limit 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.

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 the maximum gross weight shown in tonnes sign. The bottom plate is used where empty vehicles are exempt

Except for access to premises or land adjacent to the road, where there is no other route. Other exemptions may be shown 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 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 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.

Priority 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)

Except for loading and unloading by goods vehicles sign

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

Exemption plate

School crossing patrol sign

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

Stop police sign

Stop Police sign

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

No U-turn sign

No right 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

Turn left ahead sign (right if symbol is reversed)

Vehicles may pass either side to reach the same destination sign

Keep left sign (right if symbol reversed)

Mini-roundabout (give way to traffic from the immediate right) sign

One-way traffic sign

Route for pedal cycles only