Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997

S.I. No. 182 of 1997

ROAD TRAFFIC (TRAFFIC AND PARKING) REGULATIONS 1997

REVISED

Updated to 9 October 2025

This Revised Statutory Instrument is an administrative consolidation of Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.

All Acts up to and including the Housing Finance Agency (Amendment) Act 2025 (11/2025), enacted 28 October 2025, and all statutory instruments up to and including the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. No. 473 of 2025), made 9 October 2025, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Statutory Instrument.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised SI, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

S.I. No. 182 of 1997

ROAD TRAFFIC (TRAFFIC AND PARKING) REGULATIONS 1997

REVISED

Updated to 9 October 2025

ARRANGEMENT OF ARTICLES

PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL

5. Non-application of certain Prohibitions and Restrictions.

6. Directions of Garda Síochána.

RULES FOR TRAFFIC

7. General Obligation Regarding Speed.

8. Yielding Right of Way.

9. Drive on Left.

10. Overtaking.

11. Turning at Junctions.

12. Reversing.

13. Driving on Footway.

14. Cycle Tracks.

14A. Contra-flow cycling on One-way street.

14B. Cycle Streets.

15. Roundabouts.

16. Median Strip.

17. Weight restriction on vehicles entering a road.

18. Signals by Drivers.

19. Signals by Garda Síochána.

20. Stop Sign and Line.

21. Yield Sign and Line.

22. Mandatory signs at junctions.

23. Prohibitory Traffic Signs.

24. Other Mandatory Signs.

25. Centre of Roadway Lines.

26. Merging and Diverging Markings.

27. Traffic Lane Markings.

27A. Temporary use of orange coloured roadway markings at roadworks.

33. Rules for Traffic on Motorways.

34. Height Restrictions. (Revoked)

35. Ban on U-Turns.

RULES FOR PARKING

36. Prohibitions on Parking.

37. Restrictions on Parking.

38. Restrictions on Parking Heavy Goods Vehicles.

39. Parking in Bus Lanes.

40. Clearways.

41. Prohibition on Parking at School Entrances.

42. Parking in Loading Bays.

43. Disabled Person’s Parking Permit.

44. Disabled Persons Parking Bays.

44A. Car share parking bay.

44B. Electrically Powered Vehicle Recharging Bay.

44C. Car share electrically powered vehicle recharging and parking bay.

PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS AND ANIMAL TRAFFIC

45. Pedestrianised Streets.

45A. Shared zone.

45B. School streets.

46. Rules for Pedestrians.

47. Pedal cyclists and e-moped drivers.

47A. Electric scooter users.

47B. Cycle traffic lights.

47C. Parallel and combined zebra crossings.

48. Overtaking of Animals.

49. Drovers.

50. Horses on Roadway.

51. Hours of Darkness.

FIRST SCHEDULE

Part I

General Bye-Laws/Regulations Revoked

Part II

Bye-Laws Revoked

SECOND SCHEDULE

SIGNALS

THIRD SCHEDULE

BODIES WHICH MAY GRANT DISABLED PERSONS' PERMITS

S.I. No. 182 of 1997

ROAD TRAFFIC (TRAFFIC AND PARKING) REGULATIONS 1997

REVISED

Updated to 9 October 2025

The Minister for the Environment, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 3 and 35 of the Road Traffic Act, 1994 (No. 7 of 1994) hereby makes the following Regulations:—

Annotations

Editorial Notes:

Prospective affecting provision: offences under arts. 7-13, 14(5), 15, 16, 19-31, 33(1)(a), (b), (d), 34 designated as offences incurring penalty points by Road Traffic Act 2002 (12/2002), s. 2 and sch. 1 part 4, not commenced as of date of revision.

Offences under arts. 6-13, 14(5)(a), 14(6), 15-32, 33(1)(a)-(d), 35-42, 44(1), (2), 44B, 45(1), (2), 47B designated as fixed charge offences and penalties prescribed (20.05.2024) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 227 of 2024), arts. 7, 8 and sch. 2 item 3, sch. 3, sch. 4 part 1 item 1, sch. 5 item 6, sch. 6 item 5, sch. 7 item 3, sch. 8 part 1 item 3, part 2 item 1.

Offences under arts. 36-42, 44(1), 44B, 45(2) designated as fixed charge offences and penalties prescribed (1.01.2023) by Local Authorities (Traffic Wardens) Act 1975 (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 525 of 2022), arts. 3, 4 and sch. 2, sch. 3, sch. 5 part 2.

Previous affecting provision: offences under art. 44B designated as fixed charge offences and penalties prescribed (1.01.2023) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 526 of 2022), arts. 1(3), 3, 4 and sch. 5 item 6 ref. no. 16; revoked (20.05.2024) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 227 of 2024), art. 3(b).

Previous affecting provision: offences under arts. 6-13, 14(5)(a), 15-32, 33(1)(a)-(d), 35-42, 44(1), 45(1), (2), 47(4) designated as fixed charge offences and penalties prescribed (27.10.2022) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 526 of 2022), arts. 1(2), 3, 4 and sch. 2 item 3, sch. 3, sch. 4 part 1 item 1, sch. 5 item 6, sch. 6 item 5, sch. 7 items 3, 5; revoked (20.05.2024) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 227 of 2024), art. 3(b).

Previous affecting provision: offences under arts. 6-13, 14(5)(a), 14(6), 15-32, 33(1)(a)-(d), 35-42, 45(1), (2), 47(4) designated as fixed charge offences and penalties prescribed (1.06.2017) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 244 of 2017), arts. 4, 5 and sch. 2 part 2, sch. 3 part 2, sch. 4 part 2; revoked (27.10.2022) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 526 of 2022), art. 5.

Previous affecting provision: offences under arts. 30(1), 31(1), 45(1), 47(4) designated as fixed charge offences and penalties prescribed (31.07.2015) by Road Traffic (Fixed Charge Offences — Cyclists) Regulations 2015 (S.I. No. 331 of 2015), regs. 3, 4(d); revoked (20.05.2024) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 227 of 2024), art. 3(a).

Previous affecting provision: offences under arts. 36-42, 44(1), 45(2) designated as fixed charge offences and penalties prescribed (3.04.2006) by Local Authorities (Traffic Wardens) Act 1975 (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 136 of 2006), arts. 2, 5(a), (c)(ii) and sch. 1, sch. 2 part 3; revoked (1.01.2023) by Local Authorities (Traffic Wardens) Act 1975 (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 525 of 2022), art. 6(a).

Previous affecting provision: offences under arts. 6-13, 14(5)(a), 14(6), 15-32, 33(1)(a)-(d), 35-42, 44(1), 45(1), (2) designated as fixed charge offences and penalties prescribed (3.04.2006) by Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2005 (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 135 of 2006), arts. 4, 5(a)(ii), (b)(ii), (c)(ii) and sch. 1 part 2, sch. 2 part 2, sch. 3 part 2; superseded (1.06.2017) as per E-note above.

Revised Acts

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Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997