The no overtaking sign is a circular sign with a red ring showing two cars side by side, one red and one black (Traffic Signs diagram 632). It means you must not overtake any moving vehicle on that stretch of road until you pass a sign cancelling the restriction. It usually appears where visibility is poor and double white lines cannot be painted, and ignoring it is a careless-driving offence.
That is the short version. The longer version, the one that keeps you safe and gets you through your test, is knowing when overtaking is legal, when it is banned by lines or signs, and how to judge the gap. Overtaking is one of the highest-risk things you do on a single carriageway, because you are deliberately putting your car on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic. Get it wrong and there is nowhere to go. So let’s break it down properly, the way I would from the passenger seat.
What does the no overtaking sign mean?
It means exactly what it says: no overtaking of moving vehicles until the restriction ends. The Highway Code (Rule 165) lists it plainly, you must not overtake “after a ‘No Overtaking’ sign and until you pass a sign cancelling the restriction.”
Here is the bit that catches people out. A no overtaking sign is a red-ringed circle, and in the Highway Code a red ring means an order you must obey, not advice. It is not a warning triangle telling you overtaking might be tricky, it is a hard legal prohibition, with no “but the road looked clear” defence.
The sign (diagram 632) is used where the authority wants to ban overtaking but cannot paint double white lines, typically on roads narrower than 6.1 metres, or in spots with a lot of side turnings, poor sight lines or temporary hazards. Where double white lines already do the job, you should not see this sign as well.
Narrow rural lanes raise a different question from overtaking. On single-track roads the etiquette is about who reverses to the nearest passing place, not who gets past.
Which sign is “no overtaking”? Spotting it and its partner
Learners mix this sign up with the “no entry” and other red-ring signs, so let’s pin down what each one in the family looks like. The two you need for overtaking are the prohibition itself and the sign that lifts it.
| Sign | Appearance | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| No overtaking (diagram 632) | Red ring, white background, a black car (left) and a red car (right) side by side | Do not overtake any moving vehicle from here |
| End of no overtaking | The same two cars, no red ring, a black or grey diagonal line through the symbol | The restriction has ended, normal overtaking rules resume |
| National speed limit | White circle with a single black diagonal stripe | Also cancels a preceding no-overtaking restriction where it applies |
Memory hook for the test: the black car is the one being overtaken, the red car is you pulling out past it, and the red ring says “don’t.” When you see the same picture greyed out with a line through it, the ban is over.
When am I not allowed to overtake?
Signs are only half of it. The Highway Code bans overtaking in a whole set of situations even where there is no sign at all, because the risk is baked into the road layout. Rule 165 and Rule 166 are the two to know. You must not overtake if you would have to cross or straddle double white lines with a solid line nearest you, if you would have to enter a solid-white-bordered area that divides traffic, if you would be the nearest vehicle to a pedestrian crossing (especially one that has stopped), or if you would have to enter a bus, tram or cycle lane during its hours of operation.
On top of that, Rule 166 says do not overtake if there is any doubt, or where you cannot see far enough ahead to be sure it is safe. Rule 167 then lists the places where you are most likely to come into conflict with others. Here is the practical checklist I drill with pupils.
| Do not overtake | Why |
|---|---|
| Approaching a corner or bend | You cannot see oncoming traffic in time |
| Approaching a junction | A car could emerge or the vehicle ahead could turn right |
| At or near a pedestrian crossing | You may hide a pedestrian from the car alongside you |
| Brow of a hill or a hump bridge | The road ahead is hidden until it is too late |
| Where the road narrows | No room to complete the move safely |
| At a level crossing | Blind, high-risk, and often on a slope |
| When a road user is signalling right | They may be about to cross your path |
| Where double white lines have the solid line on your side | It is illegal, and it is there for a reason |
If you are ever unsure, the default is simple: don’t. A missed overtake costs you thirty seconds. A bad one can cost far more.
Can you overtake before a no overtaking sign?
