What does an eight-sided (octagonal) red sign mean?

Yield to traffic on the main road

A red-and-white triangle pointing downward means you must:

Slow down and be ready to stop, letting traffic and pedestrians go first

Turn around; you are going the wrong way

A yellow pennant-shaped (sideways triangle) sign on the left side of the road warns of:

The beginning of a no-passing zone

What does a five-sided (pentagon) fluorescent yellow-green sign indicate?

A school zone or school crossing

A pedestrian crossing in a business district

Yellow diamond-shaped signs are used to:

Warn of road conditions or hazards ahead

Orange signs on the road mean:

You are in or approaching a work zone

Gas, food or lodging is available

Brown signs usually point you to:

Recreational, cultural or historic sites

Blue signs along the highway show:

Motorist services such as gas, food, lodging or a hospital

A square red sign with a white horizontal bar and the words DO NOT ENTER means:

You must not enter the road in that direction

You may enter only to turn right

The road ahead is closed to trucks

White rectangular signs with black lettering, such as SPEED LIMIT 45, are:

Regulatory signs that state a law you must obey

Warning signs that are only advice

A yellow curve warning sign has a plaque below it reading 25 MPH. This means:

25 mph is the recommended safe speed through the curve in good conditions

The legal speed limit is 25 mph at all times

The minimum speed on the curve is 25 mph

Only trucks must slow to 25 mph

Green signs with white lettering are used for:

Directions, distances, exits and destinations

A red circle with a diagonal red slash over a symbol (for example, a U-turn arrow) means:

The action shown is not allowed

A fluorescent orange triangle with a red border on the back of a farm tractor means:

It is a slow-moving vehicle, typically traveling 25 mph or less

The vehicle carries hazardous materials

It is an oversize load with an escort

Road Sign Questions for the DMV Permit Test, With Answers

Road sign questions on the DMV permit test check whether you can read a sign by its shape and color before you can read its words. The 15 practice questions below cover the signs most often tested in every state — STOP, YIELD, school, railroad, work zone and guide signs — and each answer explains the rule from the federal MUTCD.

Updated on 2026-11-06 · Ver en español

DMVPermitUSA is an independent study tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by any state DMV, BMV, MVD, DPS or other government agency. Always check your state's official driver handbook and DMV website for current requirements.

Practice more road sign questions · Take a full mock exam

What does an eight-sided (octagonal) red sign mean? A. Yield to traffic on the main road / B. Come to a complete stop / C. Railroad crossing ahead / D. School zone ahead. Answer: B. Come to a complete stop. The octagon is used only for STOP. Stop completely at the marked stop line; if there is none, stop before the crosswalk, or before entering the intersection, then go when it is safe.
A red-and-white triangle pointing downward means you must: A. Slow down and be ready to stop, letting traffic and pedestrians go first / B. Always come to a complete stop / C. Merge into the left lane / D. Turn around; you are going the wrong way. Answer: A. Slow down and be ready to stop, letting traffic and pedestrians go first. The downward triangle is the YIELD sign. You must slow down, give the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians, and stop only if needed to let them pass.
A yellow pennant-shaped (sideways triangle) sign on the left side of the road warns of: A. A school zone / B. A narrow bridge / C. The beginning of a no-passing zone / D. The end of a lane. Answer: C. The beginning of a no-passing zone. The pennant is the NO PASSING ZONE sign. It is placed on the left side of the road, facing you, where a no-passing zone begins.
What does a five-sided (pentagon) fluorescent yellow-green sign indicate? A. A hospital ahead / B. A pedestrian crossing in a business district / C. A railroad crossing / D. A school zone or school crossing. Answer: D. A school zone or school crossing. The pentagon shape is reserved for school advance warning and school crossing signs. Slow down, watch for children and obey any school speed limit posted.
A round yellow sign with a black X and the letters RR means: A. Road closed to through traffic / B. Rest area ahead / C. Two highways intersect ahead / D. A railroad crossing is ahead. Answer: D. A railroad crossing is ahead. The circle is the railroad advance warning sign, placed before a highway-rail crossing. Slow down, look and listen for trains, and be prepared to stop.
Yellow diamond-shaped signs are used to: A. State a law you must obey / B. Give directions and distances / C. Warn of road conditions or hazards ahead / D. Mark construction zones only. Answer: C. Warn of road conditions or hazards ahead. The diamond is the general warning shape: curves, intersections, slippery roads, merging traffic, animals and more. Warning signs are not laws, but they tell you to slow down and be careful.
Orange signs on the road mean: A. A recreation area is nearby / B. You are in or approaching a work zone / C. A school is nearby / D. Gas, food or lodging is available. Answer: B. You are in or approaching a work zone. Orange is the color of temporary traffic control in work zones. Slow down, follow flaggers and expect lane shifts; many states double fines in work zones, so check your state's rule.
Brown signs usually point you to: A. Recreational, cultural or historic sites / B. Hospitals and police stations / C. Highway work zones / D. Hurricane evacuation routes. Answer: A. Recreational, cultural or historic sites. Brown guide signs mark parks, campgrounds, historic sites and other recreational or cultural points of interest.
Blue signs along the highway show: A. Speed limits / B. Road hazards / C. Scenic routes / D. Motorist services such as gas, food, lodging or a hospital. Answer: D. Motorist services such as gas, food, lodging or a hospital. Blue is used for motorist services, including gas, food, lodging, rest areas and hospitals. It is also used for evacuation route signs.
A square red sign with a white horizontal bar and the words DO NOT ENTER means: A. You may enter only to turn right / B. The road ahead is closed to trucks / C. You must not enter the road in that direction / D. Slow down for a hazard ahead. Answer: C. You must not enter the road in that direction. DO NOT ENTER is posted where traffic would be going the wrong way, such as the exit end of a one-way street or a freeway off-ramp. If you see it facing you, do not go in.
White rectangular signs with black lettering, such as SPEED LIMIT 45, are: A. Regulatory signs that state a law you must obey / B. Warning signs that are only advice / C. Guide signs for destinations / D. Service signs for travelers. Answer: A. Regulatory signs that state a law you must obey. White rectangles are regulatory signs. Speed limits, turn restrictions and lane-use rules on these signs are enforceable laws.
A yellow curve warning sign has a plaque below it reading 25 MPH. This means: A. The legal speed limit is 25 mph at all times / B. 25 mph is the recommended safe speed through the curve in good conditions / C. The minimum speed on the curve is 25 mph / D. Only trucks must slow to 25 mph. Answer: B. 25 mph is the recommended safe speed through the curve in good conditions. A yellow plaque shows an advisory speed, not the legal limit. It is the safe speed for the curve in good conditions; go slower in rain, snow or darkness.
Green signs with white lettering are used for: A. Work zone warnings / B. No-parking areas / C. School crossings / D. Directions, distances, exits and destinations. Answer: D. Directions, distances, exits and destinations. Green is the color of guide signs: route directions, distances, exit numbers and destinations.
A red circle with a diagonal red slash over a symbol (for example, a U-turn arrow) means: A. Proceed with caution / B. The movement is recommended / C. The action shown is not allowed / D. The restriction has ended. Answer: C. The action shown is not allowed. The red circle and slash means prohibition. A slash over a U-turn arrow means no U-turns; over a right arrow, no right turn.
A fluorescent orange triangle with a red border on the back of a farm tractor means: A. The vehicle carries hazardous materials / B. It is a slow-moving vehicle, typically traveling 25 mph or less / C. It is an oversize load with an escort / D. It is an emergency vehicle. Answer: B. It is a slow-moving vehicle, typically traveling 25 mph or less. This is the slow-moving vehicle emblem, used on farm equipment, horse-drawn buggies and road machinery. Slow down early and pass only where it is legal and safe.

