Do Not Enter sign
What does it mean?
DO NOT ENTER prohibits entry into the road or ramp from the direction facing the sign. It commonly protects one-way traffic from a driver approaching the wrong entrance.
What to do when you see it
- Keep out of the signed entrance.
- Check directional signs before selecting a different route.
- Do not treat an empty ramp as permission to enter.
How to recognize it
- Red circle on a white square.
- Wide horizontal white bar across the circle.
- White DO NOT ENTER wording.
On the road
Your navigation suggests a ramp, but a DO NOT ENTER sign faces you at its mouth. Stay out of that ramp and continue to a legal entrance.
Don’t confuse it with
Wrong Way sign
DO NOT ENTER is an entry prohibition; WRONG WAY warns that your direction conflicts with the permitted flow.
No Outlet sign
NO OUTLET describes a road network without a through exit; it does not prohibit entry.
Put the meaning into practice
The related quiz includes this sign and other study questions. State practice can also cover local rules; it is not an official DMV exam.
Common U.S. sign recognition, reviewed October 3, 2026. Actual sign values, additional plaques and local rules can change how you should respond.