General rules for applying road signs

Warning signs — Warning signs inform drivers that they are approaching a dangerous section of road where they need to take measures appropriate to the situation.

Signs 1.1, 1.2 and 1.5–1.33 are placed before the start of the dangerous section: 150–300 m before it outside built-up areas and 50–100 m before it in built-up areas. If necessary, the signs may be placed at a different distance; in that case the distance is shown on plate 8.1.1 “Distance to object”.

Outside built-up areas, signs 1.1, 1.2, 1.9, 1.10, 1.23 and 1.25 are repeated. The second sign is placed at least 50 m before the start of the dangerous section. Signs 1.23 and 1.25 are also repeated in built-up areas, directly before the dangerous section.

Signs 1.13 and 1.14 may be placed without plate 8.1.1 “Distance to object”, directly before the descent or climb, if descents and climbs follow one another.

When short-term work is carried out on the carriageway, sign 1.25 may be placed without plate 8.1.1 “Distance to object”, 10–15 m from the work site.

Sign 1.32 is used as a temporary sign or on variable-message signs, before an intersection from which the congested section of road can be bypassed.

Sign 1.35 is placed at the boundary of the intersection. If at complex intersections the sign cannot be placed at the boundary, it is placed no more than 30 m from it.

Priority signs — Priority signs set the order of passage through intersections, crossings of carriageways and narrow sections of road.

Prohibitory signs — Prohibitory signs introduce or lift certain traffic restrictions.

Signs 3.2–3.9, 3.32 and 3.33 prohibit the movement of the vehicles concerned in both directions.

The signs do not apply to: 3.1–3.3, 3.18.1, 3.18.2, 3.19 — public transport vehicles.

The signs do not apply to: 3.2–3.8 — taxis; vehicles carrying out construction, repair, maintenance or cleaning of roads, servicing and repair of traffic management equipment, or loading and transporting broken-down, damaged and other vehicles; postal vehicles with special colour schemes; and vehicles serving premises within the zone of the signs or belonging to or serving people who live or work in that zone. In these cases vehicles must enter and leave the zone at the intersection nearest to their destination.

The signs do not apply to: 3.2, 3.3, 3.28–3.30 — vehicles driven by people with group I or II disabilities or with a profound or severe functional limitation, or carrying such a person or a child with the status of a child with a disability.

The signs do not apply to: 3.28–3.30 — postal vehicles with special colour schemes, and taxis with the meter switched on.

The signs apply: 3.10, 3.27–3.30 — only to the side of the road on which they are placed.

The signs apply: 3.16, 3.20, 3.22, 3.24 and 3.26–3.30 — from the place where the sign stands to the nearest intersection after it, and in built-up areas with no intersection, to the end of the built-up area. Their effect is not interrupted at exits from adjacent areas or at junctions with field, forest and other minor roads, at U-turn points or gaps in the central reservation, unless corresponding signs are placed before them.

The signs apply: 3.18.1 and 3.18.2 — to the crossing of carriageways before which the sign is placed.

The signs apply: 3.24 (placed before a built-up area marked with sign 5.23.1 or 5.23.2) — up to sign 5.23.1 or 5.23.2 “Start of built-up area”.

The zone of effect can be shortened: for signs 3.16 and 3.26 — with plate 8.2.1 “Zone of effect”.

The zone of effect can be shortened: for signs 3.20, 3.22 and 3.24 — by placing signs 3.21, 3.23 and 3.25 respectively at the end of their zone, or with plate 8.2.1 “Zone of effect”.

The zone of effect can be shortened: for sign 3.24 — by placing another sign 3.24 with a different maximum speed.

The zone of effect can be shortened: for signs 3.27–3.30 — with plate 8.2.2 “Zone of effect”, or by repeating the same sign 3.27–3.30 with plate 8.2.3 “Zone of effect” at the end of their zone.

Sign 3.27 may be used together with road marking 1.4, and sign 3.28 together with marking 1.10; the zone of effect of the signs is then determined by the length of the marking.

Mandatory signs — Mandatory signs show the permitted directions of travel and the minimum speed, and set the routes for pedestrians and for drivers of certain vehicles.

Signs 4.1.1–4.1.6 do not apply to public transport vehicles.

Signs 4.1.1–4.1.6 apply to the crossing of carriageways before which the sign is placed.

Sign 4.1.1 placed at the start of a section of road applies up to the nearest intersection. It does not prohibit turning right into courtyards and other areas adjacent to the road.

Special regulation signs — Special regulation signs introduce or cancel particular traffic regimes.

Signs 5.15.1 and 5.15.2 that permit a left turn from the leftmost lane also permit a U-turn from that lane. Signs 5.15.1 and 5.15.2 do not apply to public transport vehicles. Signs 5.15.1 and 5.15.2 placed before an intersection apply to the whole intersection, unless other signs 5.15.1 or 5.15.2 placed there give different instructions.

The arrows showing directions of travel on signs 5.15.1–5.15.7 may also have other configurations.

Information signs — Information signs inform about the location of built-up areas and other places, and about traffic regimes that are set or recommended.

A green or blue background on signs 6.9.1, 6.9.2, 6.10.1 and 6.10.2 placed outside a built-up area means that the route to the place shown runs along a motorway or another road respectively.

A green or blue insert on signs 6.9.1, 6.9.2, 6.10.1 and 6.10.2 placed in a built-up area means that, after leaving the built-up area, the route to the place shown runs along a motorway or another road respectively; a white background means that the place shown is within this built-up area.

Service signs — Service signs inform about the location of the corresponding facilities.

Additional information signs (plates) — Additional information signs (plates) clarify or restrict the effect of the signs they are used with.

Plate 8.4.14 shows that the sign does not apply to vehicles used as taxis.

Plates are placed directly below the signs they are used with. If the signs are placed above the carriageway, verge or pavement, plates 8.2.2–8.2.4 and 8.13 may be placed beside the sign.

Type of vehicle — Shows the type of vehicle the sign applies to. Signs used with these plates apply to: electric vehicles and hybrid cars that can be charged from an external power source.