Service signs

The signs that show you where to find something: fuel, food, toilets, lodging, help. They require nothing of you.

Do you know the service signs? Take a 5-sign quiz

Pick what the sign means. You see the answer straight away – no account needed.

Where the group sits in the regulations

The group holds 35 signs and is governed by chapter 7 of the Norwegian sign regulations: the general provisions in § 13, and the individual signs in § 14.

The one group with no rule inside it

Service signs are rectangular, blue, with the symbol in a white panel. They differ from every other group in one way: they do not change what you are allowed to do. You can drive past a service sign without having done anything wrong.

That is exactly why they are worth learning: on the theory test they are cheap marks, and in practice they are what you look for when you need something — or when something has happened and you need to know where the nearest help is.

Symbols worth knowing before you need them

The symbols are designed to be read at speed and without language, so they work for everyone driving in Norway. That makes them easy to recognise, but also easy to mix up where two symbols are similar.

A service sign often stands with a supplementary plate giving the distance or the direction. That plate is where the practical information is.

Six signs from the group, explained

Radio channel 601
Indicates the radio channel (frequency) broadcasting special traffic information. The driver can tune the radio to the given frequency to receive traffic reports.
First aid 602
Shows where first aid equipment or a first aid station is available. The sign provides information and imposes no obligation.
Emergency telephone 605
Shows where an emergency telephone is available. The driver can use the telephone to call for help in an emergency or accident.
Fire extinguisher 606
Shows where a fire extinguisher is available. The sign is purely informational about the location of the equipment.
Vehicle repair shop 608
Shows that a vehicle repair shop is nearby. The sign provides information for drivers who need repairs.
Fast charging of motor vehicles 609
Shows where a fast-charging station for electric motor vehicles is available. The sign provides information about the charging facility.