Give way
Ceda el paso (R-1)
Give way to vehicles on the road or lane you are joining.
What to do: Slow down and stop if needed.
Priority and junctions
Stop
Detención obligatoria o stop (R-2)
Stop at the stop line, or just before the junction if there is no line, then give way.
What to do: Come to a complete stop even if the road looks clear.
Junction ahead with priority to the right
Intersección con prioridad de la derecha (P-2)
At the junction ahead the general rule applies: vehicles coming from your right go first.
What to do: Slow down and give way to anything coming from your right.
Priority road
Calzada con prioridad (R-3)
You have priority at junctions over vehicles on the other roads.
What to do: Carry on, but watch for cars pulling out.
Give way to oncoming traffic
Prioridad del sentido contrario (R-5)
Narrow section ahead. Do not enter until you can pass without making oncoming vehicles stop.
What to do: Wait for oncoming traffic to clear.
No left turn
Giro a la izquierda prohibido (R-303)
No left turn. In Spain this sign also bans U-turns.
What to do: Carry on and look for a signposted place to turn.
Speed and cameras
Speed camera ahead on an ordinary road
Control de velocidad en carretera convencional o carretera multicarril (S-991a)
A speed camera checks this point or section of an ordinary road.
What to do: Check your speed against the limit. The camera may measure at one point or your average speed over a section.
Speed camera ahead on a motorway
Control de velocidad en autopista o autovía (S-991b)
A speed camera checks this point or section of an autopista or autovía.
What to do: Check your speed against the limit.
Red light camera
Control de semáforo en rojo (S-991c)
A camera checks that vehicles stop at the red light ahead.
What to do: Stop before the stop line on red, and on steady amber unless you are too close to stop safely.
Start of built-up area
Entrada a poblado (S-500)
You are entering a town. Urban rules and urban speed limits apply from here.
What to do: Slow to the urban limit unless a disc or other sign shows otherwise: 50 km/h on the main road through the town, 30 km/h on streets with one lane in each direction and 50 km/h on streets with two or more.
Speed limit
Velocidad máxima (R-301)
Maximum speed in km/h until a sign ends it. When it is mounted with a danger warning, it ends with the danger. On a minor road, it ends where you turn onto a road with priority.
What to do: Keep to the limit shown.
Speed checks from the air
Control de velocidad mediante medios aéreos (S-991g)
Speed may be checked from a helicopter or drone on this stretch. If the checks target one type of vehicle, only that vehicle may be shown.
What to do: Keep to the limit. You may be stopped further on, or the fine may arrive by post.
End of built-up area
Fin de poblado (S-510)
Urban rules end here. Limits for roads outside towns apply.
What to do: The limit rises to the general limit for the road unless a sign says otherwise.
Motorways and overtaking
No overtaking
Adelantamiento prohibido (R-305)
No overtaking of motor vehicles where it means using the side of the road for oncoming traffic, until an end sign.
What to do: Stay behind the vehicle in front.
Motorway
Autopista (S-1)
Start of an autopista. Motorway rules apply.
What to do: Limit 120 km/h unless signposted lower, and no driving below 60 km/h.
Dual carriageway built to motorway standard
Autovía (S-1a)
Start of an autovía. The same rules apply as on an autopista.
What to do: Limit 120 km/h unless signposted lower, and no driving below 60 km/h.
Dipped headlights on
Alumbrado de corto alcance (R-413)
Dipped headlights are compulsory from this sign until the sign that ends the obligation, whatever the visibility.
What to do: Switch on dipped headlights.
End of all restrictions
Fin de prohibiciones (R-500)
All earlier prohibitions for moving vehicles, such as speed limits and overtaking bans, end here.
What to do: The general limit for the road applies again.
Zones and parking
No entry depending on environmental label (low emission zone)
Entrada prohibida a vehículos en función de su distintivo ambiental (R-120)
Vehicles are banned from entering according to their DGT environmental label or other environmental criteria.
What to do: Read the panel below. Enter only if your car's label is allowed. A hire car's label is the sticker on the windscreen.
No stopping or parking
Parada y estacionamiento prohibido (R-307)
No stopping or parking on the side of the road where the sign stands, from the sign to the next junction unless shown otherwise.
What to do: Do not stop here, even briefly.
No parking
Estacionamiento prohibido (R-308)
No parking on this side of the road, from the sign to the next junction unless shown otherwise. Stopping briefly is allowed.
What to do: You may stop to drop off or pick up, but not leave the car.
No parking in the first half of the month
Estacionamiento prohibido la primera quincena (R-308c)
No parking on this side from 9:00 on the 1st to 9:00 on the 16th of each month. A version marked '16-31' (R-308d) bans parking from 9:00 on the 16th to 9:00 on the 1st.
What to do: Check the date before you leave the car.
Other signs
Residential and play zone
Zona de estancia y juego (S-28)
Pedestrians have priority and may use the whole street. The speed limit is 10 km/h, and you may park only where signs or markings allow.
What to do: Drive at walking pace and give way to pedestrians and children.
Stop sign camera
Control de STOP (S-991d)
A camera checks that vehicles stop at the STOP sign ahead.
What to do: Come to a complete stop at the line.
Following distance camera
Control de separación mínima en autopista o autovía (S-991f)
A camera checks that vehicles keep at least the gap shown from the vehicle in front.
What to do: Keep at least the distance shown, 70 metres unless the sign says otherwise. Tailgating costs €200 and 4 points.
Automatic camera enforcement
Vigilancia por medios automáticos (S-892)
The sign above it is enforced by cameras that record offences and issue fines automatically.
What to do: Obey the sign it is attached to.
Place to turn around ahead
Cambio de sentido al mismo nivel (S-22)
There is a place ahead where you can turn back at road level.
What to do: Use signposted places like this to turn around. U-turns are banned on autopistas and autovías except at places built for it, in tunnels, and wherever overtaking is banned.
Snow chains compulsory
Cadenas para nieve (R-412)
Do not continue without snow chains or approved anti-skid devices on at least one wheel on each side of a driving axle, or special snow tyres.
What to do: Fit chains before passing the sign, or turn back.
Words on the signs
| On the sign | Means |
|---|---|
| Ceda el paso | Give way |
| Zona de Bajas Emisiones (ZBE) | Low emission zone |
| Radar de tramo | Average speed camera |
| Control de velocidad | Speed check |
| Cambio de sentido | Place to turn around On autovías this is usually an exit that lets you rejoin in the other direction. |
| Poblado | Built-up area Entrada a poblado and Fin de poblado mark where urban rules start and end. |
| Zona de estancia y juego | Residential and play zone 10 km/h, and pedestrians have priority. |
| Obras | Roadworks |
| Desvío | Diversion |
Drawings follow the official designs described by Spain's road authorities. Real signs vary a little in size and lettering. The full guide to driving in Spain