Stopping and parking prohibition signs

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Signs E1 and E3: the difference between no stopping and no parking, the meaning of the arrows and the penalties involved.

Coverage, Stopping and parking prohibition signs

Lesson objectives

Distinguish between signs E1 and E3 and understand their fundamental differences Identify the geographical scope and areas of application of each prohibition Interpret directional arrows to determine where the prohibition begins, continues or ends

Two signs, two distinct prohibitions

In Belgium, two circular red and white signs govern stopping and parking: the E1 sign and the E3 sign . Although visually similar, they do not prohibit the same actions. Understanding this distinction is essential for the exam .

E1

E1, No parking. Blue disc bordered in red, crossed by a single red diagonal. You cannot leave your vehicle parked there, but stopping remains permitted: immobilizing the vehicle for the time required for the boarding or unloading of persons or goods is not parking. Be careful of a case the exam likes to ask: refueling or recharging the battery of an electric vehicle is considered parking, not stopping.

E3

E3: no stopping and no parking. This sign is a blue disc with two red diagonals in a cross. You can neither park nor stop, even briefly. Only forced stopping, in case of breakdown, police order, or traffic jam, is tolerated.

The E1 sign: no parking

The E1 signal is a blue disc bordered in red , crossed by a single red diagonal , it is the red border on blue background that distinguishes series E from series C, whose discs are white. It applies on the side of the public road where it is placed , from the sign to the next intersection , and it applies to both the roadway and the shoulder . Supplemented by an additional sign of models M1, M8 or M19 to M24, it also applies to the sidewalk . Stopping remains authorized: dropping off or picking up a passenger, loading or unloading.

Parking

Vehicle parked (art. 2.23): vehicle immobilized beyond the time required for the boarding or unloading of persons or goods. Refueling or recharging the battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle is parking.

Stopping

Vehicle at a stop (art. 2.22): vehicle immobilized for the time required for the boarding or unloading of persons or goods. This is not a duration in minutes, it is the time required by the operation in progress.

The E3 sign: no stopping AND no parking

The E3 signal is the same blue disc bordered in red , crossed this time by two diagonals in a cross . It prohibits stopping and parking , with the same scope as E1: on the side where it is placed, from the sign to the next intersection, on the roadway and on the shoulder. You therefore cannot immobilize yourself, even for the time it takes to let a passenger out. What remains is what is neither stopping nor parking: immobilization imposed by traffic, by a qualified officer, by traffic lights, or by a breakdown.

Concrete comparison

E1 sign (no parking): You can stop for 5 seconds to let a passenger out, then leave. ✓ Allowed. E3 sign (no stopping and no parking): You cannot stop at all, even to let a passenger out. ✗ Prohibited.

Scope: from the sign to the next intersection

Signals E1, E3, E5, E7 and E9a to E9j apply on the side of the public road where they are placed and from the sign to the next intersection (art. 70.2.2). Two clarifications that the exam distinguishes: E1 and E3 apply to the roadway and shoulder , and to the sidewalk if supplemented by a sign M1, M8 or M19 to M24; E5 and E7 apply only to the roadway . An inscription may also indicate the period during which the prohibition applies ("from 7 to 7 p.m.", "Monday to Friday") or the category of vehicles concerned. Signals E9a to E9d and E9h to E9j indicating a parking area apply only within that parking area.

Directional arrows: where does the prohibition begin and end?

Signals E1, E3, E5, E7 and E9a to E9j are supplemented by white signs with black arrows that delimit the regulation (art. 70.2.2):

"Beginning of regulation" sign : the prohibition starts at the signal and runs to the next intersection. "End of regulation" sign : placed under a sign identical to the one at the beginning, it marks the place where the prohibition ends before the intersection. This end is not signaled when it coincides with the beginning of another stopping or parking regulation, nor when a distance was announced. Short distance sign : it mentions the distance in meters over which the prohibition applies. This distance is what matters, not the intersection. Long distance sign : placed under a reminder sign, it indicates that the regulation continues. Signals E9a to E9d and E9h to E9j indicating a parking area are never supplemented by these signs.

