Are Road Signs Copyrighted?

If you’re a regular reader of our blog (welcome back!) you’ll be aware that there are plenty of regulations governing UK road signs. With this in mind, are road signs copyrighted? Can you make your own road signs?

In this article, we’ll find out what the law says about copyright and highlight what you can and can’t do with road sign images.

Are road signs copyrighted?

Yes - in a way. The designs (known as “diagrams”) on UK road signs fall under a category of protection called “Crown copyright”.

What is Crown copyright?

Materials in this category have been produced by officers or servants of the Crown (like government ministers or civil servants) in the course of their duties, and the intellectual property rights belong to the Crown.

Crown copyright material is freely available under the Open Government Licence (OGL). This means that anyone can access it from the official assets library, and use and re-use it free of charge - for commercial or non-commercial purposes - under the terms of the licence.

The terms state that any Crown copyright images must be “reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context.”

How does this apply to road signs?

Well, let’s say you wanted to use an image of a road sign diagram to illustrate an article online or in print. You could take the official image from the asset library and use it without requiring permission, although you should include a statement saying that the image is Crown copyright.

If you take the official design from the government library and reproduce it faithfully, that’s fine. But if you alter the design in any way (such as changing the colours or adding different wording) that would not be an accurate reproduction.

It’s also not permitted to reproduce the sign images on roadside billboards where they could confuse and mislead drivers.

If someone decided to create a speed limit sign using the official design, but installed the signage along their own street in an attempt to slow the traffic, that would definitely count as “misleading” use.

What about using the designs to manufacture actual road signs? Crown copyright images of road signs are not intended for traffic-sign professionals, who should instead refer to working drawings or the Traffic Signs Manual.

What about photos of road signs?

Apart from the official illustrations of road sign diagrams, you’ll also find some photographic imagery within government documentation (such as the Traffic Signs Manual). This is usually covered by Crown copyright, but always check before using it.

However, non-government photos of road signs - like the ones we take for our own website - are copyrighted by whoever took the photo. If you see one on a company’s website, you can’t re-use it without their permission. (That's why some of our images have been watermarked.)

Websites such as Adobe Stock and Unsplash contain images of road signs, and some are freely available to use while others require a paid subscription. It’s always recommended that you give the photographer due credit when you reproduce one of these images.

Laws governing road signs

It’s important to note that copyright permission is not the same as permission to install any sign on or near a road. All traffic signs must be authorised by the national authority, and the Road Traffic Regulation Act framework controls their placement as well as their design.

If you are deemed to be using a sign "irresponsibly", the government (typically in the form of the local traffic authority) can take action. They would likely remove an unauthorised sign and might even charge you for the work.

Similarly, you can’t alter an existing road sign by covering it up or turning it to face the other way. If you are a contractor using temporary road signs, there are regulations that state how long these can stay in place.

The takeaway

Road sign diagrams from the government website are freely available to use under Crown copyright, as long as you do so responsibly. If you’re in any doubt, check the terms of the licence before going ahead.

If you buy road signs from Start Safety, you can be confident that you’re getting the official, road-legal designs that adhere to all regulations. Browse the online store or give our friendly sales team a call.