What to Know About Parking Sign Reflectivity

Our Parking Sign Reflectivity Compliance – Resource Bulletin will help you understand some of the rules and regulations regarding sign requirements to ensure the visibility of parking signs at night.

Topics include:

• Relevant regulatory bodies and standards
• Reflectivity mechanics
• Links to relevant regulations

Click the image to open this bulletin as a pdf file.

Bulletin Overview

An important requirement of all traffic signs is their ability to be seen and understood at night. Standards for sign illumination are set by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

Nighttime visibility is achieved in two ways: illumination with a sign mounted lighting source and reflectivity of the sign itself. Some signs incorporate both methods, but the vast majority of traffic signs are reflective only, since illumination is impractical and expensive in non-urban environments. All regulatory, warning, and guide signs must have nighttime visibility. The requirement for sign illumination cannot be satisfied by street or highway lighting. (MUTCD 2A.07)