The place names, route numbers and distances shown are the examples used in the federal reference drawing. On the road, this sign carries the local ones.
Alternate route plaque (abbreviated version)
What it means
Alternate route plaque (abbreviated version).
What to do about it
Learn to read the sign by its shape and color: those tell you whether it states a law, warns of a hazard, or just gives directions.
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 route markers and plaques series — the ones most easily mixed up with it.
- To plaque indicating direction to a route
- Interstate highway route marker with state abbreviation for 2-digit routes
- Cardinal direction plaque indicating South direction
- By-pass route plaque for route markers
- Business loop route marker for off-interstate routes (3 digits)
- Cardinal direction plaque indicating North direction
