Regulatory signs
Regulatory signs inform you of traffic laws and regulations—they tell you what you, as a Queensland road user, must do by law in different situations (where it may not be otherwise obvious). Regulatory signs also include parking zone signs and can appear with supplementary signs.
Obeying these signs will help to protect:
- you
- your passengers
- other motorists
- bike or personal mobility device riders
- pedestrians.
Regulatory signs come in 4 distinct shapes:
- octagons
- rectangles
- circles
- triangles.
As a road user, you must obey all instructions on regulatory signs or risk getting a fine and points deducted from your licence. Local councils may have local restrictions relating to parking times and would be shown on or near the sign.
| Sign | Meaning |
|---|---|
 | Stop sign At a stop sign you must come to a complete stop and obey the give way rules. |
 | At a give way sign you must slow down or stop, if required, and obey the give way rules. |
 | Roundabout sign At a roundabout sign you must: slow down or stop, if required, and give way to all vehicles already on the roundabout. |
  | Keep left or keep right signs At a keep left sign you must drive to the left of the sign. At a keep right sign you must drive to the right of the sign. |
 | No entry sign This sign means you are not allowed to enter the area ahead. You must not drive past this sign. |
 | No U-turn sign If you see this sign you must not make a U-turn. You can make a U-turn at any intersection without traffic lights, or any break in the centre island of the road, unless there is a no U-turn sign. |
 | No left turn sign You must not turn left at an intersection or place with a no left turn sign. |
 | No right turn You must not turn right at an intersection or place with a no right turn sign. |
 | No turns sign You must not:
|
  | All traffic turn (left or right) signs You must turn in the direction of the arrow on the sign at the intersection. |
 | Two-way sign Vehicles travel in both directions on this section of road. You must drive to the left of the centre of the road if there is no dividing line. |
 | U-turn permitted sign You can only make a U-turn at traffic lights when there is a U-turn permitted sign. |
   | One way sign On 1 way streets and roads, you must only drive in the direction of the arrow. |
 | Left lane must turn left sign If you are in the left lane when you arrive at the intersection, you must turn left. If you do not wish to turn left, you should change lanes before you arrive at the intersection. |
 | Right lane must turn right sign If you are in the right lane when you arrive at the intersection, you must turn right. If you do not wish to turn right, you should change lanes before you arrive at the intersection. |
 | Left lane must exit sign Anyone driving in the left lane of the freeway or motorway will need to exit up ahead. If you are in the left lane and do not wish to exit, you should change lanes. |
 | Through traffic keep left sign Through traffic should keep left. |
 | Through traffic keep right sign Through traffic should keep right. |
 | Give way to pedestrians sign You must give way to pedestrians crossing the road that you are turning into. |
 | When driving in a built-up area where the posted speed limit is 70km/h or less, you must give way to a bus that displays this sign if it is signalling to enter traffic from:
|
 | Median turning lane sign You must turn right from the median turning lane at this sign, and give way to oncoming vehicles. |
  | Shared zone signs A shared zone is an area where pedestrians and vehicles share the road. You must give way to pedestrians and keep to the speed shown on the sign. A shared zone sign will mark where the shared area begins and will show a speed limit for the area. The shared zone will end when you see the end shared zone sign. If there are no other signs, the default speed limit and rules for giving way to pedestrians apply. |
 | Stop sign (hand held) Traffic controllers hold stop signs to help control traffic on work sites. You must stop and stay stopped until the traffic controller allows you to drive through. |
 | Pedestrian crossing sign This sign lets you know a pedestrian crossing is on the road. You must give way to pedestrians and bike or personal mobility device riders on or entering a pedestrian crossing. A pedestrian crossing is an area of a road with parallel white lines painted across the road. |
 | Walk to island and wait for further signal sign Pedestrians will need to cross the road in 2 stages when this sign is at a set of traffic lights. |
  | Children crossing sign Children crossing flags are displayed near crossings around schools—before and after school hours when children are crossing the road. A children's crossing may be supervised. School crossing supervisors use a hand-held stop sign to stop traffic and allow children to cross the road safely. You must give way to pedestrians and bike or personal mobility device riders on or entering the crossing. You must wait until all pedestrians and bike or personal mobility device riders have crossed the road and the crossing supervisor has returned to the footpath. See school zones, parking and pick-up to find out more. |
 | Hospital zone sign A hospital zone is an area near a hospital where there are lots of pedestrians. You may need to drive at a slower speed. |
   | School zone speed limit signs A school zone speed limit sign will tell you the reduced speed limit that you must drive within when driving in the school zone. The sign also shows the times and days the speed limit applies. Schools that have campuses on both sides of a road can have all day school zone speed limits (as children cross the road throughout the school day). These signs show the times the speed limit you must follow applies. See school zones, parking and pick up to find out more. |
      | Speed limit signs You must not drive faster than the speed limit shown in the circle. In poor conditions, it is safer to drive slower than the speed limit. Read more about suburban speed limits. |
 | End speed limit sign This sign lets you know the previous speed limit has ended and the default speed limit now applies. |
  | Area speed zone signs The speed limit area sign shows you the speed limit you must travel within in the zoned area. A speed limited area is a network of local roads with these signs placed at the entry and exit of the area. The end speed limit area sign lets you know when you have left the speed limited area and the default speed limit applies. Read more about speed limits in suburbs. |
