Regulatory Signs
Signs that set legal requirements — stop, yield, speed limit, do not enter, wrong way, and one-way movement — as applied in California traffic control.
Regulatory signs tell road users what they must or must not do, and disobeying them is a violation of the law. In a California work zone, regulatory signs are used to establish temporary control — closing a roadway or ramp, setting a reduced speed limit, defining a one-way movement, or preventing wrong-way entry into a closed segment.
Unlike warning signs, regulatory authority cannot be created by signing alone. A reduced work-zone speed limit, for example, must be set by the agency with jurisdiction over the roadway before it can be posted and enforced. In Los Angeles, temporary regulatory changes generally involve LADOT review, and Caltrans District 7 on state highways.
The regulatory signs below are commonly referenced on California TCPs. Their colors and shapes follow the CA MUTCD: red for prohibitive control (stop, do not enter, wrong way), white for most other regulatory messages, and black for one-way direction.
Browse by Series
Select a series to see all signs in that group with downloads and field-use notes.
R1 Series
The R1 Series is the foundational right-of-way control series, covering STOP (R1-1) and YIELD (R1-2).
R2 Series
The R2 Series covers speed limit regulatory signs (R2-1) used to set the legally enforceable maximum speed on a roadway or within a zone.
R3 Series
The R3 Series covers regulatory signs that control turning movements, lane-use requirements, restricted movements, and channelization at intersections and roadway segments.
R5 Series
The R5 Series covers regulatory signs that prohibit specific vehicle movements or restrict access.
R6 Series
The R6 Series includes ONE WAY signs used to establish and reinforce one-directional travel on a roadway.
All Regulatory Signs
Showing 37 of 37 signs
Requires every driver to come to a complete stop at the marked stop line, crosswalk, or intersection before proceeding when it is safe.
Requires drivers to slow down and yield the right-of-way to traffic and pedestrians, stopping only if necessary to avoid a conflict.
Posts the maximum legal speed for the roadway, establishing the enforceable speed limit drivers must not exceed.
Prohibits entry into a roadway or lane, telling drivers they must not proceed past the sign in that direction.
Alerts a driver who has entered a roadway in the wrong direction that they are traveling against traffic and must turn around.
Indicates that traffic on the roadway flows in one direction only, to the left, as shown by the horizontal arrow.
Indicates that traffic on the roadway flows in one direction only, to the right, as shown by the horizontal arrow.
Prohibits a right turn at the intersection or location where the sign is posted, making it a traffic law violation to turn right.
Prohibits a left turn at the intersection or location where the sign is posted, making it a traffic law violation to turn left.
Prohibits a U-turn at the location where the sign is posted, making it illegal to reverse direction.
Requires drivers to turn right at the intersection, prohibiting any other movement from that lane or approach.
Requires drivers to turn left at the intersection, prohibiting any other movement from that lane or approach.
Prohibits all turning movements — both right and left turns — at the intersection where the sign is posted.
Requires drivers to keep to the right side of a divider, obstruction, or channelizing island — passing on the right-hand side of the device.
Requires drivers to keep to the left side of a divider, obstruction, or channelizing island — passing on the left-hand side of the device.
The R1-5 Yield Here to Pedestrians sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R1-5b Stop Here for Pedestrians sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R1-6 In-Street Pedestrian Crossing - Yield sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R1-7 Wait on Stop sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R1-8 Go on Slow sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R2-12 End Work Zone Speed Limit sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R4-7 Keep Right sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R4-8 Keep Left sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R4-9 Stay in Lane sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R4-9a Stay in Lane to Merge Point sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R5-1a Wrong Way sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R5-10c No Pedestrians sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R7-1 No Parking Any Time sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R7-2 No Parking (Part-Time) sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R7-9 No Parking Bike Lane sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R7-107 No Parking Bus Stop sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R8-1 No Parking on Pavement sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R8-3 No Parking (symbol) sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R8-3a No Parking sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R8-4 Emergency Parking Only sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R8-5 No Stopping on Pavement sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
The R22-2 Turn Off 2-Way Radio and Cell Phone sign is a California MUTCD regulatory sign. It is shown here as an educational reference with the official FHWA Standard Highway Signs layout and California sizing guidance.
Official Sources (external)
This is an educational reference. Verify sign use, size, placement, and application against the current CA MUTCD, Caltrans sign specifications, Standard Plans, and the reviewing agency. Official source links are gathered in one place.
View official sourcesEducational reference only. This is not an official Caltrans, FHWA, or local agency publication and is not legal or engineering advice. Always verify sign selection, size, placement, spacing, and application against the current CA MUTCD 2026, Caltrans sign specifications, Standard Plans, project documents, and the reviewing agency’s requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a contractor lower the speed limit in a work zone with a sign?
No. Posting a SPEED LIMIT (R2-1) sign does not by itself establish an enforceable limit. The reduced limit must be authorized by the agency with jurisdiction over the roadway. Confirm the authorization before showing a reduced limit on the TCP.
When are DO NOT ENTER and WRONG WAY used together?
DO NOT ENTER (R5-1) faces traffic that could wrongly enter a closed lane, ramp, or one-way segment, while WRONG WAY (R5-2) is placed further in to alert a driver who has already entered against traffic. They are commonly paired to protect one-way operations and closed ramps.
What size should a temporary STOP sign be?
The CA MUTCD minimum for a STOP (R1-1) sign is typically 30″ × 30″, with 36″ × 36″ on multilane or higher-speed approaches. Verify the size for the specific facility and the reviewing agency's requirements.
Are regulatory signs orange in work zones?
No. Regulatory signs keep their standard regulatory colors even within a TTC zone — for example, STOP stays red and white. Only warning and most guide signs use the fluorescent orange work-zone background.
Need regulatory signs for a California project?
Public Ready can help you source the regulatory signs used in California work zones and coordinate them with your traffic control plan.
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