60 mph speed limit sign: what it means
The 60 mph sign means the maximum speed on that road is 60 miles per hour. You see it where a road has a 60 limit that differs from the national speed limit for the road.
What does the 60 mph speed limit sign mean?
The red ring makes 60 mph the maximum for the road (Rule 124). It applies until another speed limit sign.
60 mph is also the national limit for cars on a single carriageway, but that limit is shown by the white sign with a black diagonal stripe, not by a 60 sign. A 60 sign is used where the limit differs from what the national limit would be, for example on a dual carriageway where cars could otherwise do 70.
Quick quiz
What does the sign at the top of this page mean?
- Maximum speed 50 mph.
- The national limit for the road and vehicle applies.
- Maximum speed 60 mph.
Show answer
C. Maximum speed 60 mph. A number inside a red ring is a maximum speed limit (Know your traffic signs). Source: The Highway Code, rule 124, GOV.UK; Know your traffic signs: speed limit signs, GOV.UK; Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK
Where will you see it?
On some dual carriageways and fast A roads, and on approaches to busy junctions.
What should you do?
Keep to 60 mph or less, or to your vehicle’s own lower limit. A car towing a caravan or trailer may do no more than 60 mph on a dual carriageway or motorway, and 50 mph on a single carriageway (The Highway Code, rule 124).
What do people get wrong?
Thinking 60 is a target on a fast road. Bends, junctions, rain and darkness can all make it unsafe, and the limit is only the maximum.
Common questions
Is the 60 mph sign the same as the national speed limit sign?
No. The national speed limit sign is a white circle with a black diagonal stripe, and what it allows depends on the road and the vehicle. A 60 sign sets 60 mph for every vehicle, unless a vehicle has a lower limit of its own.
What is the speed limit for cars on a single carriageway?
The national limit for cars on a single carriageway is 60 mph, unless signs show a lower limit (The Highway Code, rule 124).
Compare with
50 mph speed limit signMaximum speed 50 mph.
National speed limit signThe national limit for the road and vehicle applies.
Want to test someone else? Play a road-sign quiz with friends and family.
Sources
Checked on 3 November 2026 against Know your traffic signs (speed limit signs) and The Highway Code rule 124.
- The Highway Code, rule 124, GOV.UK
- Know your traffic signs: speed limit signs, GOV.UK
- Traffic sign images, Department for Transport, GOV.UK
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Traffic sign images are Crown copyright, from the Department for Transport. Sources and image credits.