Standard Stop Sign Dimensions: Size Requirements in the US, UK, Australia & Canada
Published January 15, 2025 · By redstopsign.com editorial team
A stop sign’s size is not arbitrary — it is prescribed by law in every country that uses them. Getting the size wrong on a public road is a traffic safety violation. This guide covers the official dimensional specifications for stop signs in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
United States — MUTCD Specifications
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), published by the Federal Highway Administration, is the authoritative source for US stop sign requirements.
Section 2B.04 of the MUTCD specifies the following minimum sizes:
| Road type | Minimum size |
|---|---|
| Two-lane road, local street | 30 inches (762 mm) |
| Multi-lane road, collector, arterial | 36 inches (914 mm) |
| Expressway, freeway | 48 inches (1,219 mm) |
“Size” refers to the distance across the sign face from flat side to opposite flat side (not corner to corner).
US sign proportions
A standard US stop sign is a regular octagon — all eight sides are equal length. For a 30-inch sign:
- Each side: approximately 12.4 inches (315 mm)
- Inscription height: minimum 10 inches for the word “STOP”
- White border width: 0.75 inches (20 mm)
- Red retroreflective sheeting: Diamond Grade or Engineer Grade acceptable
The word “STOP” is set in Series E(M) Highway Gothic, part of the FHWA Standard Alphabets for Highway Signs.
United Kingdom — TSRGD Specifications
In the UK, stop signs are governed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD 2016), published by the Department for Transport.
The UK stop sign (Sign CD2 in TSRGD) differs from the US design in several ways:
| Property | UK spec |
|---|---|
| Shape | Regular octagon |
| Colour | Red (BS 381C shade 537) |
| Text | ”STOP” — Transport typeface |
| Standard size | 450 mm across flats |
| Large size (on faster roads) | 750 mm across flats |
UK stop signs are relatively rare. Most UK junctions use give way (yield) lines instead. The stop sign is only used where visibility is seriously restricted.
Australia — AS 1742 Specifications
Australian stop sign standards are set by AS 1742.2 Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices — Traffic control devices for general use, published by Standards Australia, and implemented via each state’s road rules.
| Road type | Sign size |
|---|---|
| Local / minor road | 450 mm across flats |
| Arterial road | 600 mm across flats |
| High-speed road | 750 mm or larger |
The Australian sign uses a similar octagonal shape and red/white colour scheme to the US sign, but the proportions and typeface (ARRB-developed font) differ slightly.
Canada — TAC Manual Specifications
Canada’s stop sign dimensions follow the Traffic Control Devices: Manual (TAC), which is closely aligned with the US MUTCD:
| Road type | Minimum size |
|---|---|
| Local / residential | 600 mm (≈24 inches) across flats |
| Collector / arterial | 750 mm (≈30 inches) across flats |
| High-speed / rural | 900 mm (≈36 inches) across flats |
Canadian signs are bilingual in Quebec — the word “STOP” remains on all Canadian stop signs (the French word arrêt is typically placed below on an additional panel, not replacing STOP).
Quick reference: stop sign sizes by country
| Country | Standard size | Large size |
|---|---|---|
| USA | 30 inches (762 mm) | 36–48 inches |
| UK | 450 mm | 750 mm |
| Australia | 450 mm | 750 mm |
| Canada | 600 mm | 750–900 mm |
Download stop sign files at correct dimensions
If you need a stop sign file for design or print purposes, our downloads are built to MUTCD proportions:
- Stop Sign SVG — scalable to any exact dimension
- Stop Sign PDF — printable at standard size
- Stop Sign PNG Pack — raster images in common sizes