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California · Permit test

California DMV road signs: what you need to know for the test

Road signs are mixed in with the other questions on the California test. There’s no separate signs section and no extra pass rule for them. The fastest way to learn them is by shape and color, because those tell you what kind of sign it is before you can read a word.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

Controlling Your Vehicle and Communicating

  • Left turn: arm straight out
  • Right turn: arm bent up
  • Slow or stop: arm bent down

Traffic Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings

  • Solid red: stop
  • Red arrow: stop, no turn
  • Flashing red: stop, then go when safe
  • NOTURNONRED No turn of any kind while the light is red
  • Solid yellow: red is coming
  • Yellow arrow: protected turn ending
  • Flashing yellow: slow down, use caution
  • Flashing yellow arrow: turn after yielding
  • Green: go if the way is clear
  • Green arrow: protected turn
  • WALK: people may cross
  • DON’T WALK: do not cross
  • 12 Seconds left to cross
  • DIAGONALCROSSINGOK Diagonal crossing allowed
  • STOP STOP
  • YIELD YIELD
  • DO NOTENTER Do not enter
  • WRONGWAY You are going the wrong way
  • No U-turn
  • No left turn
  • No right turn
  • RR Railroad crossing ahead
  • RAILROADCROSSING Railroad crossing
  • REPORT EMERGENCYOR PROBLEM TO1-800-555-0123CROSSING 123 456 X Railroad emergency information
  • School nearby
  • NOPARKINGANYTIME No parking at any time
  • ONE WAY Traffic goes one way
  • DO NOTBLOCKINTER-SECTION Do not stop inside the intersection
  • LEFT TURNYIELDON On a green light, yield before turning left
  • DONOTPASS No passing here
  • SLOWERTRAFFICKEEPRIGHT Slower vehicles use the right lane
  • KEEPRIGHT Stay to the right of the divider
  • YIELDTOUPHILLTRAFFIC Downhill drivers yield
  • TWO WAYTRAFFICAHEAD Two-way traffic begins ahead
  • EMERGENCYPARKINGONLY Stop here only in an emergency
  • NOTURNS No turns
  • ONLY This lane must turn left
  • Left turns and U-turns from this lane
  • 3TRACKS The crossing has 3 tracks
  • Slippery when wet
  • Traffic merges from the side
  • Divided highway begins
  • Divided highway ends
  • Two-way traffic
  • Lane ends, merge
  • A lane is added
  • Traffic light ahead
  • STOP STOP sign ahead
  • YIELD sign ahead
  • People crossing
  • Crossroad ahead
  • Road ends at a T
  • Curve ahead
  • Winding road
  • Sharp change in direction
  • ROADCLOSEDAHEAD Road closed ahead
  • ROADMACHINERYAHEAD Road machinery ahead
  • Flagger ahead
  • SHOULDERWORKAHEAD Work on the shoulder
  • THRUTRAFFICMERGELEFT Through traffic merge left
  • Direction to an airport
  • Recreation area
  • RESTAREA1 MILE Rest area ahead
  • FLAMMABLE3RADIOACTIVE7EXPLOSIVES1POISON6 Hazardous load placards
  • Slow-moving vehicle
  • Single solid yellow
  • Double solid yellow
  • Broken yellow: may pass when safe, if on your side
  • Barrier: do not cross
  • ENDDIVIDEDROAD Divided road ends
  • Single solid white
  • Broken white
  • Double white: never cross
  • EXIT1/4 MILEWidebrokenlineLane exits or ends Wide broken lines: lane ends or exits
  • Yield line: triangles point at you
  • Limit lineCrosswalkStop behind thelimit line Limit line before a crosswalk
  • Carpool lane marking
  • Center leftturn laneSolid outside,broken insideWait herefor a gap Center left turn lane
  • Bike laneBufferedbike laneGreenbike laneShared lane(sharrow) Bike lane markings
  • Crosshatched area: no parking No parking in the crosshatch

Lanes, Turns, Merging and Passing

  • 1234CenterdividerNumber 1= fast laneEdge Lanes are numbered from the left
  • CARPOOLS3 OR MOREONLYLEFTLANEHOV 2+2OR MOREONLYWHEN METERED Carpool lane rules and hours
  • SLOWERTRAFFICUSETURNOUTS Slower traffic use turnouts
  • LANE Bike lane
  • Start near the curb,end in the right lane Stay close to the curb and end in the right lane
  • Dedicated lane:no merging Turning into a dedicated lane
  • Start next to the center line,end in the left lane End the turn in the left lane
  • U-TURNOKENDDIVIDEDROADU-turn across one setof double yellow lines U-turns allowed here
  • 1Left: two-way to two-way2Right turn3Left: two-way to one-way4Left: one-way to two-way5Left: one-way to one-way6Right: one-way to one-way7T: one-way to two-wayBest pathAlso OK iflane is openTwo-wayOne-way Where to start and end each kind of turn

