Traffic signage in Spain has entered a new era. The General Directorate of Traffic and the Government have launched a profound update of the official catalog of signs, a reform that affects roads, cities, drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians, and electric scooter users.
The new catalog incorporates new signs, redesigns old pictograms, and eliminates plates that had become obsolete. The reform came into effect on July 1, 2025, but its actual deployment is happening progressively. The key date is now: suppressed signs must be removed before July 1, 2026.
In practice, this means that over the next few months, many drivers will encounter new or redesigned signs on their usual journeys. Some directly affect entry into certain zones, others regulate reserved lanes, and others warn of new road risks.
The new sign that most affects drivers: the R-120
One of the signs expected to have the most impact is the R-120, linked to access restrictions based on environmental criteria.
This sign indicates the prohibition of entry for certain vehicles based on their environmental sticker or other criteria related to low-emission zones. Its application depends on what the complementary panel accompanying it indicates, where it details which vehicles can access and which are excluded.
It is a particularly relevant sign in large cities, where low-emission zones are already part of daily mobility. For many drivers, not understanding this sign can result in an automatic fine if access is controlled by cameras.
Electric scooters and VMPs: the R-118 sign enters the scene
Another of the major innovations is the R-118 sign, which prohibits access to personal mobility vehicles, especially electric scooters, on certain roads or zones.
The appearance of this sign responds to the growth of VMPs in cities and the need to regulate their coexistence with pedestrians, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and public transport. It is no longer just an urban issue: the new catalog introduces specific language for mobility that barely existed twenty years ago.
Next to this sign, new indications for lanes or spaces reserved for this type of vehicle also appear, which will force both drivers and scooter users to familiarize themselves with the new iconography.
Signs for special lanes, distance, and new risks
The reform also incorporates signs related to new traffic models. Among them, those that regulate lanes reserved for high-occupancy vehicles, lanes for cycles and personal mobility vehicles, 2+1 sections, or coexistence zones stand out.
Warning signs that are more adapted to the current reality of roads also appear, such as those related to sections with reduced visibility, presence of free-roaming animals, or weaving situations, where several vehicles merge and exit a lane over a short distance.
Another important novelty is the signage of distance controls between vehicles. This point is especially sensitive on highways and motorways, where maintaining insufficient separation can lead to serious accidents and end in a penalty.
Winter tires, electric charging, and clearer signs
The new catalog also updates signs related to winter tires, service stations, electric charging points, and alternative fuels.
Mobility has changed and signage had to reflect it. The growing presence of electric cars, plug-in hybrids, scooters, bicycles, and new environmental restrictions made a more precise language on the road necessary.
In addition, some pictograms have been redesigned to improve their understanding and eliminate obsolete images. The goal is for the signs to be more visible, clearer, and more recognizable in conditions of rain, low light, or dense traffic.
What happens with old signs
The reform does not require all signs installed in Spain to be changed at once. The replacement is being carried out progressively, taking advantage of normal renewal and maintenance cycles.
However, there is an important exception: signs that have been expressly suppressed must be removed within one year from the entry into force of the royal decree.
That deadline ends on July 1, 2026.
Therefore, for a time, old and new signs can coexist, as long as the old ones are not within the group of eliminated signs. This coexistence can generate some confusion among drivers, especially when traveling through cities or roads where new signage has already been installed.
Why it's worth learning them now
The change affects millions of drivers because it is not limited to a specific sign or a type of road. It affects the entire catalog with which traffic is regulated in Spain.
The new signs are already part of the road environment and also part of the learning for those preparing to obtain a driving license. For those who already have a license, the risk is driving with old habits in front of a new sign.
The most important ones for daily life are those related to low-emission zones, electric scooters, reserved lanes, distance controls, free-roaming animals, reduced visibility, and charging points. These are the ones that are most likely to appear on urban routes, access roads to large cities, secondary roads, and high-capacity roads.
Key date: July 1, 2026
The date drivers should keep in mind is July 1, 2026. By then, the suppressed signs must have disappeared, and the new catalog will be much more present on Spanish roads.
The message for drivers is simple: many signs will remain recognizable, but others will no longer mean the same thing or simply did not exist until now. And on the road, not understanding a sign is never a good defense against a fine.