Road signs in Germany

Traffic signs, installations, and symbols used in Germany are prescribed by the Road Traffic Regulation (StVO) (German: Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung) and the Traffic Signs Catalog (VzKat) (German: Verkehrszeichenkatalog).

§§ 39 to 43 of the StVO regulate the effect of traffic signs and installations. Annexes 1 to 3 illustrate most danger, regulatory, and directional signs and annex 4 illustrates the traffic installations. Other traffic signs and installations not specified in the StVO, primarily specific supplementary signs, are published in the VzKat.

The latest version of the VzKat was issued in May 2017 as the annex to the General Administrative Rules for the Road Traffic Regulation (VwV-StVO) (German: Allgemeine Verwaltungsvorschrift zur Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung).

The StVO, the VwV-StVO and the VzKat are supported by technical rules (German: Technische Regelwerke), mostly published by the Forschungsgesellschaft für Straßen- und Verkehrswesen (FGSV), especially:


 * The Guidelines for Directional Signage outside of Motorways (RWB ) (German: Richtlinien für die wegweisende Beschilderung außerhalb von Autobahnen)
 * The Guidelines for Directional Signage on Motorways (RWBA ) (German: Richtlinien für die wegweisende Beschilderung auf Autobahnen)
 * The Guidelines for touristic Signage (RtB ) (German: Richtlinien für die touristische Beschilderung)
 * The Guidelines for Signage for detours (RUB ) (German: Richtlinien für Umleitungsbeschilderungen)
 * The Guidelines for the Marking of Roads (RMS-1 , RMS-2 and RMS-A ) (German: Richtlinien für die Markierung von Straßen)
 * The Guidelines for Traffic Signals (RiLSA  ) (German: Richtlinien für Lichtsignalanlagen)
 * The Guidelines for the safety of road construction sites (RSA ) (German: Richtlinien für die verkehrsrechtliche Sicherung von Arbeitsstellen an Straßen)

All signs have assigned numbers. The suffix number after the hyphen refers to the variation of the sign; the suffix on signs with variable numbers is the number depicted on the sign (for speed limits, maximum heights, etc.).

Symbols
Symbols pursuant to § 39 paragraphs 7, 10, and 11 of the StVO:

Danger signs
Danger signs pursuant to part 2 of the VzKat which includes permissible variations of signs listed in annex 1 of the StVO. When one sign has two sign numbers, the first number is the illustrated sign while the latter number is a mirrored or slightly altered version of the sign.

Regulatory signs
Regulatory signs pursuant to part 3 of the VzKat which includes permissible variations of signs listed in annex 2 of the StVO. When one sign has two sign numbers, the first number is the illustrated sign while the latter number is a mirrored or slightly altered version of the sign.

Directional signs
Directional signs pursuant to part 4 of the VzKat which includes permissible variations of signs listed in annex 4 of the StVO. When one sign has two sign numbers, the first number is the illustrated sign while the latter number is a mirrored or slightly altered version of the sign.

Priority
Reißverschlussverfahren "Zipper rule" for one-way traffic merging & two-way traffic priorities

Environmental factors
Yield as necessary to not endanger themselves or other road users 

Traffic priority – priority roads
Priority traffic does not yield, signal all turns

Other factors
Yield or reduce speed as necessary

Vehicle classifications & specifics
Official (base) Symbols in Germany as per Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung (StVO) § 39 Verkehrszeichen

Basic
Red ring

In addition to any sign/placard, the red ring forbids (in general) the item noted and anything of greater size or value; i.e., if a car is pictured, then not only are cars not permitted but trucks, as well.

Motorcycles
Classified as above/below 500 cc motor size, and with or without sidecar

Cars/automobiles
Personenkraftwagen – Pkw – "Powered car for (the transport of) persons"; e.g., cars/automobiles

Trucks & lorries
Lastkraftwagen – Lkw – (literally "powered car for loads", e.g., truck, lorry, semi, tractor-trailer)

Buses, public transit & rail
Buses (generally) and trains (always) have the priority/right-of-way

Basics
 Basic Traffic Controls 

Autobahn
 German Limited Access Highway  – Blue Background

Signs used on Autobahn

Fahrtbahn/Streifen – driving lane controls
Roadway lanes delineated by lines for/of single vehicle width

Stopping, waiting, parking
Parking is considered any stop exceeding three minutes.

Absolutely no stopping or waiting on traffic lanes (emergency excepted)

Road markings/lines
Intersections & Crosswalks

Standardized traffic symbols
Arrows

Retired signs
 Obsolete signs since 2017