Dutch road signs every motorcyclist must know

How the RVV sign system is organised

Every Dutch traffic sign belongs to a letter category. Knowing the letter tells you its function before you read the symbol:

• A — Snelheid (speed limits)
• B — Voorrang (priority — give way, stop, priority road)
• C — Geslotenverklaring (prohibitions — closed to specific vehicles)
• D — Rijrichting (mandatory direction)
• E — Stilstaan en parkeren (stopping and parking)
• F — Inhalen (overtaking restrictions)
• G — Verkeersregels (road type — motorway, motor road, woonerf)
• H — Bebouwde kom (built-up area start / end)
• J — Waarschuwing (warning, point-up red triangles)
• K, L — Bewegwijzering / Informatie (signage and info)

Shape and colour rules

• Red-bordered round signs — prohibition. Don't do the thing shown.
• Blue round signs — mandatory. You must do the thing shown.
• Red triangle, point up — warning. Hazard ahead.
• Red triangle, point down (B6) — give way (verleen voorrang).
• Blue square — information.

Signs the CBR most often tests

Priority (B-series)

• B1 — Priority road (voorrangsweg). You have priority. Stays in effect until a B2 (cancel) or built-up-area marker.
• B6 — Give way. Yield to traffic on the road you enter or cross.
• B7 — Stop. Full stop required, then yield.

Speed (A-series)

• A1 — Maximum speed with km/h number. Common: A1/30 in zones, A1/50 urban, A1/100 autoweg.
• A3 — Advisory maximum (not enforced, but useful warning).

Prohibition (C-series, motorcycle-relevant)

• C11 — Closed to motorcycles. You may not enter.
• C12 — Closed to all motor vehicles.
• C6 — Closed to motor vehicles on more than two wheels (cars and trucks barred, motorcycles okay).
• C2 — No entry (one-way street, wrong way).

Road type (G-series)

• G1 / G2 — Start / end of autosnelweg (motorway). Min speed 60, usual max 100–130.
• G3 / G4 — Start / end of autoweg (motor road). Usual max 100.
• G5 / G6 — Start / end of erf (woonerf, residential zone). Pedestrians have priority, walking pace only.
• G11 / G12 — Mandatory bicycle / shared cycle-moped path. As a motorcyclist you may not enter.

Warning (J-series, motorcyclist priorities)

• J5 — Slippery road. Critical for motorcyclists — leaning grip drops sharply.
• J17 — Cyclists and moped riders ahead.
• J24 — Traffic jam ahead.
• J38 — Other danger. Always check what's written underneath.

Practice with the full library

DutchTheory hosts all 126 most-tested RVV signs with English names and categories. Browse and study them here:

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Source: RVV 1990 Bijlage 1 (wetten.overheid.nl). Sign images: Wikimedia Commons. Educational reference; not affiliated with CBR.