German road signs

If you’re going to be driving in Germany, it’s a good idea to get to grips with the different road signs and their meanings, before hitting the road. There are over 1.000 traffic signs in the German traffic code, including warning signs, speed limit signs and information signss

No matter whether you’re learning to drive in Germany for the first time, need to take an exam to change your driving licence, or just need to brush up on your knowledge before coming to the federal republic for a visit, this page contains an overview of all the most important German road signs. 

Learn more about driving in Germany

If you’re not familiar with German road signs – or feel like you’d benefit from more practice before you hit the road – Tripiamo offers an online driving guide built specifically for international visitors and relocating expats. It gives you real-world practice driving in Germany using immersive simulations, so you can see exactly how these signs, rules, and right-of-way decisions show up in real situations.

Road signs in Germany & their meanings

The traffic sign system in Germany is comprehensive and uniform. All road signs in Germany have standardised shapes and colours and use easy-to-understand pictograms and symbols that conform closely to European standards. The German sign system is regularly updated to keep pace with changes in traffic and transportation; the last time it had a major overhaul was in the early 1990s.

In the official German traffic code, all signs are assigned a unique number, which is used by the police on tickets and reports if a sign is involved in an incident. Officially, signs in Germany are divided into four main categories: 

• Warning signs
• Regulation signs
• Guide signs
• Supplemental signs

For ease of understanding, this page has grouped the signs slightly differently, into more logical categories. We have included the most important signs from the road sign catalogue (Verkehrszeichenkatalog) of 2017, along with some new signs from 2020. 

Vehicle class symbols

Traffic signs in Germany use a set of standard symbols to indicate the type or class of vehicle being referred to on the sign. Some symbols also include other types of vehicle as well. For instance, the “motor vehicles” symbol indicates that the sign applies not only to cars but also trucks, motor homes, buses, vehicles with trailers, and so on. Here’s an overview of these symbols, their meanings, and associated subclasses: 

Symbol	Description	Other included classes of vehicle
	Motor vehicles (all motorised vehicles)
	Passenger vehicles (cars and light trucks)
	Vehicles over 3,5 tonnes (includes trailers and other vehicles that do not qualify as passenger vehicles, NOT buses)
	Motorcycles (includes motorcycles, motorcycles with sidecars, and mopeds)

These are other vehicle class symbols:

Bicycles	Mopeds	Cargo bicycles	Electric cars
Electric bicycles	Small electric vehicles	Passenger vehicles with trailers	Vehicles over 3,5 tonnes with trailers
Buses	Motor homes	Cattle/domestic animals	Riders
Horse-drawn vehicles	Pedestrians	Trams	Trains
Farm & Power equipment (top speed <25 km/h)	Military vehicles	Vehicles with hazardous cargo	Vehicles carrying hazardous cargo to water bodies

Traffic signs in Germany: Warning signs

Warning signs give advance warning of hazards on or near the road. Warnings signs in Germany are equilateral triangles with a thick red border and white background. They usually contain an internationally-recognised black pictogram describing the danger:

General danger Typically used with a supplementary sign to specify the danger	Aircraft	Pedestrian crossing
Cattle	Riders	Amphibian crossing Frogs and toads may be in the road
Falling rocks Watch out for rocks on the road; do not stop or park	Ice or snow The bridge or road ahead may be icy	Loose gravel The road surface makes sudden manoeuvring, braking or accelerating unsafe
Shore/riverbank There is an unguarded riverbank or landing ahead	Insufficient clearance/tree overhang Drivers of tall vehicles beware	Moveable bridge
Uncontrolled intersection ahead No right-of-way at next intersection; yield to traffic from the right	Curve	Double curve
Steep downgrade  Degree of descent is shown	Steep upgrade Degree of ascent is shown	Uneven road surface Reduce speed
Slippery when wet or dirty	Strong crosswind	Road narrows
Road narrows Can be left or right	Roadworks There may be workers, machinery or dirt on the road	Congestion hazard This area frequently has traffic jams; prepare to slow down or stop
Two-way traffic Oncoming traffic may be unexpected, for instance if exiting a one-way street	Traffic signals ahead	Pedestrians
Watch for children Schools and playgrounds in the area	Bicycle crossing	Wild animal crossing Use dipped headlights; be prepared to brake suddenly
Railway crossing

German traffic signs: Speed limit signs

Speed limit signs in Germany state the maximum speed in kilometres per hour (km/h). The maximum speed limit sign comprising a number within a red circle will be recognisable to most road users. 