Interpretation of arrows

Scenario 1: an E1 with the beginning sign. You can park before the sign, not after, and this continues to the next intersection. Scenario 2: an E3 with the end sign. The prohibition stops at this sign, even though the intersection has not yet been reached. Scenario 3: an E1 with a sign showing "30 m". The prohibition covers thirty meters, then stops: no end sign will be placed, since the distance was announced.

Urban street with E1 and E3 signs

Special zones: where stopping and parking are always prohibited

Article 24 prohibits stopping and parking anywhere the vehicle is clearly likely to constitute a danger to other users or to hinder them unnecessarily. The sentence is as important as the list: no sign is necessary, and the list that follows is not exhaustive, it begins with "in particular".

on sidewalks and, in built-up areas, on protruding verges , except local regulations ; on cycle paths , and less than 5 m from the place where cyclists must leave or join the path ; on level crossings ; on pedestrian and cyclist crossings , and on the roadway less than 5 m before these crossings ; on the roadway in underpasses , in tunnels and, except local regulations, under bridges ; on the roadway near the top of a hill and in a bend when visibility is insufficient ; near intersections , less than 5 m from the extension of the nearest edge of the cross roadway ; less than 20 m before traffic lights and road signs , except for vehicles 1.65 m maximum height when the lower edge of the sign is at least 2 m above the roadway ; on raised devices , except local regulations.

Frequent exam trap

Sign C46 (end of all local prescriptions) DOES NOT end parking and stopping prohibitions. It ends only prescriptions imposed on moving vehicles (speed, overtaking, direction). Signs E1 and E3 remain in force until the next intersection, even after a C46 sign.

Intersection with markings and end signs

Semi-monthly alternating parking: E5 and E7

In built-up areas, two additional signs govern alternating parking:

E5

E5, Parking prohibited from the 1st to the 15th of the month. During the first half, you cannot park on the side of the street where the sign is placed. You must park on the opposite side. It is an alternating system that facilitates street cleaning and maintenance.

E7

E7, Parking prohibited from the 16th to the end of the month. During the second half, you cannot park on the side of the street where the sign is installed. The side changes every 15 days to respect the alternation.

The E5 prohibits parking from the 1st to the 15th of the month on the side where it is placed; the E7 , from the 16th to the end of the month . These two signals only apply to the roadway . The rule that the exam most often questions is the change: it must be made on the last day of each period, between 19:30 and 20:00 . It is neither at midnight nor "during the day". An additional sign reproducing the parking disc makes it mandatory on the side where parking is allowed; the mention "paid" requires a paid parking card, and "except residents" reserves the exemption to holders of a resident card. Finally, signal E11 , placed above F1, F1a or F1b, extends semi-monthly parking to the entire built-up area , with the same side change between 19:30 and 20:00.

Exam tip

Memorize the visual difference: E1 = one diagonal (parking prohibited), E3 = two diagonals in a cross (stopping AND parking prohibited). More lines = more prohibitions. Test yourself by imagining: "Can I stop for 10 seconds?" If yes → E1. If no → E3.

Key points to remember

E1 = parking prohibited; stopping remains allowed. E3 = stopping and parking prohibited. These are blue discs with red borders , one diagonal for E1, a cross for E3. Scope: on the side where the sign is placed, from the sign to the next intersection , on the roadway and verge ; on the sidewalk with a sign M1, M8 or M19 to M24. White signs with black arrows mark the beginning , the end , a short distance in meters or a reminder over long distance. Stopping (art. 2.22) = the time required to pick up or drop off. Parking (art. 2.23) = beyond this time, including refueling or recharging. Article 24 prohibits stopping and parking without any sign wherever the vehicle is dangerous or obstructive without necessity. E5 (1st–15th) and E7 (16th–end) : on the roadway only, side change on the last day between 19:30 and 20:00 . E11 extends the system to the entire built-up area. C46 ends only local prohibitions imposed on moving vehicles : it does not lift an E1 or E3.

Congratulations!

First do the quiz of this lesson to validate your knowledge, then practice on the exam simulator and the MCQs . You have completed this entire course. Congratulations, on to practice!

BelgianLicenses

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