If you’re going to be driving in Germany, it’s a good idea to get to grips with the different road signs and their meanings, before hitting the road. There are over 1.000 traffic signs in the German traffic code, including warning signs, speed limit signs and information signs. 

No matter whether you’re learning to drive in Germany for the first time, need to take an exam to change your driving licence, or just need to brush up on your knowledge before coming to the federal republic for a visit, this page contains an overview of all the most important German road signs. 

The traffic sign system in Germany is comprehensive and uniform. All road signs in Germany have standardised shapes and colours and use easy-to-understand pictograms and symbols that conform closely to European standards. The German sign system is regularly updated to keep pace with changes in traffic and transportation; the last time it had a major overhaul was in the early 1990s.

In the official German traffic code, all signs are assigned a unique number, which is used by the police on tickets and reports if a sign is involved in an incident. Officially, signs in Germany are divided into four main categories: 

For ease of understanding, this page has grouped the signs slightly differently, into more logical categories. We have included the most important signs from the road sign catalogue (Verkehrszeichenkatalog) of 2017, along with some new signs from 2020. 

Traffic signs in Germany use a set of standard symbols to indicate the type or class of vehicle being referred to on the sign. Some symbols also include other types of vehicle as well. For instance, the “motor vehicles” symbol indicates that the sign applies not only to cars but also trucks, motor homes, buses, vehicles with trailers, and so on. Here’s an overview of these symbols, their meanings, and associated subclasses: 

These are other vehicle class symbols:

Speed limit signs in Germany state the maximum speed in kilometres per hour (km/h). The maximum speed limit sign comprising a number within a red circle will be recognisable to most road users. 

However, Germany also has a minimum speed limit sign (a blue circle), which is most commonly found on the German autobahn. Speed limits are ended with a black and white sign - meaning the statutory speed limit now applies. 

Here are some speed limit signs you will see in Germany:

End of minimum speed limit

Regulatory signs are signs that give mandatory orders - for instance things that you should or should not do. They are orders rather than suggestions, and as such must be adhered to. 

Like speed limit signs, most regulatory signs in Germany are round. A red circle is prohibitive (meaning you should not do the action depicted) while a blue circle is prescriptive (meaning you should follow the action depicted). Both prohibitive and prescriptive regulatory signs are ended by a black-and-white sign (although there are some exceptions). 

These are some commonly-used regulatory signs in Germany:

These signs are designed to demonstrate who has right of way (priority) at a junction. If you come from a country where you drive on the left, priorities in Germany will be the opposite of what you are used to - for instance, at roundabouts you yield to traffic from the left. 

These right-of-way signs are all in use in Germany:

Here are all the signs you might see in Germany related to parking - including both prohibitive and prescriptive signs.

These signs show where parking is forbidden:

These signs demonstrate where you may park:

Information signs are the most commonly-used road signs in Germany and are generally used to provide road users with general information about the road they are using and the road ahead.

Direction signs used on the Autobahn have a blue background, while signs outside built-up areas (federal highways / Bundestraẞen) have a yellow background, and signs inside built-up areas have a white background. As in other countries, signs relating to tourist attractions are on a brown background. 

These are signs you are most likely to see on the Autobahn:

If you are driving on the federal highway (Bundesstraße), you will see some of these signs:

If you’re driving in an urban or built-up area (for instance in a city in Germany), you’ll see signs like these:

On holiday in Germany? Pay attention to these brown signs, which direct you to and give more information about tourist attractions:

These signs are used to give directions to services and facilities on or near the road. They are primarily used along the Autobahn. Service signs are a symbol in a white field on a blue square or rectangle:

You will find these signs around railway level crossings:

The German road sign system also makes frequent use of supplementary signs (Zusatzschilder). These black and white rectangular or square signs are mounted below a “parent sign” (for instance, a warning sign) and are used to modify or give additional information - for instance the duration of the parent sign’s instruction, or exemptions. 

Here’s an overview of some more common supplementary signs in Germany - although this is not by any means an exhaustive list. 

You may also see these common additional road signs in Germany:

It is also important to pay attention to road markings in Germany, which also provide information about actions that are and are not allowed: