MUTCD R3-5bP · Regulatory signs
Plaque identifying that the lane control sign above applies to the left lane
What it means
Plaque identifying that the lane control sign above applies to the left lane
What to do about it
It is a regulatory sign: regulatory signs tell you what the law requires here, and ignoring one is a violation, not a judgment call. (MUTCD R3-5bP.)
Practice this on the real test format
Signs are the part of the DMV written test people fail on, because reading them is a skill rather than a fact to memorize. Aprobify drills all 1034 of them, and tells you why each answer is what it is.
Get the appSign designations follow the MUTCD and the California MUTCD published by Caltrans; meanings are checked against the California Driver's Handbook (DL 600, rev. 6/2025). Edited by Fernando Aguilera. Aprobify is not affiliated with the California DMV.
Signs in the same family
These sit next to it in the regulatory signs series — the ones most easily mixed up with it.
- R3-2 No left turn
- R3-3 No turns — you must continue straight through
- R3-4 No U-turn
- R3-5a Traffic in this lane must proceed straight through the intersection
- R3-5cP Plaque used when the mandatory movement applies to a lane reserved for high-occupancy vehicles. A diamond symbol may replace the word HOV
- R3-5dP Plaque used when the lane is exclusively designated for taxis