 | Roadwork sign This roadwork sign lets you know the road ahead is undergoing works. The roadwork sign may have a speed limit sign displayed. |
    | These transit lane signs show the start and end of a transit lane. A T2 transit lane means you must have 2 or more people in the vehicle to use the lane. A T3 transit lane means you must have 3 or more people in the vehicle to use the lane. Buses, taxis, limousines, bicycles, and motorcycles can travel in transit lanes with or without passengers. Personal mobility device riders cannot travel in transit lanes. |
    | Transit lane restriction sign You can only drive in a transit lane if you have the minimum number of people during the days and times shown on the sign:
Buses, taxis, limousines, bicycles, and motorcycles can travel in transit lanes with or without passengers. Personal mobility device riders cannot travel in transit lanes. |
      | Freeway signs Freeway signs let you know when you are about to enter onto a freeway, and where the freeway starts and finishes. |
 | Wrong way—go back sign This sign prevents you from driving in the wrong direction along an exit ramp of a motorway. If you do drive onto an exit ramp, stop and reverse back when safe to do so. |
  | Emergency stopping lane only sign An emergency stopping lane is a marked lane or part of a marked lane, to which an emergency stopping lane only sign applies. This lane is kept free for emergencies. You must not drive in a signed emergency stopping lane unless:
|
  | Prohibited on freeway or motorway signs Prohibited on freeway signs mean some road users cannot enter a freeway. These signs list the types of road users not allowed to enter a freeway:
|
  | Keep left unless overtaking sign You must not drive in the right lane unless:
|
 | No overtaking or passing sign You must not overtake or pass another vehicle from this sign to:
Passing means driving past vehicles travelling in the opposite direction for this sign. |
 | No overtaking on bridge sign You must not overtake another vehicle on the bridge. |
  | Bridge load limit signs You must not drive past these signs if your vehicle weighs more than the amount shown on the sign. This restriction applies to heavy vehicles approaching a bridge. |
  | Gross load limit signs You must not drive past these signs if your vehicle weighs more or is longer than what is shown on the sign. A detour sign will show a different route for vehicles that are too long or heavy. |
   | Stop here signs You must stop on the red signal when you see these signs and follow the direction. You will see these signs with twin flashing lights where you would not have to stop normally. |
  | Clearance and low clearance signs You must ensure the highest point of your vehicle is less than the height shown on the sign. If your vehicle is higher you must not drive through. A detour sign will show a different route for vehicles that are too tall. |
  | Checking station entry signs If you are driving a bus or a truck you must enter the area as directed by the sign. Checking stations and weighbridges are set up on roads for buses and trucks to check their weight and length. |
  | Trucks and buses use low gear sign Trucks and buses must drive in a gear low enough to limit their speed without relying on their primary brake. You will see this sign on steep routes. An end truck and bus low gear area sign lets trucks and buses return to normal driving conditions. |
 | Trucks use left lane sign Trucks must use the lane on the left. |
    | Railway crossing signs These signs let you know there is a railway crossing and the number of tracks at the crossing. Queensland Rail provides information on the safe use of rail crossings. |
 |
You must not drive in a bus lane unless you are driving a bus, taxi, or limousine, or riding a bicycle. Personal mobility device riders cannot drive in a bus lane. |
 | Bus lane ahead sign This sign means the lane ahead operates as a bus lane during the days and times listed. |
 | Truck lane sign You must not drive in a truck lane unless you are driving a truck. |
 | Tram lane signs let you know tram tracks are on the road and are for tram use only. |
 | Tram only sign This sign lets you know the lane ahead is for trams. |
 | This sign lets you know the lane ahead is for buses. |
 | Bicycle lanes are for use by bike riders. You can stop or park in a marked bicycle lane unless there are signs or road markings prohibiting you from doing so. Personal mobility devices can be ridden in bike lanes on roads with a speed limit of 50km/h or less. You can also ride them on all on-road bike lanes that are physically separated from other lanes of traffic, for example, by bollards or a raised median strip. You must give way to bicycles and personal mobility devices when moving into or turning across a bicycle lane. |
 | Bicycle path only sign This sign lets you know the path is for bicycles and personal mobility devices only. |
 | Shared path sign This sign means pedestrians and bike or personal mobility device riders must share the path. On shared paths, personal mobility device riders are required to travel at not more than 12km/h unless otherwise signed. |
| Personal mobility device speed limit sign and road marking This sign or road marking is used on certain paths to indicate that personal mobility device riders are permitted to travel up to 25km/h. |
  | Separated path signs These signs show the path is split—one side is for bike or personal mobility device riders and one side is for pedestrians. You must stay on the pedestrian side if you are a pedestrian. You must stay on the bicycle side if you are a bike or personal mobility device rider. |
 | Pedestrians may cross diagonally sign This sign lets pedestrians cross diagonally at traffic lights. You will see this sign in central city locations on or near the traffic signal push button. It is also known as a scramble crossing. Bike and personal mobility device riders are permitted to ride across scramble crossings. |
 | No buses sign A bus driver must not drive past a no bus sign. |
 | No trucks sign A truck driver must not drive past a no trucks sign. |
 | No bicycles sign A bike rider must not ride past a no bicycles sign. |
   | No personal mobility device sign and road marking A personal mobility device rider must not ride past a no personal mobility device sign or road marking. |
 | No pedestrians sign Pedestrians must not walk past a no pedestrians sign. |
Parking zone signs
These regulatory signs let you know where you are allowed to park or stop. They show you:
- the area zones for parking
- what vehicles can park
- the times and time limit you can be in the area
- if payment is required.
