UK road signs follow a simple system: circles give orders, triangles warn and rectangles inform. A red ring means you must not; a blue circle means you must. Direction signs are colour-coded — blue for motorways, green for primary routes, white for local roads and brown for tourist attractions. Browse all 612 official signs by category below.
Which types of road sign are there?
The Department for Transport groups signs by what they do. Each category below explains how to read that type of sign and shows every official sign in it with its meaning — the same meanings the theory test expects you to know.
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Warning signs115 signs -
Regulatory signs51 signs -
Speed limit signs22 signs -
Motorway signs53 signs -
Parking signs78 signs -
Level crossing signs20 signs -
Pedestrian and cycle signs29 signs -
Bus and tram signs49 signs -
Road works signs38 signs -
Traffic calming signs10 signs -
Information signs57 signs -
Direction signs90 signs
How do you read a road sign you have never seen?
Start with the shape, then the colour, then the symbol. A red-bordered triangle is always a warning, so slow down and look for the hazard. A red-ringed circle is an order not to do something; a blue circle is an order to do something. Plates underneath add distances, times or exceptions — read them before you decide the sign doesn’t apply to you.
Frequently asked questions
What do the shapes of UK road signs mean?
Circles give orders, triangles warn and rectangles inform. Within circles, a red ring means something is prohibited and a blue circle tells you what you must do. STOP is an octagon and GIVE WAY an upside-down triangle so they stand out.
What do the colours of direction signs mean?
Blue backgrounds are for motorways, green for primary routes, white for other local routes and brown for tourist destinations. Yellow signs with black symbols usually mark temporary diversions around road works or closures.
Are road signs on the theory test?
Yes. Road and traffic signs is one of the 14 official theory test topics, and signs also appear in questions on other topics such as motorways and rules of the road. Learn the shape and colour system first, then practise individual signs.
Where do these road sign images come from?
They are the official traffic sign images published by the Department for Transport. Traffic signs are Crown copyright and are reproduced here under the Open Government Licence, which allows free reuse when the signs are shown accurately.
Traffic sign images: Crown copyright, Department for Transport. Reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Licence.