However, Germany also has a minimum speed limit sign (a blue circle), which is most commonly found on the German autobahn. Speed limits are ended with a black and white sign - meaning the statutory speed limit now applies. 

Here are some speed limit signs you will see in Germany:

Maximum speed limit Do not exceed the stated speed limit (km/h)	Speed limit zone You are entering an area where the speed limit applies to all roads until you pass an “End of speed limit zone” sign	Minimum speed limit You must travel at this speed or faster, unless the weather, road or traffic conditions make it necessary to drive slower	Maximum speed limit by lane The displayed speed limit only applies to the indicated lane(s)
End of speed limit The statutory speed limit now applies	End of speed limit zone	End of minimum speed limit	End of maximum speed limit by lane
End of all restrictions End of all route-related speed and passing restrictions; statutory speed limit now applies	Speed limit information sign Maximum (or recommended) speed limits for urban areas, federal highways and motorways

Regulatory signs: Signs giving orders

Regulatory signs are signs that give mandatory orders - for instance things that you should or should not do. They are orders rather than suggestions, and as such must be adhered to. 

Like speed limit signs, most regulatory signs in Germany are round. A red circle is prohibitive (meaning you should not do the action depicted) while a blue circle is prescriptive (meaning you should follow the action depicted). Both prohibitive and prescriptive regulatory signs are ended by a black-and-white sign (although there are some exceptions). 

These are some commonly-used regulatory signs in Germany:

No passing You may not overtake other vehicles (except bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles	No passing for vehicles over 3,5 tonnes Vehicles weighing over 3,5 tonnes are not allowed to overtake other vehicles (except bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles)	End of no passing zone	End of no passing zone for trucks
Road closed All vehicles are prohibited; a supplemental sign may indicate exceptions	Motor vehicles prohibited Includes all multi-lane motor vehicles	Vehicles over 3,5 tonnes prohibited	Bicycles prohibited
Mopeds prohibited	Motorcycles and mopeds prohibited	Riders prohibited	Pedestrians prohibited
Horse-drawn vehicles prohibited	Cattle prohibited	Buses prohibited	Passenger vehicles prohibited
Motor vehicles prohibited	Vehicles carrying hazardous cargo prohibited	Weight limit No vehicles over maximum weight shown	Axle weight limit No vehicles over maximum weight on axle shown
Horizontal clearance No vehicles over maximum width shown	Vertical clearance No vehicles over maximum height shown	Length restriction No vehicle or combination of vehicles over length shown	Minimum following distance Vehicles over 3,5 tonnes must maintain the indicated minimum following distance
Lane crossover width restriction Width restriction is in effect for indicated lane(s)	Low emissions restriction zone Low emissions restriction zone Usually followed by a supplemental sign (see below)	End of low emissions restriction zone	No U-turns
Do not enter	One-way street Traffic on this street must travel in the direction of the arrow	Ahead only All traffic must continue straight ahead	Turn left All traffic must turn (can be left or right)
Ahead or turn only All traffic must continue straight ahead or turn (can be left or right)	Turn left ahead All traffic must turn; can be left or right	Turn left or right ahead	Pass by on left All traffic must pass by obstacle (can be left or right)
Roundabout All traffic must turn counter-clockwise around central island	Hard shoulder open to traffic Hard shoulder can be used as a traffic lane	Shoulder lane ends If you are in the shoulder lane, you must merge	End of shoulder lane Do not drive on the shoulder lane past this point
Pedestrian crossing Crossing ahead where pedestrians have right of way	Pedestrian path Pedestrians only	Pedestrian zone You are entering an area reserved for pedestrians; applies to all streets until you pass an “End of pedestrian zone” sign	End of pedestrian zone
Bicycle lane Bicycles only; cyclists must not use the roadway	Bicycle street You are entering a street designated for bicycles	End of bicycle street	Bicycle highway Marks a long-distance bicycle-only road
End of bicycle highway	Pedestrian & bicycle path Combined path; both pedestrians and cyclists can use the entire path. Cyclists do not have right of way, but pedestrians must allow them to pass	Pedestrian & bicycle path Divided path; pedestrians and cyclists must keep to their designated sides	Bridle path Horses only
Snow chains or tyres required A speed limit of 50km/h applies	Bus lane All other vehicles prohibited	Bus lane Shows which lane is reserved for buses

