u. s. department of transportation

1156 pages. Printed in Color. Hardcover format. Original size.

The 11th Edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways - the MUTCD - defines the standards used by road managers nationwide to install and maintain traffic control devices on all streets, highways, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and site roadways open to public travel. The MUTCD is published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) under 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 655, Subpart F.

The MUTCD, which has been administered by the FHWA since 1971, is a compilation of national standards for all traffic control devices, including road markings, highway signs, and traffic signals. It is updated periodically to accommodate the nation’s changing transportation needs and address new safety technologies, traffic control tools, and traffic management techniques.

On December 19, 2023, a Final Rule adopting the 11th Edition of the MUTCD was published in the Federal Register with an effective date of January 18, 2024. States must adopt the 11th Edition of the National MUTCD as their legal State standard for traffic control devices within two years from the effective date.

Changes from the 2009 Edition

Supplementary documents detailing new content of the 11th Edition of the MUTCD (December 2023), and how the new edition differs from its predecessor, the 2009 Edition with Revisions 1, 2, & 3 incorporated (August 2022), are available in the Rulemaking Docket to assist agencies in understanding the new provisions.