Broken yellow line and other yellow lines on the road

What does a yellow line on the road mean?

A yellow line is about parking or stopping, or it is a temporary line at roadworks. So first look where the yellow is:

• Along the edge of the road, usually on the kerb: a ban on parking or stopping.
• On the carriageway itself: temporary lines, for example at roadworks.

For the lines along the road you need to know the difference between stopping and parking:

• Stopping is a short stop to let someone get in or out right away, or to load or unload something right away.
• Parking is everything else. Waiting in the car for someone is also parking, even with the engine running.

This is in RVV 1990 article 1. More about it under stopping.

What does a yellow line on the kerb mean?

A yellow line on the pavement or kerb is a ban, just like a sign. So it counts. No sign is needed next to it.

• The ban only applies on the side of the road where the line is.
• It applies along the whole length of the line.
• Is the line on the other side? Then the ban applies there, not on your side.

Broken yellow line along the road

At a broken yellow line you may not park. Stopping is allowed: to let someone get in or out, and to load and unload. It means the same as sign E1, no parking (RVV 1990 article 24).

May you wait at a broken yellow line until someone arrives? No. Waiting is parking.

Solid yellow line along the road

At a solid yellow line you may not stop, and so you may not park either. So you may not let anyone get in or out here, and you may not load or unload. Not even for a moment. It means the same as sign E2, no stopping (RVV 1990 article 23).

Memory aid: with dashes you may stop briefly, with one long line you may do nothing. Which signs say the same thing is explained under the parking signs.

Yellow road markings at roadworks

At roadworks a yellow line on the carriageway comes before the white lines. The road is laid out differently for a while. The temporary lines and arrows are yellow, so you do not mix them up with the normal white ones (RVV 1990 article 63a).

Do the yellow lines lead you across a solid white line? Then you follow the yellow. It also works the other way: you may not cross a solid yellow line, even if the white line next to it is broken.

Overview of the yellow lines

Yellow line	Where	Meaning	Same as
Broken	Along the road	No parking, stopping allowed	Sign E1
Solid	Along the road	No stopping, no parking	Sign E2
Broken	On the carriageway, at roadworks	You may cross it when safe	White broken line
Solid	On the carriageway, at roadworks	Do not cross it	White solid line

Yellow on the carriageway comes before white. Yellow along the kerb is about stopping and parking.

Fines for ignoring yellow lines

Do you park along a broken yellow line? Then the fine is € 130. These are the amounts for a car in 2026:

Add € 9 administration costs (OM Boetebase, offence codes R 397 g, R 396 i and R 617). A solid yellow line on the carriageway counts as a solid line. When it is € 190 or € 320 is explained under the solid line.

The difference between a yellow and a blue line

A yellow line is a ban: no parking or no stopping. A blue line is a place where you may park. It belongs to a blue zone. You put a parking disc behind your windscreen and do not park longer than the sign says. More about it under the parking disc.

Where you usually find yellow lines

A yellow line is used where a stopped car would be in the way or block the view. It gives space and safety. You see it for example:

• in a narrow street, so buses, lorries and emergency services can get past;
• just before a junction or in a bend, so you see each other in time;
• at an entrance or exit that must always stay clear, such as at a fire station;
• at roadworks: then the yellow is on the carriageway.

CBR exam pitfalls with yellow lines on the road

❌ Wrong: Yellow on the kerb does not count? ✅ Right: It works like a sign.

❌ Wrong: Waiting briefly with the engine running? ✅ Right: That is parking. Not allowed at yellow dashes.

❌ Wrong: Quickly dropping someone off at a solid yellow line? ✅ Right: Not allowed.

❌ Wrong: Line on the other side? ✅ Right: It only applies on that side.

❌ Wrong: Roadworks? ✅ Right: Yellow comes before white.