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UK Road Signs

Regulatory sign

20 mph zone sign

20 mph zone sign: a rectangular sign with 20 in a red ring above the word ZONE, and a panel underneath showing a place name and emblem
Sign image: Department for Transport, © Crown copyright

What does the 20 mph zone sign mean?

You are entering a 20 mph zone. The 20 mph limit applies throughout, and you may meet traffic-calming features such as road humps.

Also known as: 20 zone sign, 20 mph zone entry sign

What it means

The sign marks the entrance to an area with a 20 mph speed limit. It also warns that there may be traffic-calming features, which might not be signed individually.

Inside the zone, keep to a steady low speed rather than speeding up and slowing down between humps and narrowings.

The zone might include 20 mph repeater signs and road markings. A separate sign shows where the zone ends and the next speed limit begins.

The lower panel can show a local name or emblem; the one in the official artwork is just an example.

Where you'll see it

At the entrances to traffic-calmed areas.

Rules to know

  • The sign marks the entrance to a 20 mph zone, in which traffic-calming measures may be encountered.

    Know Your Traffic Signs, p. 21

  • Traffic-calming features in a zone may not be individually signed. Adopt a steady low speed and avoid repeated acceleration and deceleration.

    Know Your Traffic Signs, p. 87

  • The zone might include 20 mph speed limit repeater signs and road markings.

    Know Your Traffic Signs, p. 87

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Waiting for a hump or a repeater sign before slowing down.

    Instead: The 20 mph limit applies from the entry sign, and traffic-calming features may not be signed individually.

Test yourself

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What does this sign mean?

Tall rectangular sign with a red-ringed number above a single word, and a grey panel underneath with a picture and a place name

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Download this sign

© Crown copyright. Free to reuse under the Open Government Licence v3.0, as long as the sign is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context.

More regulatory signs

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Sources

  • Know Your Traffic Signs (Department for Transport, Sixth edition, 2023), Speed limit signs, p. 21; Traffic calming, pp. 86–87

Sign image: Department for Transport, Traffic sign images (diagram 674). © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Checked against these sources and reviewed by Bikash Thapa, full UK driving licence holder. Last reviewed 4 October 2026. This page explains the sign in our own words; for the full rules, see The Highway Code. How we source and check content