What road sign questions cover on the DMV test

Every state's written knowledge test includes road sign questions, usually shown as a picture with four possible meanings. Some states mix them into the general test; others score signs as a separate section that you must pass on its own. Your state handbook tells you which. Either way, the signs themselves are the same nationwide because all states follow the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), now in its 11th edition.

Examiners like sign questions because they test instant recognition. On the road you often see a sign's shape from far away, or from behind, before you can read it. That is why the test asks about shapes and colors on their own: you should know an octagon means STOP even if the word were covered with snow.

The rules behind the most-missed sign questions

Most mistakes come from mixing up two similar signs. Learn these pairs and the logic behind them:

Advisory vs. legal speed: a yellow plaque (25 MPH under a curve sign) is a recommendation; a white SPEED LIMIT sign is the law.
Yellow vs. fluorescent yellow-green: yellow-green is used for school, pedestrian and bicycle warnings so they stand out.
Yellow vs. orange: orange means a temporary work zone, where fines are higher in many states.
Red means stop or prohibition: STOP, YIELD, DO NOT ENTER, WRONG WAY and the red circle with slash.

Sign shapes and what they always mean
Shape	Meaning
Octagon	STOP only
Downward triangle	YIELD only
Circle	Railroad crossing ahead (advance warning)
Crossbuck (white X)	At the railroad crossing itself; treat it like a YIELD sign
Pennant	No-passing zone begins (left side of the road)
Pentagon	School zone or school crossing
Diamond	General warning: hazard or change ahead
Vertical rectangle	Regulatory: a rule you must obey

The answer that mentions the sign's exact shape is often a trap. Read the question twice and ask: is this sign warning me, ordering me, or guiding me?

How to study road signs efficiently

Start with the eight shapes and the main colors; they let you answer most questions even about signs you have never seen. Then browse our road sign library with pictures and plain-English meanings, and read the road signs test guide for the full logic.

Finish with timed practice. The road sign practice tests mix pictures and scenarios, and a full mock exam shows whether you are ready. Because signs are linked to signals and right-of-way, also review the traffic signal and marking questions.

Road sign questions FAQ

How many road sign questions are on the DMV permit test?

It depends on the state. Many tests include several sign questions mixed with rules of the road, and some states have a separate sign section with its own passing score. Check your state's driver handbook or our state pages.

Are road signs the same in every state?

Yes, the shapes, colors and symbols are set by the federal MUTCD, which every state must follow. States may add a few signs for local laws, but the core signs on the test are identical nationwide.

What is the difference between a warning sign and a regulatory sign?

A regulatory sign (usually white, black or red) states a law, such as a speed limit or a turn ban. A warning sign (usually yellow or orange) tells you about a hazard or change ahead so you can slow down.

What should I do at a railroad crossbuck with no lights or gates?

Treat it like a YIELD sign: slow down, look both ways and listen, and stop if a train is coming. Never stop on the tracks.

Is the speed on a yellow plaque the legal limit?

No. A yellow plaque shows an advisory speed for a curve, ramp or hazard in good conditions. Going faster is risky and can still lead to a ticket under your state's basic speed law.