Regulatory sign
Stop (police) sign
What does the Stop (police) sign mean?
A police officer or traffic warden may show this sign. You must stop and not go beyond it.
Also known as: Police stop sign
What it means
You must stop. Do not go beyond the sign when a police officer or traffic warden displays it.
This sign is shown by a police officer or traffic warden to stop traffic.
Stop where the sign tells you to and wait until the officer allows you to continue.
Where you'll see it
Carried or shown by police officers and traffic wardens, for example at incidents and road checks.
Rules to know
Vehicles must not go beyond the sign where displayed by a police officer or traffic warden.
Know Your Traffic Signs, p. 19
You must obey traffic signs that give orders.
The Highway Code, Rule 109
Common mistakes
Mistake: Treating it as optional because it is not a road-mounted sign.
Instead: It is an order from the officer. You must stop.
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© Crown copyright. Free to reuse under the Open Government Licence v3.0, as long as the sign is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context.
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See also
Stop
Regulatory sign
An octagon: stop at a junction line.
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No entry
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A red sign that bans entry.
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- Know Your Traffic Signs (Department for Transport, Sixth edition, 2023), Regulatory signs, p. 19
- The Highway Code, Rule 109
Sign image: Department for Transport, Traffic sign images (diagram 633). © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Last reviewed 11 October 2026. This page explains the sign in our own words; for the full rules, see The Highway Code. How we source and check content