Road signs/No Passing Zone Sign
No Passing Zone Sign: what it means and what to do
A no passing zone sign marks the start of a stretch where passing is prohibited, because you cannot see far enough ahead to pass safely.
What it looks like
A yellow pennant: a triangle on its side, pointing into the road. It is the only pennant-shaped sign, and it is placed on the left side of the road, facing you.
What to do
- Do not pass any vehicle until the zone ends.
- Check the pavement. A solid yellow line on your side means the same thing.
- Wait for a broken yellow line on your side and a long clear gap before you pass.
On the permit test
Tests ask what shape it is and where it stands (the left side of the road), and sometimes pair it with the do not pass sign.
Free questions from our banks that show this sign:
A pennant-shaped (sideways triangle) sign marks?
Answer: A no-passing zone
A pennant-shaped sign (a sideways triangle) on the left side of the road marks the start of a no-passing zone. It is not a school zone, railroad crossing, or hospital sign. When you see the pennant, do not pass until you are past the zone and it is legal and safe.
CA Driver Handbook — Traffic Signs · California DMV Permit free questionsYou see a yellow pennant-shaped sign on the left side of a two-lane road. What does it mark?
Answer: The start of a no-passing zone
The pennant marks the beginning of a no-passing zone on two-lane roads. School zones use pentagon or speed-limit signs, turn lanes use arrow signs and lane markings, and railroad crossings use a crossbuck or circular advance sign.
FL Driver Handbook — Regulatory Signs (rev. 08/2023) · Florida Class E Permit free questionsA yellow pennant-shaped NO PASSING ZONE sign on the left roadside means:
Answer: The zone ahead prohibits passing — do not start the maneuver
The sideways-triangle pennant marks the start of a no-passing zone, reinforcing the solid center line — do not begin passing here even if the road looks empty. The restriction covers hills, curves, and intersections where sight distance fails. Wait for the broken line and clear view.
NJ Driver Manual — Signs — No-passing zones · New Jersey MVC Permit free questionsWhere it shows up on state tests
14 questions across our state banks show this sign. Here is how many each bank has, and what each state's own test rules say about road signs.
| State | Questions showing it | What the state says about signs |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 1 | No separate sign section published. |
| California | 1 | No separate sign section published. |
| Florida | 1 | No separate sign section published. |
| Georgia | 1 | Two separate tests: road signs (20 questions) and road rules (20 questions). |
| Indiana | 1 | Two components — road signs, and traffic rules and laws — and you need 80% on each. |
| Missouri | 1 | A separate road sign test is part of the driver exam and comes before the driving test. |
| North Carolina | 1 | Separate road-signs test: identify at least 9 of 12 signs. |
| New Jersey | 1 | No separate sign section published. |
| New York | 1 | 4 of the 20 questions are about road signs, and at least 2 of those 4 must be correct — even with 14 right overall. |
| Ohio | 1 | 40 multiple-choice questions on motor vehicle regulations and traffic signs. |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | No separate sign section published. |
| Texas | 1 | No separate sign section published. |
| Virginia | 1 | Part one is 10 traffic-sign questions and you must answer all 10 correctly before part two opens. |
| Washington | 1 | No separate sign section published. |
How it differs from similar signs
| Sign | How to recognise it | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| No Passing Zone Sign | Yellow pennant-shaped sign reading NO PASSING ZONE | A no passing zone sign marks the start of a stretch where passing is prohibited, because you cannot see far enough ahead to pass safely. |
| Do Not Pass Sign | White rectangular sign reading DO NOT PASS | A do not pass sign means you may not pass other vehicles travelling in your direction on that stretch of road. |
| Two-Way Traffic Sign | Yellow diamond warning sign with one arrow pointing up and one pointing down | A two-way traffic sign means a one-way street or roadway ends ahead and you will then share the road with oncoming traffic. |
| Winding Road Sign | Yellow diamond warning sign with a black winding arrow | A winding road sign means there are three or more curves in a row ahead. |
See them side by side
Common questions
A yellow pennant, a sideways triangle. It is the only pennant-shaped road sign.
On the left side of the road, facing drivers, at the point where the no-passing zone begins.
All road signs Practice your state’s permit test free
Sources, checked 2026-10-08: Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95), Chapter 2: Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings; New Jersey Driver Manual (rev. 09/25); Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (FHWA). Written in our own words; follow your state’s manual for the exact wording.