Road signs in Latvia

Road signs in Latvia conform to the general pattern of those used in most other European countries. They are regulated in the Road Traffic Regulations (Latvian: Ceļu satiksmes noteikumi)^[1] as well as in the national road sign standards,^[2] in conformity with the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, to which Latvia acceded on October 19, 1992.^[3]

During the 1920s and 1930s, Latvia had developed various road signs but after Latvia was occupied and later annexed by the Soviet Union during the World War II, it used the Soviet road sign standard before adopting its own. In 1980, the standard for road signs GOST 10807-78 was adopted in the Soviet Union before its dissolution in 1991.^[4] After the restoration of the independence of Latvia in 1990, a new standard for road signs was developed, which has departed from the Soviet standard still in use elsewhere today. Latvian road signs use the DIN 1451 typeface.^[5]

The text used on signs is in the state language, Latvian. Recently, some signs have been introduced with Latvian supplemented by Livonian and Latgalian. In November 2021, the first standard-compliant road sign with Latgalian was placed on the border of Balvi Municipality, with others being gradually installed in other locations in Latgale.^[6] In January 2023, the first of 171 approved signs with Livonian text were placed on the border of Talsi Municipality, with others expected to be placed in villages along the Livonian Coast.^[7][8]