Speed limit signs
built to RTA spec.
A non-compliant speed sign is not just ineffective — it creates legal exposure for the site or road owner. We have two decades of experience fabricating RTA-specification speed limit signs across Dubai, Sharjah, and the UAE. Every sign leaves our Ajman factory with the correct sheeting grade, geometry, colour values, and substrate for its posted speed.
- ✓HIP Grade IV prismatic reflective sheeting — RTA mandatory for all road-facing speed signs
- ✓Correct geometry — maximum (red border) and minimum (blue disc) per RTA sign manual
- ✓Breakaway post systems available for high-speed road installations
- ✓7–10 year reflectivity warranty — permanent, inspection-ready assets
Every speed limit sign format we fabricate
All signs fabricated in-house at our Ajman factory to RTA specification. We supply individual signs or complete speed zone packages with posts, foundations, and installation.
The most common speed sign in the UAE. White circular face with a thick red border, black digits centred — the prohibitory format meaning "you must not exceed this speed." RTA-standard digit sizes vary by posted speed: 80 km/h and below use smaller numerals; 100 and 120 km/h signs use larger digits for adequate legibility at high approach speed. Sign diameter also scales with posted speed. Available in all standard UAE posted speeds: 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 km/h.
Solid blue circular sign with white digits — the mandatory format meaning "you must travel at or above this speed." Used primarily on UAE freeways and expressways where slow-moving vehicles create a hazard for higher-speed traffic. The minimum speed on most UAE freeways is 60 km/h. Fabricated on heavy-gauge aluminium with HIP reflective sheeting; the blue field uses retroreflective blue sheeting to maintain correct colour temperature under vehicle headlights at night.
White circular sign with the speed number shown in grey or black with a diagonal black line through it — indicating that the previously posted speed restriction ends at this point. Placed at the end of designated speed zones, roadwork speed reductions, and speed-restricted school or hospital zones. Fabricated to the same HIP reflective standard as the maximum speed sign to maintain night visibility at the transition point.
Identical geometry to the standard maximum speed sign but displayed on a yellow background — the international and RTA-recognised convention for temporary regulatory measures. All temporary speed signs are produced with HIP reflective sheeting. Deployed on A-frame stands, temporary posts, or overhead gantry mounting as required. We supply complete packages for road contractors: sign, stand, ballast, and installation.
Variable Message Sign (VMS) systems display electronically changeable speed limits on overhead gantries and road-side posts. While the electronic display unit and control system are supplied by specialist electronics contractors, the structural frame, mounting system, cabinet backing, and sign surround are fabricated elements we supply — coordinating with the VMS electronics supplier on frame dimensions and mounting interface.
Speed-restricted zone signing for school zones, hospital zones, residential communities, and private road networks including the start-of-zone sign, zone ahead warning signs, the end-of-zone sign, and any supplementary text plates. Community speed zone packages are supplied with posts, concrete foundations, and installation as a turnkey package. We handle RTA NOC for private road-facing signs where required.
Reading the RTA speed limit sign correctly
Every element of a UAE speed limit sign — colour, shape, border width, digit size, substrate, and reflective sheeting grade — is prescribed by the RTA sign manual. A sign that varies from any of these parameters is non-compliant, regardless of how clearly it communicates the speed.
Why the sheeting grade matters more than the price.
The most common failure mode for speed limit signs in the UAE is Engineering Grade (Type I) reflective sheeting substituted for HIP Grade IV. The signs look identical in daylight. At night, under headlights, an Engineering Grade sign returns approximately 40% of the light that an HIP sign returns to the driver. At 100–120 km/h, that difference represents a legibility distance reduction of 30–40 metres — potentially the difference between a driver reading and reacting to a speed limit in time.
The RTA specifies HIP Grade IV as the minimum for all road-facing speed limit signs on public roads in the UAE. If a sign fails the RTA's retroreflectometer field test, the road owner is liable for replacement at their own cost and is on record as having operated non-compliant road infrastructure.
How we build signs that last 7–10 years
UAE road signs face one of the most demanding outdoor environments globally — 50°C ambient temperature, direct UV at altitude, coastal humidity, shamal dust abrasion, and vibration from high-speed traffic turbulence. Every material is specified for UAE road conditions, not a European or temperate-climate standard.
