Reflective Sign Regulations

Revised Retroreflectivity Standards for Parking and Traffic Signs

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) revised the minimum standards for retroreflectivity in 2012, and it may affect signs on your property.

The new standard helps provide guidance to the traffic signs that should be replaced to benefit nighttime drivers. It does not require all signs be replaced, and there is no specific compliance date.

For added safety, you should replace traffic signs, parking lot signs, and roadway signs with new high-intensity reflective signs. High-intensity signs offer greater visibility and safety 24 hours a day.

At night vehicle headlights reflect to make the signs appear brighter and easier to see. Our high-intensity reflective signs maintain retroreflectivity for 10+ years, are 10 times brighter than standard reflective signs, and are MUTCD compliant.

The U.S Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHA) states:

Agencies have until June 14, 2014 to implement and continue to use an assessment or management method that is designed to maintain regulatory and warning sign retroreflectivity at or above the minimum levels in Table 2A-3 of the 2009 MUTCD.

Although guide signs are included in the minimum retroreflectivity levels table, there is not a specified compliance date for guide signs (including street name signs) to be addressed by an agency's method. Guide signs are to be added to an agency's management or assessment method as resources allow.

Consult the FHA for more complete information.

NOTE: This information is a summary interpretation and was prepared as general reference material only. This summary is not authoritative as laws can be amended over time. For specific compliance requirements and updates, please refer to the actual code language and the statute or consulting legal counsel. MUTCD is published by the Federal Highway Administration to define and regulate traffic control devices, signs, signals, and pavement markings in the United States.