Regulatory Signs (prohibitory and mandatory)
Regulatory signs are the legal must and must-not signs of Minnesota roads. The exam tests whether you can identify the sign, state the required action, and avoid confusing it with a warning or guide sign.
Core rules
- Most regulatory signs are white rectangles with black legends; STOP is the red octagon and YIELD is the red-and-white inverted triangle.
- A STOP sign requires a complete stop at the stop line, at the crosswalk if there is no line, or at the edge of the roadway before entering.
- YIELD requires slowing and stopping only if traffic is close enough to conflict.
- Speed limit signs are white with black text; the posted number is the maximum in good conditions, not a target.
- Prohibitory signs include No Right Turn, No Parking, and Do Not Pass; mandatory signs include Left Turn Only, Keep Right, and One Way.
Worked example
You approach a red light and want to turn right. A No Turn on Red sign is mounted beside the signal. Minnesota generally permits a right turn after a full stop unless a sign prohibits it, but this sign removes the permission. You must stop, wait for the green, and then turn when clear. The sign controls over the general rule.
Traps
- Treating YIELD as a full stop every time, or treating it as a free pass when traffic is near.
- Stopping at the signpost instead of the stop line or crosswalk.
- Missing that a No Parking sign still allows a brief stop to load passengers unless No Stopping is posted.
- Assuming a green signal cancels a turn restriction; the sign still applies.