Right-of-Way and Sharing the Road

  • Right turnStraightLeft turn Lane choice in a two-lane roundabout
  • TricycleQuadricycleWheelchairElectric Tricycle, quadricycle and wheelchairs: their users are pedestrians
  • AheadBehindRight side: the largest blind spot Shaded areas show where a truck driver cannot see you
  • Safety zone: never drive through itPassing a stopped bus or streetcar: 10 mph or less Riders wait in the safety zone: do not drive through it
  • Do not turn in front of the train Do not turn in front of an approaching light rail vehicle
  • Car: enter the bikelane at the brokenline to turn rightBicyclist turnsleft like a car Where bicyclists ride and turn at an intersection
  • 3 ft+Right: at least 3 feetWrong: too close Leave at least three feet when you pass
  • Drive to the right edge and stopTraffic both ways pulls right Pull to the right and stop for a siren and red lights
  • Watch for animals on the road

Speed Limits, Railroad Crossings and Parking

  • Two-lane road:both directions stopDivided or multilane highway:other side need not stop Flashing red lights: traffic stops both ways, except across a divided or multilane highway
  • DebrisRun toward the train,at an angle, away from the tracks Run at an angle toward the train, away from the crash area
  • 2 ft1 Pull alongside45°2 Back at 45°≤18 in3 Straighten Parallel parking steps
  • DownhillWheels towardthe curbUphillWheels awayfrom curbNo curbWheels towardthe edge Wheel positions: downhill, uphill, no curb
  • WhiteStop only to pick up or drop off passengersGreenPark for a limited time (sign or curb)YellowLoad or unload passengers or freightRedNo stopping, standing or parkingBlueDisabled parking with placard or plate What each curb color means
  • RESERVEDPARKING Reserved for vehicles with a disabled placard or plate
  • EV Parking for electric vehicle charging

Safe Driving: Awareness, Conditions and Emergencies

  • GreenaheadBluebeside youYellowblind spotsRedbehind The areas around your vehicle: ahead, beside, blind spots and behind
  • Mirror viewTurn your head to checkShaded: blind spots the mirrors miss Shaded areas: a car’s blind spots
  • Impact on thedriver’s side121 Thrownagainst thedriver’s door2 Reboundtoward thepassenger door A side impact throws you toward the door, then back across the seat

Alcohol, Insurance, Collisions and Your Driving Record

  • Blood alcohol concentration (BAC)Estimates for male (M) and female (F)Body weight in pounds100120140160180200220240Drinks.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00M.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00F0.06.05.04.04.03.03.03.02M.07.06.05.04.04.03.03.03F1.12.10.09.07.07.06.05.05M.13.11.09.08.07.07.06.06F2.18.15.13.11.10.09.08.07M.20.17.14.12.11.10.09.08F3.24.20.17.15.13.12.11.10M.26.22.19.17.15.13.12.11F4.30.25.21.19.17.15.14.12M.33.28.24.21.18.17.15.14F5Only safedriving limitDriving skillsimpairedLegallyintoxicatedSubtract .01 for each 40 minutes between drinks. 1 drink = 1.5 oz 80-proof liquor,12 oz 5% beer or 5 oz 12% wine. Fewer than 5 people in 100 will exceed these values. Estimated BAC by number of drinks, sex and body weight

Shapes and what they mean

ShapeWhat it tells you
Eight-sided (red)STOP. Come to a full stop at the limit line. No line? Stop before the crosswalk, or before the intersection if there’s no crosswalk either.
Upside-down triangle (red and white)YIELD. Slow down and be ready to stop for vehicles, bikes or people walking.
Five-sidedThere’s a school nearby. Drive slowly and stop for children in the crosswalk.
DiamondA warning about the road or a hazard ahead.
Round (yellow and black) or X-shapedA railroad crossing is coming. Look, listen, slow down and be ready to stop.
Red circle with a line through itWhatever’s pictured inside isn’t allowed.
White rectangleA rule you have to follow, like a speed limit or ONE WAY.

What the colors tell you

Obey every warning sign, whatever its shape or color. The handbook is clear on that.

  • Red and white: an order, such as STOP, YIELD, DO NOT ENTER or No U-Turn
  • Black on white: a rule, such as NO PARKING ANY TIME or ONE WAY
  • Yellow: a warning, such as a curve, a merge, a lane ending or a signal ahead
  • Orange: road work and maintenance zones
  • Green: guide signs that point you to places and routes
  • Blue and white at a railroad crossing: what to do if your car stalls on the tracks or there’s an emergency

If you’ve gone the wrong way

DO NOT ENTER and WRONG WAY signs mean you’re driving against traffic. When it’s safe, back out or turn around. At night there’s another clue: road reflectors shine red in your headlights when you’re going the wrong way.

Signs on vehicles count too

An orange triangle with a red border on the back of a vehicle marks it as slow-moving, usually 25 mph or less. Give it room and expect to slow down behind it.

See the full sign charts

The handbook shows only a selection. Caltrans keeps the full California sign charts, and DMV has a short video on traffic signs.

Caltrans sign charts ↗DMV video: Traffic Signs ↗

Explore

Everything else, in one place

OverviewCalifornia DMV permit testHow many questionsHow many questions are on the California DMV permit test?DMV appointmentBooking a California DMV appointment for your permit testCostHow much is the California DMV permit test?Online permit testCan you take the California DMV permit test online?Driver’s handbookThe California Driver’s Handbook: your free study guidePractice testCalifornia DMV practice testWhere to learnWhere to study for the California permit test
Sources: California Driver’s Handbook (DL 600), Section 7, Caltrans, FHWA and 1 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.