Prohibitory signs — how to read them and the ones people confuse

Prohibitory signs are round with a red rim, a white face and a black pictogram (with a few exceptions). They forbid or restrict movement.

The three most confused pairs

• No entry (red face, white horizontal bar) versus no stopping / no parking (blue face, red diagonal) — different colour and different meaning.
• No cars versus no lorries — only the pictogram differs.
• No left turn versus no U-turn — a no-left-turn sign does NOT also forbid a U-turn, and vice versa; this comes up often in the test.

Where a prohibition applies

A prohibitory sign takes effect from where it stands; without a supplementary plate or an end-of-restriction sign it applies until the next junction ahead.

This is a quick-reference summary. Always check the original legal document before relying on it — editors keep this article up to date in the CMS.