Yes, provided it is genuinely safe and legal at that point. The restriction only begins at the sign, so the stretch before it is governed by the normal rules, clear road ahead, good visibility, no bends, junctions or lines forbidding it. But treat an approaching no overtaking sign as a warning in itself. It is there because the road ahead gets more dangerous, so this is usually the worst moment to start a risky, rushed overtake to “beat” the sign. If you have to hurry to get past before the restriction starts, that is your answer, hold back.
Double white lines and road markings: the ones that make it illegal
Road markings do a lot of the overtaking policing in Britain, and double white lines are the strictest. The rule that matters is Rule 129. Where there are double white lines and the line nearest you is solid, you must not cross or straddle it unless it is safe and you need to enter adjoining premises or a side road.
There is one important exception built into the rule. You may cross a solid white line to pass a stationary vehicle, or to overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10 mph or less. So you can legally ease past a slow cyclist across a solid line, but you cannot use the same line to blast past a car doing 40.
Here is how the common markings across the carriageway break down.
| Marking | Meaning for overtaking |
|---|---|
| Double white lines, solid line nearest you | Do not cross or straddle to overtake (Rule 129), narrow exceptions only |
| Double white lines, broken line nearest you | You may cross to overtake if it is safe and you can complete the move before a solid line begins |
| Single broken white line (short marks, long gaps) | Hazard line, extra care, do not cross unless the road is clear |
| Diagonal white stripes bordered by a solid line | Do not enter this area |
| Diagonal stripes bordered by a broken line | Avoid entering unless you can see it is safe |
The takeaway most learners miss: a solid white line on your side is a genuine legal prohibition, not paint you can nudge over “just this once.” The RAC’s guidance to the Highway Code notes that crossing a solid white line to overtake, or speeding to complete the move, can bring a fine and penalty points.
Overtaking cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians: the passing distances
This is the part of the Highway Code that changed in 2022, and it is heavily marked on modern driving tests. Rule 163 now gives specific distances, and examiners want to see you actually leave that room, not squeeze through. The DVSA counts close passing of vulnerable road users as a serious fault, and it is one of the reasons observation and positioning matter so much on test.
| Who you are passing | Minimum space (Rule 163) | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Cyclists | At least 1.5 metres | Up to 30 mph, give more space above 30 mph |
| Horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles | At least 2 metres | Pass at under 10 mph |
| Pedestrians walking in the road | At least 2 metres | Keep to a low speed |
The Highway Code likens 1.5 metres to the width of an open car door, that is the mental picture to hold. If you cannot give a cyclist that much room, for example because of an oncoming car or a solid line, you wait behind them until you can. That patience is exactly what a driving examiner is scoring, and it is a habit worth building from your very first lessons rather than bolting on later.
How to overtake safely: the routine that passes tests and keeps you alive
When it is legal and clear, a good overtake is a planned sequence, not a snap decision. This is the routine, and it maps neatly onto the Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre framework you will use everywhere on test.
- Mirrors first. Check your interior and right-hand mirror, plus a right shoulder blind-spot check. You need to know nobody is already coming past you.
- Assess the whole picture. Is the road clear far enough ahead to pass and return with room to spare? No bends, junctions, crossings, driveways or hidden dips? Rule 162 says be sure the road is sufficiently clear ahead before you commit.
- Position and hang back a moment. Drop back slightly from the vehicle in front, especially behind a lorry or bus (Rule 164), so you can see past it. Tailgating to overtake ruins your view.
- Signal, then go decisively. Indicate right, and when it is genuinely safe, change down a gear if you need the acceleration, and get past briskly. A slow, dithering overtake spends longer on the wrong side of the road.
- Return smoothly. Once you can see the vehicle you have passed in your interior mirror, indicate left and move back, leaving them a safe gap, do not cut in.
If any one of those checks says “not yet,” you abort and wait. On a driving test a calm decision to hold back is never marked down, whereas a rushed, marginal overtake very much is.
