Road signs in Spain

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Road signs in Spain follow national rules and common European patterns. They are mainly defined by the Instrucción de Carreteras Norma 8.1-IC and the Catálogo de señales verticales de circulación. Spain is part of the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals (signed in 1968), but it has not fully ratified it.

Typography and language
- Since 2014, the Carretera Convencional font is the standard for new signs. Earlier fonts (like Autopista) have been replaced, though some older signs remain.
- In some parts of Catalonia, Helvetica is used on signs.
- Signs in regions with other official languages (Basque Country, Catalonia, Valencian Community, Galicia, Balearic Islands) can be bilingual.
- Official place names must appear on signs. If a place has no official name, it is written first in the regional language, then in Spanish, separated by a slash. If space is limited, names can be shown on two lines, with the regional language first. There is no special typography difference between languages. If the official name differs greatly from the Spanish name and the Spanish appears on the Official Road Map, both names can be shown.

Main types of signs (easy guide)
- Danger signs: warn about hazards ahead (usually shapes and colors vary to grab attention).
- Priority signs: control right of way and have distinct shapes. Stop is an octagonal red sign (R-2). Yield is a white triangle with a red border (R-1).
- Prohibition signs: circular signs with a white background and a red border; often include a red diagonal line across a black pictogram.
- No entry signs: circular with a red border and white interior; there is also a version with a red background and a white horizontal stripe (R-101) for road entry restrictions.
- De-restriction signs: white circles with diagonal black lines showing the end of a restriction.
- Indication signs: blue, square or rectangular with white symbols and borders, giving information or directions.
- Lane signs: show how lanes are used or when to change lanes.
- Service signs: indicate nearby services (gas, food, etc.).
- Route number signs: identify roads by numbers or names, often in a shield or rectangle.
- Location signs: show towns, junctions, and directions, often placed well before intersections.
- Construction and works signs: warn of road works. Permanent signs use white backgrounds; temporary works use yellow backgrounds.

Construction and works
- When roads are under construction, signs use a yellow background to indicate detours or temporary changes. Temporary signs differ from permanent ones mainly by this color.

In short, Spain’s road signs follow a national standard with European influence, use a standardized font introduced in 2014, and include bilingual options in areas with other official languages. They are organized by clear categories for danger, priority, prohibitions, information, lanes, services, routes, locations, and construction.