Mandatory directionGermany
32. Mandatory direction
A mandatory-direction sign requires drivers to travel only in the direction or one of the directions indicated by its arrow or arrows. It may require traffic to continue straight ahead, turn, or pass an obstacle on a specified side.
The sign does not itself determine priority or speed. Drivers must still use the appropriate lane, signal when required and give way according to local traffic signs and regulations.
Wikimedia.org • LudwigSebastianMicheler • CC BY-SA
Which German signs require a specific driving direction?
German Zeichen 209, 211 and 214, among others, prescribe the indicated direction or directions. These are regulatory directions, not signs conferring priority over pedestrians or opposing vehicles.
🔗 gesetze-im-internet.de • Germany StVO: §§8–9,36–37; Annex 2, signs 209–215 and directional arrows
Turning right mandatory.
English • Traffic sign 209 • Compulsory direction — right.
Deutsch • Verkehrszeichen 209 • Vorgeschriebene Fahrtrichtung – rechts.
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Verwaltungsvorschriften-im-internet.de • VzKat, Anhang (Gesamtübersicht)
Image via Commons.wikimedia.org
Nach den amtlichen Vorgaben digital umgesetzt durch: Mediatus • Public domain • Source revision 2017-08-21. Wikimedia original unmodified.
Mandatory right.
English • Traffic sign 211 • Compulsory direction — turn right here.
Deutsch • Verkehrszeichen 211 • Vorgeschriebene Fahrtrichtung – hier rechts.
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Verwaltungsvorschriften-im-internet.de • VzKat, Anhang (Gesamtübersicht)
Image via Commons.wikimedia.org
Nach den amtlichen Vorgaben digital umgesetzt durch: Mediatus • Public domain • Source revision 2017-08-21. Wikimedia original unmodified.
Driving straight ahead or turning right mandatory.
English • Traffic sign 214 • Compulsory direction — straight ahead or right.
Deutsch • Verkehrszeichen 214 • Vorgeschriebene Fahrtrichtung – geradeaus oder rechts.
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Verwaltungsvorschriften-im-internet.de • VzKat, Anhang (Gesamtübersicht)
Image via Commons.wikimedia.org
Nach den amtlichen Vorgaben digital umgesetzt durch: Mediatus • Public domain • Source revision 2017-08-22. Wikimedia original unmodified.
Can I choose another turn if the mandatory-direction arrow is inconvenient in Germany?
No, unless another applicable sign, lane instruction or authorised traffic direction lawfully permits it. Plan a permitted alternative route; do not make an abrupt or prohibited turn to reach your destination.
🔗 gesetze-im-internet.de • Germany StVO: §§8–9,36–37; Annex 2, signs 209–215 and directional arrows
Does a mandatory-direction sign give me priority over pedestrians in Germany?
No. It tells you which way to move, not who goes first. Check traffic lights, other priority signs, pedestrians and cyclists, and give way when required before completing the manoeuvre.
🔗 gesetze-im-internet.de • Germany StVO: §§8–9,36–37; Annex 2, signs 209–215 and directional arrows
Are lane arrows and compulsory-direction signs always identical in Germany?
Not necessarily. A lane-use arrow can govern a particular lane, while a regulatory turn or direction sign can govern the approach or indicated manoeuvre. Read both together and comply with the active control.
🔗 gesetze-im-internet.de • Germany StVO: §§8–9,36–37; Annex 2, signs 209–215 and directional arrows

Traffic rules
Germany