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71 signs from the theory test

Irish road signs and what they mean

Road signs are their own category in the Irish driver theory test, and the one most people lose marks on, because a sign you have driven past a hundred times looks different on a screen with four meanings underneath it. This page has every sign that appears in the PassMonkey question bank, a ten-sign quiz to test yourself, and a page per sign showing exactly how the test asks about it.

Warning signs

Irish warning signs are yellow diamonds with black symbols. This is the big difference from the UK and most of Europe, where warnings are red triangles, and it trips up learners who grew up elsewhere. A yellow diamond tells you about a hazard ahead: a sharp bend, a crossroads, a school, a steep hill, animals, a merging lane. It does not give an instruction; it asks you to slow down and be ready.

Regulatory signs

Regulatory signs tell you what you must or must not do, and they are mostly red circles or red-bordered: no entry, no overtaking, no left turn, weight and height limits, speed limits. Two of them have a shape of their own so you can recognise them even from the back. STOP is a red octagon. YIELD is an inverted white triangle with a red border. Speed limits are shown in km/h.

Roadworks and information signs

Orange signs mark roadworks and the temporary rules and diversions around them; they override the usual signs while the works last. Information and directional signs are colour-coded by road type: blue for motorways and green for national routes, so the colour of a direction sign tells you what kind of road you are about to join.

How signs appear in the test

A road-sign question shows the sign as a picture and asks what it means, with multiple-choice answers. The wrong options are usually plausible: the meaning of a similar-looking sign, or the right idea applied to the wrong vehicle. A few questions show two signs together, or a hand signal, and ask what the combination means. Learn the family first (shape and colour), then the symbol, and most options rule themselves out.

Test yourself: ten signs

Today's ten, picked from the library. Pick a meaning, see the answer straight away, and keep score. No account needed.

Sign 1 of 10Score 0
Road sign to identify

What does this sign mean?

All 71 signs

Open any sign for its meaning, the explanation, and the theory test question it comes from.

Road signs: frequently asked questions

What colour are warning signs in Ireland?
Irish warning signs are yellow diamonds with a black symbol or black text. That is different from the UK and most of Europe, where warning signs are red-bordered triangles, and it is the first thing to get straight: a yellow diamond warns you about something ahead, such as a bend, a junction, a school or animals on the road.
What is the difference between regulatory and warning signs?
Regulatory signs tell you what you must or must not do and are mostly red circles or red-bordered: no entry, no left turn, no overtaking, speed limits. Two regulatory signs have their own shape so you recognise them from behind or in poor light: STOP is a red octagon and YIELD is an inverted white triangle with a red border. Warning signs, the yellow diamonds, only alert you to a hazard; they do not create a rule.
What do orange, blue and green road signs mean?
Orange signs mark roadworks and the temporary limits and diversions around them. Blue signs give motorway information and directions. Green signs are directional signs for national routes. Speed limit signs in Ireland show the limit in kilometres per hour, so a sign reading 100 means 100 km/h.
How do road signs come up in the theory test?
A road-sign question shows a picture of the sign and asks what it means, with several possible meanings to choose from. Only one is correct. Some questions show two signs together or a hand signal and ask what they mean in combination. The signs on this page are drawn from the same style of question, so practising here is practising the real format.
How many road signs do I need to learn for the theory test?
This library has 71 signs, each taken from a question in the PassMonkey bank, which is a good working set for the test. The Rules of the Road has more. Rather than memorising every one, learn the families: shape and colour tell you whether a sign is a warning, a rule or information before you read the symbol, and most questions then answer themselves.

Ready for the real wording?

The road-signs category has questions worded as they are in the test, with the answer explained. Or sit a full 40-question mock against the clock.

Practise all road-signs questionsTry the free mock test