A Quick Guide To Regulatory Traffic Signs

May 13, 2016 | Driving Test Guides

Regulatory signs show the course a driver must follow and an action they are required to take – or forbidden to take.

They are generally circular and have a red border with black symbols or letters on a white background.

Mandatory regulatory signs that indicate the direction traffic must take at junctions are blue and white.

Red Octagon showing stop Stop
White triangle with a red border displaying yieldYield
White triangle with a red border displaying Géill Slí (Yield in Irish) Yield
White circle with red border showing Stop above children School wardens stop sign
White circle with red border showing no left turn No left turn
White circle with red border showing no entry No Entry
White circle with red border showing no right turn No right turn
White circle with red border showing no parking Parking prohibited
White circle with red border showing clearway Clearway
White circle with red border showing 30km/h as the maximum speed Max speed limit 30km/h
White circle with red border showing 50km/h as the maximum speed Max speed limit 50km/h
White circle with red border showing 60km/h as the maximum speed Max speed limit 60km/h
White circle with red border showing 80km/h as the maximum speed Max speed limit 80km/h
White circle with red border showing 100km/h as the maximum speed Max speed limit 100km/h
White circle with red border showing 120km/h as the maximum speed Max speed limit 120km/h
White circle with red border showing taxi rank Taxi Rank
White circle with red border showing no entry for large vehicles, greater than 3 tonnes No entry for large vehicles(by reference to weight)
White circle with red border showing no u-turn No U-turn
White circle with red border showing no overtaking No overtaking
White circle with red border showing height restriction Height restriction
White circle with red border showing pedestrian zone Pedestrianised street
White circle with red border showing parking permitted Parking permitted
Rectangular sign showing disc paking information Disc parking plate
Sign showing no parking of large vehicles Zonal restriction – no parking of large vehicles
Sign showing end of large vechicle parking restrictions End of the restriction zone

Mandatory signs at junctions (white and blue)
White on blue junction sign showing left turn ahead Turn left ahead
White on blue junction sign showing right turn ahead Turn right ahead
White on blue junction sign showing turn left Turn left
White on blue junction sign showing turn right Turn right
White on blue junction sign showing pass either side Pass either side
White on blue junction sign showing straight ahead Straight ahead
White on blue junction sign showing keep right Keep right
White on blue junction sign showing keep left Keep left

Manual traffic control sign at roadworks
White circle with red border showing no entry for pedestrians No entry for pedestrians to tramway
Red circle showing stop Stop
Green circle showing go Either form of Go
Green circle showing Téigh (go in Irish) or Téigh can be used
White circle with red border showing no entry to goods vehicles with 3 axles No entry to goods vehicles (by reference to number of axles)
Blue sign showing with flow bus lane on the left With flow bus lane on left
Blue sign showing with flow bus lane on the right With flow bus lane on right
Blue sign showing contra flow bus lane on the right Contra flow bus lane
Blue sign showing tram lane on the left Tram lane on left
Blue sign showing tram lane on the right Tram lane on right
Sign showing start of cycle track Start of cycle track
Sign showing end of cycle track End of cycle track
Electronic variable sign showing maximum speed of 80km/h Electronic variable speed limit sign (tunnel only)
Sign showing in a tunnel goods vehicles in a tunnel can not use the right-hand lane In a tunnel goods vehicles cannot use right-hand lane (by reference to number of axles)
Electronic periodic speed limit sign showing a maximum speed of 30km/h Electronic periodic speed limit sign
Electronic periodic speed limit sign at a school showing a maximum speed of 30km/h Electronic periodic speed limit sign at school
Sign showing a tram only street Tram only street
Sign showing a tram and access only street Tram and access only street
Sign showing a bus only street Bus only street

Traffic lane control signs in a tunnel
Tunnel traffic lane showing go, lane open Go (Lane open)
Tunnel traffic lane showing stop, lane closed Stop (Lane closed)
Tunnel traffic lane showing move into left-hand lane Move into the left-hand lane
Tunnel traffic lane showing move to right-hand lane Move into the right-hand lane