Regulatory signs
No Parking sign
You may not leave a vehicle standing here, though you may usually stop briefly to load or unload people.
- Square
- White
- MUTCD R8-3
How to recognize it
Shape and background first
ShapeSquarea square
BackgroundWhitewhite, the standard background for a rule you must obey
FamilyRegulatory signsFederal designation R8-3 in the MUTCD.
Federal designation R8-3 in the MUTCD, the national standard every state signs to.
What the MUTCD specifies
Designation: R8-3
MUTCD Section 2B.53
Conventional road size: 24 x 24 in
Standard: Use a prohibitive parking sign where parking is barred at all times or at specified times.
Source: Federal Highway Administration, MUTCD 11th Edition (December 2023), Part 2, Table 2B-1; Section 2B.53, verified 2026-09-26.
On the test
What the test wants you to know
The mistake people make
Parking questions are really distance questions: most states ban parking within 15 feet of a hydrant and 20 feet of a crosswalk whether or not a sign is present. Learn your own state's numbers, because they vary.
