Prohibition Signs: Red Circles, Speed Limits and What They Forbid

52 official prohibition signs, each with the meaning the manual gives it

A prohibition sign is a white disc with a red border. It forbids the action shown, and it takes effect at the sign, not before it. Speed limit signs belong to this group: the number on a red-bordered disc is a maximum, never a target, and it stands until another speed limit sign or a de-restriction sign replaces it.

All 52 prohibition signs in the manual

Speed limit of 5 km/h — South African road sign R201-5 — R201-5Speed limit of 5 km/h

Speed limit of 10 km/h — South African road sign R201-10 — R201-10Speed limit of 10 km/h

Speed limit of 20 km/h — South African road sign R201-20 — R201-20Speed limit of 20 km/h

Speed limit of 30 km/h — South African road sign R201-30 — R201-30Speed limit of 30 km/h

Speed limit of 40 km/h — South African road sign R201-40 — R201-40Speed limit of 40 km/h

Speed limit of 50 km/h — South African road sign R201-50 — R201-50Speed limit of 50 km/h

Speed limit of 60 km/h — South African road sign R201-60 — R201-60Speed limit of 60 km/h

Speed limit of 70 km/h — South African road sign R201-70 — R201-70Speed limit of 70 km/h

Speed limit of 80 km/h — South African road sign R201-80 — R201-80Speed limit of 80 km/h

Speed limit of 90 km/h — South African road sign R201-90 — R201-90Speed limit of 90 km/h

Speed limit of 100 km/h — South African road sign R201-100 — R201-100Speed limit of 100 km/h

Speed limit of 120 km/h — South African road sign R201-120 — R201-120Speed limit of 120 km/h

Vehicles exceeding 12 tonnes GVM prohibited — South African road sign R202 — R202Vehicles exceeding 12 tonnes GVM prohibited

Vehicles exceeding 2 tonnes on a single axle prohibited — South African road sign R203 — R203Vehicles exceeding 2 tonnes on a single axle prohibited

Vehicles exceeding 4.42 metres in height prohibited — South African road sign R204 — R204Vehicles exceeding 4.42 metres in height prohibited

Vehicles exceeding 15 metres in length prohibited — South African road sign R205 — R205Vehicles exceeding 15 metres in length prohibited

Excessive noise prohibited — South African road sign R206 — R206Excessive noise prohibited

Hitch-hiking prohibited — South African road sign R207 — R207Hitch-hiking prohibited

Unauthorised vehicles prohibited — South African road sign R208 — R208Unauthorised vehicles prohibited

Left turn prohibited ahead — South African road sign R209 — R209Left turn prohibited ahead

Right turn prohibited ahead — South African road sign R210 — R210Right turn prohibited ahead

Left turn prohibited — South African road sign R211 — R211Left turn prohibited

Right turn prohibited — South African road sign R212 — R212Right turn prohibited

U-turn prohibited — South African road sign R213 — R213U-turn prohibited

Overtaking prohibited — South African road sign R214 — R214Overtaking prohibited

Overtaking prohibited for heavy vehicles — South African road sign R215 — R215Overtaking prohibited for heavy vehicles

Parking prohibited — South African road sign R216 — R216Parking prohibited

Stopping prohibited — South African road sign R217 — R217Stopping prohibited

Pedestrians prohibited — South African road sign R218 — R218Pedestrians prohibited

Cyclists prohibited — South African road sign R219 — R219Cyclists prohibited

Cyclists and pedestrians prohibited — South African road sign R220 — R220Cyclists and pedestrians prohibited

Motorcycles prohibited — South African road sign R222 — R222Motorcycles prohibited

Motorcars prohibited — South African road sign R223 — R223Motorcars prohibited

Mini-buses prohibited — South African road sign R225 — R225Mini-buses prohibited

Midi-buses prohibited — South African road sign R226 — R226Midi-buses prohibited

Buses prohibited — South African road sign R227 — R227Buses prohibited

Delivery vehicles prohibited — South African road sign R228 — R228Delivery vehicles prohibited

Goods vehicles exceeding 3500 kilogrammes prohibited — South African road sign R229 — R229Goods vehicles exceeding 3500 kilogrammes prohibited

Goods vehicles exceeding 10 tonnes GVM prohibited — South African road sign R230 — R230Goods vehicles exceeding 10 tonnes GVM prohibited

Construction vehicles prohibited — South African road sign R231 — R231Construction vehicles prohibited

Vehicles transporting dangerous substances prohibited — South African road sign R232 — R232Vehicles transporting dangerous substances prohibited

Abnormal vehicles prohibited — South African road sign R233 — R233Abnormal vehicles prohibited

Rickshaws prohibited — South African road sign R234 — R234Rickshaws prohibited

Tour buses prohibited — South African road sign R235 — R235Tour buses prohibited

Agricultural vehicles prohibited — South African road sign R236 — R236Agricultural vehicles prohibited

Animal-drawn vehicles prohibited — South African road sign R237 — R237Animal-drawn vehicles prohibited

Horses and riders prohibited — South African road sign R238 — R238Horses and riders prohibited

Vehicles exceeding 2.1 metres in width prohibited — South African road sign R239 — R239Vehicles exceeding 2.1 metres in width prohibited

Towed vehicles prohibited — South African road sign R240 — R240Towed vehicles prohibited

Hawkers prohibited — South African road sign R241 — R241Hawkers prohibited

Motor vehicles prohibited — South African road sign R242 — R242Motor vehicles prohibited

Vehicles exceeding 12 tonnes on a tandem axle / bogie axle prohibited — South African road sign R245 — R245Vehicles exceeding 12 tonnes on a tandem axle / bogie axle prohibited

Sign faces on this page are the official diagrams from the South African Road Traffic Signs Manual (SARTSM), which implements the SADC Road Traffic Signs Manual. Codes are the manual’s own. K53 Academia is an independent study resource and is not endorsed by the Road Traffic Management Corporation.

Where this fits in the test

The road signs section of the learner’s licence test is 28 questions and you must get 23 of them right. Signs are asked by face, not by code — you are shown the sign and asked what it means, so learn the shape and colour rule first and the individual faces second.

All road signs · Practice questions with answers · Road markings