Stop Sign
The stop sign is a red octagonal sign with white lettering that requires all drivers to come to a complete stop at the marked stop line, crosswalk, or before entering the intersection. Rolling stops are illegal in Ontario.
Last updated: April 4, 2026
Under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, a stop sign is a legal command to bring your vehicle to a complete and full stop. The vehicle must reach zero kilometres per hour before you proceed. The stop sign applies to every driver, regardless of whether other vehicles or pedestrians are visible. It is one of the most strictly enforced signs on Ontario roads.
Quick Facts
Type
Regulatory Sign
Shape
Octagonal (8 sides)
Colours
Red background with white lettering
In this guide
What does the Stop Sign mean?
Under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, a stop sign is a legal command to bring your vehicle to a complete and full stop. The vehicle must reach zero kilometres per hour before you proceed. The stop sign applies to every driver, regardless of whether other vehicles or pedestrians are visible. It is one of the most strictly enforced signs on Ontario roads.
What to do when you see it
Bring your vehicle to a complete stop at the stop line. If there is no stop line, stop at the crosswalk. If there is no crosswalk, stop before the edge of the intersecting road. After stopping, check for pedestrians, cyclists, and oncoming traffic, then proceed when it is safe. At a four-way stop, yield to the vehicle that arrived first.
Where you'll see it in Ontario
Stop signs are posted at intersections where a side street meets a main road, at all-way stop intersections, school zones, private entrances to major roads, and in residential areas with high pedestrian traffic. They are common throughout Vaughan, Toronto, and the GTA.
G1 test relevance
The G1 written knowledge test includes multiple questions about stop sign rules. The most common question tests whether a rolling stop is legal. The answer is no: only a complete stop satisfies the legal requirement. You may also be asked about the correct stopping position and right-of-way rules at four-way stops.
Common mistakes drivers make
The most common mistake is performing a rolling stop, where the vehicle slows but never reaches zero. Examiners watch for this during road tests and will record it as a major error. Another mistake is stopping past the stop line or stopping so far back that the driver cannot see oncoming traffic clearly.
Related Signs
Yield Sign
The yield sign is a downward-pointing triangle that requires drivers to slow down and give the right-of-way to traffic already in the intersection or roadway. You must stop if necessary, but you do not have to stop if the way is clear.
Learn morePedestrian Crossover Sign
A pedestrian crossover is a designated crossing where vehicles must stop and remain stopped until pedestrians have completely crossed to the other side. It is a stronger legal requirement than a crosswalk.
Learn moreSchool Zone Sign
The school zone sign marks the beginning of a reduced speed area near a school. In Ontario, the default school zone speed is 40 km/h or as posted, and applies during school hours and when children are present.
Learn moreNo U-Turn Sign
The no U-turn sign prohibits drivers from making a U-turn at that specific location. U-turns must only be made when safe and not prohibited by a sign or by the Highway Traffic Act.
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