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.
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.
Educational 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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