Road signs
Road signs and what they mean
The signs on permit tests, grouped by type. Shape and color tell you a sign's job before you can read it: red means stop or don't, yellow warns, orange is road work, green and blue guide.
- Drawn from the federal MUTCD designs
- Meanings in plain words
- Free practice by state
14 signs
Regulatory signs
Rules you must obey. Most are white rectangles with black or red letters; stop and yield have their own shapes.
Stop
MUTCD R1-1
Come to a complete stop at the stop line, crosswalk or intersection edge, and go only when it is safe.
Do Not Enter
MUTCD R5-1
You may not enter this road or ramp from your direction (usually a one-way road or exit ramp).
Wrong Way
MUTCD R5-1a
You are going the wrong way on a one-way road or ramp. Turn around as soon as it is safe.
Speed Limit
MUTCD R2-1
The maximum legal speed in good conditions. You may need to go slower when conditions are poor.
Reserved Parking (accessible)
MUTCD R7-8
Parking reserved for vehicles with a valid disability placard or plate.
No Turn on Red
MUTCD R10-11
You may not turn while the signal is red, even after stopping. Wait for a green signal.
24 signs
Warning signs
Yellow diamonds and rectangles that tell you what's ahead: curves, merges, crossings and hazards. Slow down and get ready.
No Passing Zone
MUTCD W14-3
A pennant on the left side of the road marking the start of a no-passing zone.
Slippery When Wet
MUTCD W8-5
The road surface becomes slippery when wet. Slow down and avoid sudden moves.
Merge
MUTCD W4-1R
Traffic from another lane or ramp is joining your road from the right. Adjust speed to let it merge.
Yield Ahead
MUTCD W3-2
There is a yield sign ahead. Be ready to slow down or stop.
Slow-Moving Vehicle Emblem
MUTCD SMV
An orange triangle with red borders on the back of a slow vehicle such as farm equipment or a horse-drawn buggy. Slow down and pass only when it is safe.
Curve to the Left
MUTCD W1-2L
The road ahead curves to the left. Slow down before the curve.
Sharp Turn to the Left
MUTCD W1-1L
A sharp left turn is ahead. Slow down to the advised speed.
Side Road (right)
MUTCD W2-2R
A side road joins from the right ahead. Watch for vehicles entering or leaving it.
Side Road (left)
MUTCD W2-2L
A side road joins from the left ahead. Watch for vehicles entering or leaving it.
Circular Intersection (roundabout ahead)
MUTCD W2-6
A roundabout is ahead. Slow down, yield to traffic already in the circle and to pedestrians, and travel counterclockwise.
Chevron Alignment
MUTCD W1-8R
Posted in a series on the outside of a sharp curve: follow the chevrons around the curve and slow down.
Large Arrow (one direction)
MUTCD W1-6R
The road turns sharply in the direction of the arrow. Slow down and turn.
Caribou Crossing
MUTCD W11 series (caribou)
Caribou may cross the road here. Slow down and watch for them, especially in groups.
3 signs
Work zone signs
Orange signs for road work and detours. Fines are often higher in work zones.
Road Work Ahead
MUTCD W20-1
A work zone is ahead. Slow down, watch for workers and follow flaggers. Fines are often higher.
Flagger Ahead
MUTCD W20-7
A flagger is directing traffic ahead. Be ready to stop and follow the flagger's signals.
Detour
MUTCD M4-10R
The road ahead is closed or rerouted. Follow the detour arrows to get around it.
1 signs
School signs
Fluorescent yellow-green signs for school zones and crossings.
School Zone / School Crossing
MUTCD S1-1
A five-sided sign: you are near a school or school crossing. Slow down and watch for children.
2 signs
Railroad crossing signs
Signs that mark railroad crossings ahead and at the tracks.
Railroad Crossing (crossbuck)
MUTCD R15-1
Marks a railroad crossing. Yield to trains; stop if a train is approaching.
Railroad Crossing Ahead
MUTCD W10-1
A round yellow sign warning that a railroad crossing is ahead. Slow down, look and listen.
5 signs
Guide signs
Route markers and green, brown or blue signs that show where roads go and what's nearby.
U.S. Route Marker
MUTCD M1-4
A black-and-white badge-shaped marker showing a U.S. highway number.
Destination / Distance (guide)
MUTCD D1-1
Green guide signs show directions, destinations and distances.
Recreation / Cultural Interest
MUTCD RM
Brown signs point to parks, recreation areas and cultural sites.
Rest Area (exit)
MUTCD D5-2
A rest area is reached by the exit ahead, in the direction of the arrow.
1 signs
Service signs
Blue signs that point to services such as hospitals.
3 signs
Lane-use signals
Lights hung over a lane, often a reversible lane, that show whether you may drive in it.
Lane-Use Signal: Red X
MUTCD MUTCD 4M (lane-use control signal)
Hung over a lane (often a reversible lane): do not drive in the lane under the red X.
Lane-Use Signal: Yellow X
MUTCD MUTCD 4M (lane-use control signal)
Hung over a lane (often a reversible lane): the lane is about to close to your direction, so move out of it safely. A flashing yellow X can mean the lane is for left turns only.
Lane-Use Signal: Green Arrow
MUTCD MUTCD 4M (lane-use control signal)
Hung over a lane (often a reversible lane): you may drive in the lane under the green arrow.
Practice
Road signs practice test by state
Each set uses only sign questions written from that state's own handbook, with the page every answer comes from.
- Alabama (23)
- Alaska (19)
- Arkansas (11)
- Colorado (17)
- Connecticut (14)
- Delaware (25)
- Florida (32)
- Georgia (33)
- Hawaii (12)
- Idaho (23)
- Illinois (24)
- Indiana (12)
- Iowa (16)
- Kansas (11)
- Kentucky (17)
- Louisiana (13)
- Maine (19)
- Michigan (17)
- Minnesota (26)
- Mississippi (19)
- Missouri (11)
- Montana (19)
- New Hampshire (12)
- New Jersey (12)
- New York (19)
- North Carolina (18)
- North Dakota (18)
- Oklahoma (22)
- Oregon (23)
- Pennsylvania (21)
- Rhode Island (24)
- South Carolina (20)
- South Dakota (15)
- Tennessee (13)
- Texas (23)
- Utah (23)
- Vermont (10)
- Virginia (21)
- West Virginia (13)
- Wisconsin (31)
Sign drawings are our own, based on the public-domain designs in the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Your state's handbook is the authority for your test.