NSW road markings and line rules

Centre lines and overtaking

Two things decide every centre line question: the colour of the line and whether it is broken or solid.

• Single broken line: overtake when the road ahead is clear and it is safe.
• Single continuous line: no overtaking across it, from either side.
• Double continuous lines: no overtaking from either direction.
• Broken and continuous side by side: the line nearest you decides. Broken on your side means you may pass, solid on your side means you may not.
• Beside a continuous centre line, hold your whole car to the left of it the entire time, round bends too. Wheels wandering over it on a curve count as an offence.
• The one passing exception is a cyclist. To leave the legal gap you may go over any centre line, provided your view ahead is clear and it is safe.

Turning into a driveway or side road across a solid centre line is allowed by the shortest path, as long as it is safe.

Lane lines and arrows

Lines between lanes tell you whether you may move across, and arrows tell you where each lane must go.

• Across a broken lane line you may move over, as long as you let vehicles already in that lane keep their place.
• A continuous lane line means stay put until it becomes broken.
• A painted arrow shows the direction you must take from that lane.
• A combined arrow, such as straight and right, allows either direction it shows.
• Keep the whole car inside one marked lane, except while you are changing lanes.

Lines painted across your lane

Lines running across the road tell you where to stop or give way.

• A continuous line at a stop sign: stop just behind it, as close as you can.
• A stop sign with no line painted: pull up just short of the intersection, as near to it as you can get.
• A stop line with its sign knocked flat still means stop, then give way.
• A broken line across your lane at an intersection: a give way line, which works like the sign.
• KEEP CLEAR: leave the painted area empty, even in a queue, so side traffic can get out.
• Green light but traffic banked up past the intersection: wait behind it until you can get right through.
• Broken turn lines through an intersection mark the path your car should trace while turning.

A green light does not let you enter an intersection you would end up stuck in. Wait until there is room on the far side.

Yellow lines, islands and warning marks

A few markings carry extra meaning through their colour or pattern.

• A continuous yellow edge line along the kerb means no stopping at any time.
• Diagonal stripes framed by a solid line mark a painted island. Stay off it, with one exception: where a turning lane begins just after it, you may drive over a single solid edge for up to 50 metres to reach that lane.
• Raised or planted median strips separate the two directions and must not be driven over.
• Zig-zag lines along your lane warn that a pedestrian crossing is close.
• White triangles painted along both edges of the lane, next to a school zone sign, show where the zone begins.
• Raised reflectors in lane lines keep them visible at night and in rain.

Bus, transit and bicycle lanes

Special lanes are marked with words, symbols or signs, and each has its own rule while it operates.

• Bus lane: a car may drive in it briefly to turn, or to get into or out of the road, while it operates.
• Bus only lane: stricter again, reserved for buses.
• Transit lane, such as T2: only vehicles carrying at least the number shown, driver included.
• Bicycle lane: stay out, apart from brief entries the rules allow, for example to turn.
• The sealed shoulder beyond a continuous white edge line is not a passing lane. Crossing that edge line is fine, though, when you turn into or out of a side street.