Markings carry the same legal weight as a sign on a pole. The white line rules are the ones learners most often get wrong, because the meaning depends on which side of the line you are.
All 14 road markings
Broken white line
The centre line of the road. You may cross it to overtake or turn, but only when it is safe to do so.
Broken white line: overtaking permitted
The line arrangement on your side allows you to overtake when it is safe to do so.
Broken yellow line: edge of the carriageway
Marks the edge of the running carriageway and the start of the hard shoulder.
Continuous white lines ahead
Advance warning that continuous white lines start ahead. Once they do, you must not cross or straddle them except to enter a property, pass an obstruction or follow a Garda's direction.
Do not cross to overtake
The line arrangement forbids crossing to overtake on this stretch, usually because forward visibility is too short.
Keep left of the continuous white line
Stay on your own side. Where a continuous and a broken line run together, the one nearer to you is the one that applies.
Keep left of the white line
All traffic must stay to the left of the marked line.
No entry road marking
A painted marking closing the road ahead to traffic from this direction.
No parking at the times and days shown
A marking with an information plate restricting parking to particular days as well as hours.
No parking at the times shown
A marking with an information plate. Parking is prohibited only during the hours listed.
No parking road marking
Parking is not allowed in this area.
Parking prohibited at all times
A marking showing parking is banned here at every hour of every day.
Yellow box junction
Do not enter the box unless your exit is clear and you can cross without stopping. The one exception is turning right, where you may wait in the box for a gap in oncoming traffic.
Zebra crossing
The striped marking of an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing. Pedestrians on it have priority.
Other categories
- Regulatory signs (29)
- Warning signs (56)
- Information and motorway signs (14)
- Hand signals and traffic signals (21)
- Back to all road signs
Test yourself on these
Recognising a sign in a list is easier than recognising it at a junction. Run practice questions to see them in context, or sit a mock test under exam conditions.