Overtaking at night and in poor conditions
At night your judgement of distance and speed is far worse, because all you have is a pair of headlights approaching and no sense of how fast they are closing. Rule 166 tells you not to overtake where you cannot see far enough ahead to be sure it is safe, and in the dark that threshold comes much sooner. Only overtake when your own headlights, or street lighting, show the road is clearly empty well beyond the vehicle in front, watch for the tell-tale glow of oncoming lights over a rise or around a bend, and dip your beam as you draw level. In fog, heavy rain or spray, treat single-carriageway overtaking as effectively off, the distances you need are not there. Standing water adds a second problem on top of the visibility one, because a car that is aquaplaning will not steer or brake for you at the moment you need it most.
Dual carriageways and motorways change the picture, because you overtake by moving into a lane going the same way rather than crossing into oncoming traffic. That is a different, generally safer manoeuvre with its own lane-discipline rules, so it is worth reading up on how a dual carriageway works before the higher speeds catch you out. One thing that never counts as a lane, whatever the queue is doing: the hard shoulder, where passing traffic is a GBP 100 fine and 3 points. Rushing past someone on a roundabout approach is another classic learner error, so it pays to know the roundabout rules too.
Practising overtaking properly
Overtaking is a judgement skill, and judgement only comes from doing it under guidance until the decision becomes automatic. A good instructor puts you on the right kind of roads, quieter A-roads with safe overtaking opportunities, and coaches the read: is it clear, is it legal, is there room, is now the moment? You build a reliable internal “yes or no” rather than guessing.
If you already have some road experience but want to sharpen decision-making like this before test day, our Advanced (35 to 45 hour) course is built for exactly that, drivers with limited miles who need concentrated practice on real roads. If you are starting from scratch, how our intensive courses work walks you through the whole route from provisional licence to test-ready. Getting these road-reading habits right early is a huge part of passing your driving test first time, because examiners watch your planning and observation on every junction and clear stretch. GetMyPass matches you with an approved instructor and gets you genuinely test-ready, though remember that since 12 May 2026 you book the practical test yourself on the gov.uk website, we help you prepare for it, not book it for you.
Ready to build safe, confident overtaking into a proper plan? Enquire about your intensive course and we will match you with a local instructor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the no overtaking sign mean?
It means you must not overtake any moving vehicle from the sign until you pass a sign cancelling the restriction (Highway Code Rule 165). It is a red-ringed circle, diagram 632, showing a black car and a red car side by side, and a red ring in the Highway Code always means a legal order you must obey.
What is the no overtaking sign?
It is a regulatory sign (Traffic Signs diagram 632): a circular sign with a red ring, a white background and two cars side by side, one black and one red. It is placed where overtaking would be dangerous but double white lines cannot be used, for example on roads under 6.1 metres wide or where there are lots of junctions.
Can you overtake before a no overtaking sign?
Yes, if it is genuinely safe and legal at that point, because the ban only begins at the sign. But an approaching no overtaking sign warns you the road ahead gets more hazardous, so it is a poor moment to attempt a rushed overtake. If you would have to hurry to beat the sign, hold back instead.
When am I not allowed to overtake?
You must not overtake where you would cross double white lines with a solid line on your side, near a pedestrian crossing, or after a no overtaking sign (Rule 165). You should also never overtake approaching a corner, bend, junction, level crossing, the brow of a hill or a hump bridge, where the road narrows, or when another road user is signalling right (Rules 166 and 167).
How much room must I give a cyclist when overtaking?
At least 1.5 metres when overtaking at speeds up to 30 mph, and more space at higher speeds (Highway Code Rule 163). The Code likens 1.5 metres to the width of an open car door. Horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles need at least 2 metres at under 10 mph, and so do pedestrians walking in the road. If you cannot give that room, wait behind until you can.
What is the penalty for overtaking illegally?
Overtaking where it is prohibited, for example across a solid white line, can be treated as careless driving (driving without due care and attention, endorsement code CD10 on gov.uk), which carries a fixed penalty of GBP 100 and 3 penalty points, or 3 to 9 points and an unlimited fine if it goes to court. The endorsement stays on your licence for 4 years. A dangerous overtake can be charged as dangerous driving (DD40), carrying 3 to 11 points and a driving ban.