Signs that look alike

The signs

• 
  E1 · No parking (parkeerverbod)Brief stops (stilstaan) to load or let people in and out are still allowed.
• 
  E2 · No stopping (verbod stil te staan)Stricter than E1: you may not even halt briefly.
• 
  C2 · No entry in this directionYou are at the wrong end of a one-way street. The other end carries C3.
• 
  C3 · One-way roadTraffic flows only in the direction of the arrow.
• 
  G1 · Start of motorway (autosnelweg)At most 130 km/h, on most stretches 100 km/h by day (06:00-19:00) as the signs show; your vehicle must be able and allowed to do at least 60 km/h.
• 
  G3 · Start of expressway (autoweg)100 km/h unless signed lower; only for motor vehicles that can and may do at least 50 km/h.
• 
  A1 zone · Start of a 30 km/h zoneA zone covers every street inside it, junctions included, until the end sign.
• 
  G5 · Start of a home zone (erf)15 km/h, pedestrians may use the full width, and you park only in marked bays.
• 
  G11 · Compulsory cycle path (fietspad)Cyclists must use it (snorfietsers too, unless a sub-plate says otherwise); cars, motorcycles and mopeds (bromfietsen) may not.
• 
  G13 · Non-compulsory cycle path (fietspad)Cyclists may choose it or the road. Cars still may not use it.
• 
  F1 · No overtaking for motor vehiclesYou may overtake a bicycle, a moped (bromfiets) or a light moped (snorfiets): they are not motor vehicles. Motor vehicles, such as a tractor or a motorcycle, and also a microcar (brommobiel, art. 2a), you may not.
• 
  F3 · No overtaking for lorriesLorries may not overtake other motor vehicles; cars may still overtake.
• 
  A1 · Maximum speed 50 km/hThe default inside the built-up area, though many streets are signed 30.
• 
  A4 · Advisory speedBlue and square means advice, not a limit — but it is warning you about the road ahead.
• 
  B6 · Give way to traffic on the crossing roadNo need to stop if the road is clear, but you yield to every driver on it.
• 
  B7 · Stop (stilstaan), then give wayA full stop at the line is compulsory, even on a completely empty road.

What you do in practice

• E1 or E2: at E1 you may not park (parkeren), but you may stop (stilstaan) briefly; at E2 not even stopping is allowed.
• C2 or C3: C3 stands at the start of a one-way street, C2 at the end: there you may not drive in.
• G1 or G3: G1 is the motorway (autosnelweg), G3 the expressway (autoweg). They are different roads with different rules.
• 30 zone or G5: in a 30 zone you may drive 30 km/h and pedestrians walk on the pavement; in a home zone (erf) you drive 15 km/h and pedestrians may use the whole road.
• G11 or G13: cyclists must use the compulsory cycle path (fietspad) and may choose at the non-compulsory one; in a car you may use neither.
• F1 or F3: at F1 nobody may overtake a motor vehicle; at F3 the overtaking ban only applies to lorries (vrachtauto).
• A1 or A4: round with a red edge is a speed limit; blue and square is an advisory speed.
• B6 or B7: at B6 you may carry on if the road is clear; at B7 you always stop first.

The Dutch terms

The rule in the law

• RVV 1990 bijlage 1

More in this guide

• Speed signs
• Priority signs
• Prohibition signs
• Compulsory direction signs
• Signs for parking and stopping
• Signs for types of road
• Warning signs
• Information signs

Dutch traffic signs and their meaning