Right-of-way signs

These signs are designed to demonstrate who has right of way (priority) at a junction. If you come from a country where you drive on the left, priorities in Germany will be the opposite of what you are used to - for instance, at roundabouts you yield to traffic from the left. 

These right-of-way signs are all in use in Germany:

Yield You must give way to traffic on the intersecting road	Stop You must come to a complete stop and give way to traffic on the intersecting road	Priority You have right of way at the next intersection only	Priority over oncoming traffic You have right of way over oncoming traffic when the road narrows ahead
Yield to oncoming traffic You must give way to oncoming traffic when the road narrows ahead	Priority road You have right of way at all intersections on this road until cancelled by a “Yield”, “Stop” or “End of priority road” sign; parking is prohibited on this road except in built-up areas	End of priority road You must give way at subsequent intersections

Parking signs

Here are all the signs you might see in Germany related to parking - including both prohibitive and prescriptive signs.

Parking prohibition signs

These signs show where parking is forbidden:

No stopping You may not stop or stand on this side of the road	No parking You may not leave your vehicle on this side of the road for more than three minutes, except for pick-ups/drop-offs/ loading/unloading	Parking restriction zone You are entering a neighbourhood where parking is restricted on all streets until you pass an “End of parking restriction zone” sign	End of parking restriction zone
No stopping (start) Marks the beginning of a no stopping area - no stopping to the left of this sign on this side of the street	No stopping (end) Marks the end of a no stopping area - no stopping to the right of this sign on this side of the street	No stopping Stopping on this side of the street is prohibited in both directions	No parking (start) Marks the beginning of a no parking area - no parking to the left of this sign on this side of the street
No parking (end) Marks the end of a no parking area  - no parking to the right of this sign on this side of the street	No parking Parking on this side of the street is prohibited in both directions	Taxi stand Reserved for taxis; other vehicles may not stop here	Tow zone Vehicles parked here illegally will be towed

Parking allowed signs

These signs demonstrate where you may park:

Parking area Parking is permitted in this area	Parking management zone You are entering a neighbourhood where parking is for permit holders only, as indicated by the supplemental sign; this applies until you pass an “End of parking management zone” sign	End of parking management zone	Restricted parking You may use a parking disc to park here for the length of time indicated
Reserved parking Parking for disabled permit holders only	Parking garage	Park & ride	Parking area (start) Marks the start of a parking are
Parking area (end) Marks the end of a parking area	Perpendicular parking Parking spaces are perpendicular to the roadway	Angle parking Parking spaces are at an angle to the roadway	Parking on pavement allowed Cars may park half on the pavement and half on the street
Parking on pavement allowed Cars may park wholly on the pavement	Parking on pavement allowed Cars may park perpendicularly half on the pavement and half on the street	Parking on pavement allowed Cars may park perpendicularly and wholly on the pavement

Information & guide signs

Information signs are the most commonly-used road signs in Germany and are generally used to provide road users with general information about the road they are using and the road ahead.

Direction signs used on the Autobahn have a blue background, while signs outside built-up areas (federal highways / Bundestraẞen) have a yellow background, and signs inside built-up areas have a white background. As in other countries, signs relating to tourist attractions are on a brown background. 