Speed limit sign sizes by posted speed — UAE
Sign diameter, digit height, and post height are all speed-dependent in RTA specification. The table below summarises the standard RTA parameters for common UAE speed zones.
| Min. sign diameter | Typical digit height | Min. post height | Sheeting grade | Road class | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 – 30 km/h | 450 mm | 150 mm | 1.8 m | HIP Grade IV | Private roads, car parks |
| 40 – 60 km/h | 600 mm | 200 mm | 2.0 m | HIP Grade IV | Local & collector roads |
| 80 km/h | 750 mm | 250 mm | 2.2 m | HIP Grade IV | Primary arterials |
| 100 km/h | 900 mm | 300 mm | 2.4 m | HIP Grade IV | Expressways |
| 120 km/h | 900–1,200 mm | 300–400 mm | 2.4 m (gantry) | HIP Grade IV | Freeways, Sheikh Zayed Road |
| Minimum (freeway) | 600 mm (min) | 200 mm | 2.2 m | HIP Grade IV | Freeway on-ramps |
Sectors we supply speed limit signs to
HIP sheeting.
Every single sign.
We do not offer Engineering Grade as an alternative for road-facing speed signs. We know it is non-compliant for UAE public roads, and we have seen what happens when signs fail retroreflectometer audits — the road owner pays for replacement, and the non-compliant sign supplier is long gone. We sell compliant signs, not cheap signs.
From specification to installed & certified
What our clients say
"We had an RTA road audit that flagged our previous speed signs as non-compliant — Engineering Grade sheeting, wrong size for the posted speed. Bayan replaced the entire set with HIP Grade IV signs at the correct diameters and supplied the material certificates. The RTA re-inspection passed without issue. Should have used them first time."
"We needed a complete school zone sign package for a new international school in Sharjah — speed limit signs, school crossing signs, time-restriction plates, and the end-of-zone sign. Bayan handled the RTA NOC submission, fabricated to spec, and installed before the school opened."
"We supply temporary traffic management for road contractors across Dubai and needed a reliable source for yellow-background temporary speed signs that actually meet RTA spec. Bayan supplies on 24–48 hours from order, the sheeting is correctly HIP grade, and the material certificates are always in the box."
Speed limit sign supply across the UAE
Our fabrication facility is in Ajman Industrial Area 2. We supply and install speed limit signs across all seven UAE emirates, with 24–48 hour turnaround on standard sign types.
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Common questions about speed limit signs
- The red-bordered white circle is a Maximum Speed Limit sign — a prohibitory sign meaning you must not exceed this speed. The solid blue circle with white digits is a Minimum Speed Limit sign — a mandatory sign meaning you must travel at or above this speed, used primarily on UAE freeways and expressways to prevent slow-moving vehicles from creating a hazard.
- At 100–120 km/h approach speed, a driver needs to read a speed sign at a minimum of 200–250 metres to have adequate reaction time. Engineering Grade (Type I) sheeting returns approximately 40% of the retroreflectivity of HIP Grade IV, meaning the sign becomes legible significantly closer to the driver at night. HIP Grade IV ensures the sign meets the advance legibility distance requirement at UAE highway speeds.
- RTA specification requires a minimum 900mm diameter sign for 100 km/h posted speed, with digit height of approximately 300mm. This is significantly larger than the 600mm signs commonly used on lower-speed roads. Using an undersized sign at 100 km/h means the sign does not meet the advance visibility distance requirement for that speed class and is non-compliant.
- It depends on the road classification and public access status. Internal private roads within a closed community or facility typically do not require an RTA NOC. Private roads with public access, connections to the public road network, or school/hospital zone signing on or adjacent to public roads typically do require RTA approval. We advise on NOC requirements at the quotation stage.
- With HIP Grade IV sheeting on an aluminium substrate with edge sealing, we warrant reflectivity performance for 7–10 years in UAE outdoor conditions. The aluminium substrate itself will outlast the sheeting — typically 20+ years — meaning signs can be refaced with fresh sheeting rather than fully replaced when the original sheeting reaches end of reflectivity life.
- Breakaway signpost systems are designed to yield on vehicular impact, shearing at a breakaway socket near ground level rather than transmitting the full deceleration force to vehicle occupants. RTA requires breakaway features for ground-mounted signposts on roads with a posted speed of 80 km/h or above. On lower-speed roads and car parks, standard fixed posts are acceptable.
- Yes — we supply temporary speed limit signs on a yellow background (the convention for temporary restrictions) in all standard UAE posted speeds. Available on A-frame stands with ballast, or on temporary post systems. We also supply the Road Works Ahead warning sign, lane closure signs, and the complete temporary traffic management sign package for road contractor sites.
- We perform visual inspection and sheeting verification on all signs before dispatch. For large sign orders or projects requiring formal retroreflectivity documentation, we can arrange third-party retroreflectometer testing on production samples. For standard supply, our material certificates from the sheeting manufacturer confirm the RA values for the sheeting batch used on your order.
Get RTA-compliant speed limit
signs built to last.
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