No Left Turn and No Right Turn Signs: R3-2 and R3-1 Rules

The no left turn sign is the MUTCD's R3-2: a black left-turn arrow under a red circle and slash on a white square. Its partner, the no right turn sign, is the R3-1. Both are 24 x 24 inches on single-lane roads and 36 x 36 on multi-lane roads and expressways, and the MUTCD says where at the intersection each one should stand.

Road	R3-1 and R3-2 size
Conventional road, single lane each way	24 x 24
Conventional road, multi-lane	36 x 36
Expressway	36 x 36
Oversized	48 x 48

Sizes in inches, from MUTCD Table 2B-1 (the movement prohibition row covers R3-1, R3-2, R3-3, R3-4, R3-18 and R3-27). Versions with a supplemental legend for trucks or times of day are taller.

Where each sign goes

Section 2B.26 sets the locations:

Sign	At least one should be
No Right Turn (R3-1)	Over the roadway, or at the right-hand corner of the intersection
No Left Turn (R3-2)	Over the roadway, at the far left corner, on a median, or with the STOP or YIELD sign on the near right corner
NO TURNS (R3-3)	Two signs: one where a No Right Turn would go, one where a No Left Turn would go
No U-Turn (R3-4) or No U or Left Turn (R3-18)	Where a No Left Turn would go

At signals, the No Right Turn sign goes next to a signal face seen from the right lane, and the No Left Turn sign next to one seen from the left lane. A post-mounted sign may back up an overhead one.

A few rules worth knowing

• Whole approach only. Movement prohibition signs ban a turn from the entire approach. To control turns lane by lane, use lane control signs instead.
• Left and U-turn both banned? Use the combined No U or Left Turn (R3-18) sign, not two separate signs.
• One-way streets. Where ONE WAY signs are used, No Left Turn and No Right Turn signs may be left out, because the one-way sign already says it.
• Some vehicles only. Plaque-style legends limit a ban to trucks or buses, or exempt buses and taxis (R3-1b through R3-1f).

Part-time bans

When a turn is banned only at certain hours, the MUTCD lists three options in order of preference:

1. A blank-out sign that shows the symbol only while the ban applies, especially at signals.
2. A permanent sign with the hours and days on it (R3-1g, R3-1h).
3. Portable signs placed off the road at each corner by the agency, only while the ban applies.

Mistakes we see

• The No Left Turn sign only on the near right corner, on a wide road. Drivers turning left look left; add one on the far left corner or a median.
• A separate No U-Turn next to a No Left Turn. Use the R3-18.
• Using a turn ban to manage one lane. That's a lane control sign.

What it costs

Ballpark U.S. prices in late 2026: $30 to $70 for a 24 x 24 R3-1 or R3-2 with high-intensity sheeting, $70 to $150 for 36 x 36, and several hundred to a few thousand dollars for a blank-out sign.

Where to buy

Sign shops and traffic safety distributors; blank-out signs from signal equipment suppliers. Order by code (R3-1 or R3-2), size and sheeting type.