Overview

Type Sizes & Viewing Distances

Believe it or not, it's important to get the type size right for your sign. Too small and you can't see it, too large and it looks silly. Take a look at the PDF for guidance on the appropriate size of text for viewing distance.

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DistanceRecommended Cap Height
1 Metre5mm
5 Metres13mm
10 Metres19mm
20 Metres38mm
50 Metres100mm
75 Metres150mm

Recommended Cap Heights

Ensure your sign is clearly legible for your customers’ requirements. First, measure the expected viewing distance for your sign. Then, refer to our chart, left, to find our minimum recommended cap heights. These are average sizes for sans serif typefaces, but should be used as a guide as this can vary with text styles, colours and contrasts.

Driving SpeedX-HeightRecognition Range
20 - 30mph75mm20m - 50m
20 - 30mph100mm30m - 90m
30 - 40mph125mm30m - 90m
40 - 50mph150mm30m - 90m
50 - 60mph200mm40m - 120m
60-70mph250mm50m - 200m
70mph300mm50m - 200m

Recommended X-Heights

Your traffic sign should be easy to safely read by motorists. Use the table to calculate the recognition range you’ll achieve with different minimum type sizes at varying road speed conditions.