Road signs and markings theory test practice
Free, no accountBased on the Rules of the Road
What you need to know
Irish road signs fall into families, and colour and shape tell you the family before you read a word. Regulatory signs give orders and are usually round with a red border, black symbols and a white background. Mandatory direction signs are blue and white. Warning signs are yellow diamonds or rectangles with a black border, and roadworks warnings are orange instead of yellow.
Information signs tell you where you are heading. Blue signs with white letters are used on motorways, green signs with white letters are on national roads, and white signs with black letters are on regional and local roads. Many signs show Irish and English together, and the yield sign can read Yield or Géill Slí. The theory test expects you to know which colour belongs to which road type.
The only octagonal sign in the regulatory family is the red and white Stop sign. You must stop completely before entering the major road, however quiet it looks. A Yield sign is a triangle that points down, and means slow down and give way, stopping only if you need to. A continuous white line across the road is a stop line, while a broken one is a yield line.
Road markings matter just as much. Keep to the left of a continuous white centre line. Longer lines with short gaps warn of a hazard ahead. Where a broken line sits beside a continuous one, obey the line nearest to you. Single yellow lines restrict parking at the times shown, double yellow lines mean no parking at any time, and hatched areas must not be entered.
Rules of the Road: Regulatory signs · Warning signs · Information signs · Road markings · Parking
20 practice questions
Pick an answer to see whether it is right and why.
What shape is a Stop sign in Ireland?
Mark one answer · keys A to D
All the questions with answers
1. What shape is a Stop sign in Ireland?
Answer: A red octagon
The Stop sign is a red octagon with a white border, and it is the only regulatory sign of that shape.
Rules of the Road: Regulatory signs
2. You reach a Stop sign and the main road looks completely empty. What must you do?
Answer: Stop completely before the major road
You must stop completely at a Stop sign, no matter how quiet the road looks.
Rules of the Road: Regulatory signs
3. What does a Yield sign require you to do?
Answer: Give way to traffic on the major road and stop only if needed
A Yield sign means give way to traffic on the major road. You slow down and stop only if you must.
Rules of the Road: Regulatory signs
4. A sign says "Géill Slí". What does it tell you?
Answer: Yield to traffic on the major road
Géill Slí is the Irish wording for Yield. It means give way to traffic on the major road ahead.
Rules of the Road: Regulatory signs
5. How can you usually recognise a regulatory sign that gives an order?
Answer: A round sign with a red border and white background
Regulatory signs are usually circular with a red border, black symbols or letters and a white background.
Rules of the Road: Regulatory signs
6. A round sign with a blue background and white arrow is a regulatory sign. What does it mean?
Answer: A direction you must follow
Blue and white regulatory signs are mandatory signs that show the direction traffic must take.
Rules of the Road: Regulatory signs
7. You see a yellow diamond sign with a black symbol on it. What type of sign is it?
Answer: A warning sign
Warning signs have a yellow background, black border and black symbol to show a hazard ahead.
Rules of the Road: Warning signs
8. What colour are the warning signs used at roadworks?
Answer: Orange
Roadworks signs are orange with a black border and black symbols, unlike normal yellow warning signs.
Rules of the Road: Warning signs
9. On a motorway you see a large rectangular sign with white letters. What colour is its background?
Answer: Blue
Motorway information signs are blue with white letters or symbols.
Rules of the Road: Information signs
10. You are on a national road following N numbers. What colour are the direction signs likely to be?
Answer: Green with white letters
National roads use green signs with white letters. Regional and local roads use white signs with black letters.
Rules of the Road: Information signs
11. Which signs are used on regional and local roads?
Answer: White with black letters
Regional and local roads have white signs with black letters.
Rules of the Road: Information signs
12. What must you do about a single or double continuous white line along the centre of the road?
Answer: Keep to the left of it
A continuous centre line divides opposing traffic, and all traffic must keep to the left of it, except in an emergency or for access.
Rules of the Road: Road markings
13. A centre line has long white dashes with short gaps. What does it warn of?
Answer: A hazard ahead, such as a bend or junction
Longer lines with short gaps warn of hazards such as bends, crests or a junction. You may cross only if it is safe.
Rules of the Road: Road markings
14. The centre of your road has a broken white line on your side and a continuous line on the other side. Which line do you obey?
Answer: The line nearest to you
When a broken and a continuous line run together, obey the one nearest to you. If it is broken, you may cross when safe.
Rules of the Road: Road markings
15. A continuous white line runs across your lane at a junction. What does it mean?
Answer: It is a stop line, so stop completely
A continuous white line across the lane is a stop line. A broken white line across the lane is a yield line.
Rules of the Road: Road markings
16. A broken white line crosses your lane at a junction. What does it mean?
Answer: A yield line, so give way to the major road
A broken white line across the lane is a yield line and usually comes with a Yield sign.
Rules of the Road: Road markings
17. What does a single yellow line at the side of the road mean?
Answer: No parking during the times on the plate
A single yellow line with an information plate means you must not park during the times shown.
Rules of the Road: Parking · Road markings
18. What do double yellow lines at the edge of the road mean?
Answer: No parking at any time
Double yellow lines mean no parking at any time.
Rules of the Road: Parking · Road markings
19. You see hatched markings in the middle of the road separating two directions of traffic. What must you do?
Answer: Not enter the hatched area
If hatched markings separate opposing traffic, you must not enter the area they cover.
Rules of the Road: Road markings
20. A broken yellow line runs along the edge of a road without a pavement. Who is the strip mainly for?
Answer: Pedestrians and cyclists
A broken yellow edge line marks a strip normally used by pedestrians and cyclists. You may pull in briefly to let a vehicle pass only if no one is using it.
Rules of the Road: Road markings
Questions people ask
- What colour are road signs on motorways in Ireland?
- Motorway information signs are blue with white letters. National roads have green signs with white letters, and regional and local roads have white signs with black letters.
- What shape is a Stop sign in Ireland?
- A Stop sign is a red octagon with a white border. It is the only regulatory sign with that shape, and you must stop completely before entering the major road.
- What does a double yellow line mean in Ireland?
- Double yellow lines mean no parking at any time. A single yellow line means no parking during the times shown on the nearby information plate.
- What does Géill Slí mean on a sign?
- Géill Slí is the Irish for Yield. It is the same sign as the English version, and means you must give way to traffic on the major road ahead.
Other theory test topics
- Learner permits and licences
- Penalty points and offences
- Alcohol, drugs, phones and fatigue
- Vehicle safety and passengers
- Speed limits and stopping distances
- Junctions and right of way
- Roundabouts and turning
- Motorways, overtaking and lanes
- Pedestrians, cyclists and other road users
- Parking and stopping
- Hazards, emergencies and breakdowns
Rules summarised from the Rules of the Road (© Road Safety Authority). Questions written by PassRank. These are not the official Driver Theory Test questions.