Road signs/No Turn on Red Sign
No Turn on Red Sign: what it means and what to do
A no turn on red sign means you may not turn during the red light, in any direction the sign covers. Wait for the green.
What it looks like
A white rectangle with black NO TURN ON RED lettering, mounted near the traffic signal it applies to.
What to do
- Stop at the line and wait for the signal to turn green.
- Check pedestrians and cross traffic before you go, because green does not clear them for you.
- Do not treat a right turn after stopping as an exception. The sign removes the usual permission to turn on red.
On the permit test
Tests ask whether a right turn on red is allowed when the sign is posted, and where such signs are placed.
Where it shows up on state tests
1 question across our state banks shows 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 1 | Part one is 10 traffic-sign questions and you must answer all 10 correctly before part two opens. |
How it differs from similar signs
| Sign | How to recognise it | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| No Turn on Red Sign | White rectangular sign reading NO TURN ON RED | A no turn on red sign means you may not turn during the red light, in any direction the sign covers. |
| No Right Turn Sign | White square sign with a right-turn arrow inside a red circle with a slash | A no right turn sign means right turns are prohibited at this intersection. |
| No Left Turn Sign | White square sign with a left-turn arrow inside a red circle with a slash | A no left turn sign means left turns are prohibited at this intersection. |
| Signal Ahead Sign | Yellow diamond warning sign with a traffic signal symbol | A signal ahead sign means a traffic signal is coming up that you may not see in time because of a curve or hill. |
See them side by side
Common questions
No. Where the sign is posted you must wait for the signal to turn green before turning.
Next to the signal or overhead at the intersection where turning on red would be unsafe, such as with heavy pedestrian traffic or poor visibility.
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; Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (FHWA). Written in our own words; follow your state’s manual for the exact wording.