Road sign finder
Saw a sign and not sure what it means? Describe it below, by what it shows or by its shape and colour, and pick it from the matches.
Type its name or what it shows, or pick the shape and colour you saw.
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How to find a sign quickly
- 1
Start with the shape
Triangles warn, circles give orders and rectangles give information.
- 2
Then the colour
A red ring tells you what you must not do; a blue circle what you must do. Brown is for tourist places.
- 3
Then what it shows
Search for one thing on the sign, such as “bicycle”, “arrow”, “lorry” or a number.
Read a sign by its shape
Before you can read the symbol, the shape tells you what kind of message a sign is giving.
Circles give orders
Red circles mostly tell you what you must not do. Blue circles mostly tell you what you must do.
Triangles warn
Most warning signs are triangles with a red border. They tell you about a hazard ahead.
Rectangles inform
Rectangular signs mostly give information or directions, such as routes, places and facilities.
There are exceptions: Stop and Give way have their own shapes, to give them extra prominence. Based on the Highway Code (opens GOV.UK).
Or browse by type
Finding a road sign: common questions
How do I identify a UK road sign?
Start with its shape: triangles warn, circles give orders and rectangles inform. Then look at the colour: a red ring means something is banned, a blue circle tells you what you must do, and brown signs point to tourist places. Then search for something the sign shows.
What if I can't find the sign?
We cover 261 signs, the ones you're most likely to meet. Try searching for a single thing on the sign, such as a word or a symbol, or remove a filter. If a sign is still missing, let us know through the contact page.
Are the meanings official?
The pictures are the Department for Transport's official sign images. Each meaning is written in plain English and checked against Know Your Traffic Signs and the Highway Code, which every sign page cites.