| Sign | Meaning |
|---|---|
 | Bus zone sign A bus zone is length of road where buses can stop. |
 | Taxi zone sign A taxi zone is length of road where taxis can stop, pick up or set down passengers. You must not stop in a taxi zone unless you are driving a taxi. |
 | Permit zone sign A permit zone allows you to stop or park in the zoned area if you have a permit to do so. |
 | Loading zone signs You must not stop in a loading zone unless you:
The sign may give a length of time for stopping. If so, you must follow the times displayed on the sign. |
 | Truck zone sign A truck zone is a length of road where trucks can park or stop. You must not stop in a truck zone unless you are driving a truck. |
 | Works zone sign A works zone is a length of road outside a work site where construction vehicles can stop and park. |
 | Mail zone sign A mail zone is a length of road near postal facilities where mail vehicles can stop and park. You must not stop in a mail zone unless you are driving a postal service vehicle. |
  | No parking signs You are not allowed to park in this area at any time. If the sign has a time displayed you can park outside of those hours. You may only stop to pick up or drop off passengers or goods for a maximum of 2 minutes, unless the sign allows a longer time. You must not leave the vehicle unattended. |
 | Area parking control ahead sign This sign lets you know the area ahead is a controlled parking area. A parking area sign will show the entry and exit of the parking area boundary. |
    | No parking area signs You must not park in the signed area during the times displayed on the sign. You can park outside of the times displayed. |
   | Parking area signs These signs let you know what the parking restrictions are for the area and include:
|
         | Parking signs Parking signs let you know where you can park on a section of the road. The signs display parking information you need to know, they include:
Parking where payment is needed will be shown on the sign. The sign will also direct you to where you pay at a parking meter. You can park for free outside of the parking meter times listed on the sign. The letter P, on its own, means there is no time limit and you can park any time for any length of time. A number before or next to the P means there is a time limit for how long you can park within the hours signed. |
 | Park in bays only sign You must only park in the available car parking bays. |
   | Parking areas for electric-powered vehicles You may only park an electric-powered vehicle and the electric-powered vehicle must be plugged in to an external source of electricity. |
     | No stopping signs You must not stop your vehicle at a no stopping sign. The times on the sign mean that you cannot stop between the times shown and on the days shown. Unless another sign applies, stopping and parking is allowed outside the times and days shown. Read more about road rules. |
    | No stopping area signs These no stopping signs let you know what the restrictions are for the area and include:
|
    | Clearway signs You must not stop on a length of road that has a clearway sign unless you are driving a bus, taxi or limousine and are dropping off or picking up passengers. If you park or stop in a clearway you may be fined and have your vehicle towed away. This sign usually applies in peak hour traffic—the sign will show the hours that it applies. |
  | Tow-away zone signs If you park or stop in a tow-away zone you may be fined and have your vehicle towed away. You must obey the rules of the car parking area. These signs can be used with clearway signs. |
Supplementary signs for regulatory signs
Supplementary signs are used along side warning and regulatory signs to provide extra information. You might see more than 1 regulatory sign used with another to provide more information on what you should do when approaching a structure or road obstacle.
Supplementary signs can provide information on restrictions for:
- time
- vehicles
- direction
- distance.
| Sign | Meaning |
|---|---|
      | Exception signs These signs let authorised vehicles go through a regulatory sign where other vehicles are not allowed. You will see exception signs used with regulatory signs. |
  | Ahead arrow sign These ahead arrow signs are used on the side road to let you know a bus, transit or truck lane is ahead at the intersection. These signs are placed with:
|
 | Ahead sign The ahead sign lets you know that lane restriction is ahead because it is only used with:
|
  | Time of operation signs A time of operation sign shows the time and days that the regulatory sign above it is in operation. This sign may be used with:
|
     | Distance and location signs These distance and location signs let you know a single lane restriction is about to begin. These signs are used with:
|
 | At all times sign Used with a regulatory sign to tell you that the restriction applies at all times. |
 | One lane sign You will see this sign at the beginning of a 1 lane bridge or other roadway with a give way sign. You must give way as there is only 1 lane available. |
 | End sign The end sign lets you know the previous regulatory sign restriction has ended. |
  | Left lane or right lane signs These signs may be used with:
|
     | Lane signs You will see these signs as additional information for low clearance or clearance signs. These signs tell you that the clearance height applies to the lane or direction shown on the sign. |