Autobahn signs

These are signs you are most likely to see on the Autobahn:

Autobahn route number	Autobahn junction number	Autobahn exit number	Autobahn entrance Autobahn traffic regulations now apply
End of Autobahn Autobahn traffic regulations end	Autobahn direction sign Points towards entrance to indicated Autobahn	Consolidated direction sign Route information for all directions	Autobahn entrance direction sign Shows direction for Autobahn entrances ahead
Autobahn detour If Autobahn is closed, follow numbered Autobahn route (or red dot/circle) to return to next entrance	Autobahn distance sign	Service station Next exit has a service station	Autobahn exit sign Next exit (name & number) in 1.000 metres
Autobahn reminder exit sign Next exit in 500 metres	Autobahn junction countdown markers Located 300 (three stripes), 200 (two stripes) and 100 metres (one stripe) before a junction	Autobahn exit Located just prior to the exit	Autobahn exit Marks exit ramp
Tunnel ahead	Tunnel Length of tunnel is indicated	Turn headlights on/off Reminds drivers to switch on/off headlights before/after tunnels	Breakdown bay Roadside bay can be used in case of emergency; other uses prohibited

Federal highway or main road signs

If you are driving on the federal highway (Bundesstraße), you will see some of these signs:

Federal highway entrance Entry for motor vehicles capable of speeds exceeding 60 km/h only	End of federal highway	Federal highway route number	European route number
Federal highway direction sign Junction sign showing route number, direction and distance to major destinations	Secondary road direction sign Junction sign showing direction and distance to major destinations	Secondary road direction sign Junction sign showing direction and distance to minor destinations	Advance direction sign Advises of directions at an approaching junction
Advance direction sign Advises notice of directions and lane configurations at approaching junction	Advance direction sign Advises of directions at approaching roundabout	Consolidated direction sign Junction sign showing route information for all directions	Federal highway distance sign
Federal highway exit sign Next exit (name) in 1.000 metres	Federal highway junction countdown markers Located 300 (three stripes), 200 (two stripes) and 100 metres (one stripe) before a junction	Federal highway exit Located just prior to the exit	Federal highway exit Marks exit ramp
Federal highway exit Shows an exit for local destinations	Diversion direction sign Shows detour route	End of diversion	Alternate route Indicates a recommended alternate route to avoid congestion
End of alternate route	Route for trucks	Route for bicycles	Layout of detour route
Layout of detour route for designated vehicles Indicates type of vehicle prohibited ahead and shows detour route	Complicated traffic route Special route to go in direction indicated

Signs in urban or built-up areas

If you’re driving in an urban or built-up area (for instance in a city in Germany), you’ll see signs like these:

Entering urban area Urban traffic regulations begin, including 50 km/h speed limit	Leaving urban area Speed limit returns to 100 km/h as urban traffic regulations end; distance to next town is shown	Leaving urban area White section indicates the next town is in the same municipality	Place name Information only - no speed limit implied - used for small towns and other places of interest
Local direction marker	Traffic calming zone Traffic calming rules apply to all streets until you pass an “End of traffic calming zone” sign	End of traffic calming zone​​​​	Pedestrian crossing patrol
No through road	No through road with exceptions	Pedestrian underpass	Pedestrian overpass
Pedestrians must cross road	Bus or tram stop No parking within 15 metres of this sign; do not overtake trams stopped to board or discharge passengers, yield to vehicles leaving stop	School bus stop Watch out for children on the days and times indicated	Street name sign

Touristic signs

On holiday in Germany? Pay attention to these brown signs, which direct you to and give more information about tourist attractions:

Tourist attraction	Tourist route	River name Shows the name of the river you are crossing	Scenic area Shows a scenic or tourist area near the road
Tourist attraction marker Shows direction to indicated tourist attraction	Tourist attraction marker Shows direction to indicated tourist attraction	Tourist attraction marker Gives route information for indicated tourist attraction

Service signs

These signs are used to give directions to services and facilities on or near the road. They are primarily used along the Autobahn. Service signs are a symbol in a white field on a blue square or rectangle:

Petrol station	Electric vehicle charging station	Hydrogen station	Restaurant
Snack bar	Hotel	Auto repair shop	Toilet
Chapel	Police station	Tourist information	Telephone
Emergency telephone	First aid or hospital	Camping and caravan site	Motor caravan park

Railway crossing signs

You will find these signs around railway level crossings:

Railway crossing ahead You may not overtake between this sign and the crossing	Railway crossing (St Andrew’s cross) You must stop if a train is approaching	Electrified railway crossing Tall vehicles beware; this railway crossing has electrical wires overhead
Railway crossing ~240 metres ahead Sign may indicate a different distance	Railway crossing ~160 metres ahead Sign may indicate a different distance	Railway crossing ~80 metres ahead Sign may indicate a different distance

Supplementary signs (Zusatzschilder)

The German road sign system also makes frequent use of supplementary signs (Zusatzschilder). These black and white rectangular or square signs are mounted below a “parent sign” (for instance, a warning sign) and are used to modify or give additional information - for instance the duration of the parent sign’s instruction, or exemptions. 

Here’s an overview of some more common supplementary signs in Germany - although this is not by any means an exhaustive list. 

Distance to the condition (Shown on the parent sign)	Duration (length) of the condition	Duration (length)	Remaining duration (length)
Ends in… metres	Risk of accident	Oil slick	Smoke
End of restriction	Bicycles and residents allowed Frei is used to indicate when the condition does not apply to certain types of road users	Entry only for low-emissions vehicles With yellow or green Low Emission Zone Stickers	At times shown

Additional signs & road equipment

You may also see these common additional road signs in Germany:

Customs post	Toll road Motorists must pay a toll to use this road	Truck toll road Trucks must pay a toll to use this road	End truck toll road
Reflector guide posts (left and right) Posted along roadside	Curve marker Indicates direction of travel	Obstruction marker Indicates you may pass on either side	Obstruction marker Includes flashing lights and indicates which side you must pass on
Mobile lane closure board Used to temporarily close road lanes during construction; you must pass on the side indicated	Bollard Prevents unauthorised vehicle entry into pedestrian areas and bike paths	Reduced clearance Marks edges of overpass or other structure with reduced vertical and/or horizontal clearance	Church services Gold denotes Catholic services while purple denotes Protestant services
Shut off engine Reminds drivers to turn off engines while stopped to reduce pollution	Nature reserve	School bus	Construction project information
Autobahn kilometre marker	Self-driving car reference marker

Road markings in Germany

It is also important to pay attention to road markings in Germany, which also provide information about actions that are and are not allowed:

	Stop line You must stop behind the thick solid line across your lane
	Yield line You must stop at a thick broken line across your lane and yield to priority traffic
	Pedestrian crossing Zebra stripes across the roadway mark a pedestrian crossing; you must yield to pedestrians
	Restricted zone You may not drive in an area covered with diagonal lines
	No stopping zone Zig-zag lines near the kerb mark an area where you may not stop or park
	Direction arrows ​​​​​​​Arrows on the road surface in your lane indicate which turns are allowed
	No passing ​​​​​​​A solid centre line indicates you may not overtake; the long solid line along the side of the roadway marks the edge
	Lane separation line Long broken lines separating traffic lanes indicate that passing is allowed (unless prohibited by a sign); shorter broken lines indicate the passing zone is ending
	Solid or broken travel line ​​​​​​​Passing is only allowed on the side with the broken centre line; you may not overtake if the solid line is on your side
	Merge arrow  ​​​​​​​Warns passing traffic to merge to the right as the passing zone is coming to an end
	Advance notice arrow to indicate lane end ​​​​​​​Warns that the left lane is coming to an end and passing traffic should merge

Practice driving in Germany

If you’d like to go deeper and get practical experience before driving in Germany, Tripiamo’s driving guide is a great place to start. While it’s not a replacement for Germany’s formal driving course or license exchange requirements, it’s an excellent way to build confidence ahead of time - so you’re ready to drive from day one.