title: U-Turn Laws
description: A U-turn is where you turn your car around 180° to proceed in the opposite direction while on the road. This is a handy manuever if you miss your turn, but it is not always legal. States generally prohibit doing such in obviously dangerous situations like on a hill or other places where you cannot see at least 500 feet in both directions, on a divided highway, or where there is a sign prohibiting it. Other common restrictions are school zones where there are children present or mid-street in a business district. However beyond that, states are generally very permissive as the below map shows. Only a couple of states have more stringent restrictions, and no states prohibit them entirely. Note however that major cities often have their own restrictions prohibiting such downtown.
year: 2023
sources:
  - <a href="https://codes.findlaw.com/al/title-32-motor-vehicles-and-traffic/al-code-sect-32-5a-131.html" target="_blank">Alabama Code § 32-5A-131</a>
  - <a href="https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp#13.02.205" target="_blank">13 AAC 02.205</a>
  - <a href="https://phillipslaw.com/blog/arizona-right-of-way-laws/" target="_blank">What are Arizona’s Right-of-Way Laws? | Phillips Law Group</a>
  - <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/2020/title-27/subtitle-4/chapter-51/subchapter-4/section-27-51-402" target="_blank">A.C.A. 27-51-402</a>
  - <a href="https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/navigating-the-roads/" target="_blank">California Driver's Handbook</a>
  - <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/2022/title-42/article-4/part-9/section-42-4-902/" target="_blank">C.R.S. § 42-4-902</a>
  - <a href="https://www.cga.ct.gov/2023/pub/chap_248.htm#sec_14-242" target="_blank">Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-242</a>
  - <a href="https://delcode.delaware.gov/title21/c041/sc06/index.html#4153" target="_blank">21 Del. C. § 4153</a>
  - <a href="http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.1515.html" target="_blank">F.S. § 316.1515</a>
  - <a href="https://codes.findlaw.com/ga/title-40-motor-vehicles-and-traffic/ga-code-sect-40-6-121.html" target="_blank">O.C.G.A. § 40-6-121</a>
  - <a href="https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/vol05_ch0261-0319/hrs0291c/hrs_0291c-0082.htm" target="_blank">HRS § 291C-82</a>
  - <a href="https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title49/t49ch6/sect49-645/" target="_blank">Idaho Code § 49-645</a>
  - <a href="https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=062500050K11-802" target="_blank">625 ILCS 5/11-802</a>
  - <a href="https://iga.in.gov/laws/2021/ic/titles/9#9-21-8-22" target="_blank">IC 9-21-8-22</a>
  - <a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/321.312.pdf" target="_blank">Iowa Code § 321.312</a>
  - <a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch08/008_015_0046.html" target="_blank">K.S.A. § 8-1546</a>
  - <a href="https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=6370#page=2" target="_blank">KRS 189.330(8)</a>
  - <a href="https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=88198" target="_blank">La.R.S. 32:232</a>
  - <a href="https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/29-A/title29-Asec2072.html" target="_blank">11 M.R.S. §2072</a>
  - <a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/laws/StatuteText?article=gtr&section=21-402" target="_blank">Md. Code Ann. § 21-402</a>
  - <a href="https://www.michiganautolaw.com/blog/2021/07/27/are-u-turns-legal-in-michigan/" target="_blank">Are U Turns Legal In Michigan? | Michigan Auto Law</a>
  - <a href="https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/169.19#stat.169.19.2" target="_blank">Minn. Stat. § 169.19.2</a>
  - <a href="https://advance.lexis.com/api/document/collection/statutes-legislation/id/8P6B-8562-8T6X-71BS-00008-00?cite=Miss.%20Code%20Ann.%20%C2%A7%2063-3-705&context=1000516" target="_blank">Miss. Code Ann. § 63-3-705</a>
  - <a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=304.341" target="_blank">RSMo § 304.341</a>
  - <a href="https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0610/chapter_0080/part_0030/section_0340/0610-0080-0030-0340.html" target="_blank">MCA § 61-8-334</a>
  - <a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=60-6,160" target="_blank">Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,160</a>
  - <a href="https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-484b.html#NRS484BSec403" target="_blank">NRS 484B.403</a>
  - <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2022/title-39/section-39-4-125/" target="_blank">N.J.S.A. 39:4-125</a>
  - <a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/VAT/1161" target="_blank">N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1161</a>
  - <a href="https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/license-id/driver-licenses/new-drivers/Documents/driver-handbook.pdf#page=40" target="_blank">North Carolina Driver Handbook</a>
  - <a href="https://www.legis.nd.gov/cencode/t39c10.pdf#page=13" target="_blank">NDCC 39-10-36</a>
  - <a href="https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4511.37" target="_blank">O.R.C. 4511.37</a>
  - <a href="https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=82306" target="_blank">47 O.S. § 11-602</a>
  - <a href="https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_811.365" target="_blank">ORS 811.365</a>
  - <a href="https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/75/00.033.032.000..HTM" target="_blank">75 Pa.C.S. § 3332</a>
  - <a href="http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE31/31-16/31-16-4.htm" target="_blank">R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-16-4</a>
  - <a href="https://https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t56c005.php" target="_blank">S.C. Code § 56-5-2120</a>
  - <a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/32-26-25" target="_blank">SDCL § 32-26-25</a>
  - <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/2021/title-55/chapter-8/part-1/section-55-8-141/" target="_blank">TN Code § 55-8-141</a>
  - <a href="https://crosleylaw.com/blog/u-turn-laws-in-texas-whos-at-fault-after-a-crash/" target="_blank">Who&#039;s at Fault After a U-Turn Crash? | Crosley Law</a>
  - <a href="https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title41/Chapter6A/C41-6a-P8_1800010118000101.pdf" target="_blank">U.C.A. § 41-6a-802</a>
  - <a href="https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/23/013/01062" target="_blank">23 V.S.A. § 1062</a>
  - <a href="https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter8/section46.2-845/" target="_blank">VA Code § 46.2-845</a>
  - <a href="https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.295" target="_blank">RCW 46.61.295</a>
  - <a href="https://www.wvlegislature.gov/wvcode/code.cfm?chap=17c&art=8" target="_blank">WV Code 17C-8-6</a>
  - <a href="https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/346.33" target="_blank">Wis. Stat. § 346.33</a>
  - <a href="https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title31.pdf#page=142" target="_blank">Wyo. Stat. 31-5-215</a>
legalDisclaimer: true
legend:
  1: Generally legal
  2: Prohibited at intersections with traffic lights
  3: Generally illegal
states:
  al: 1
  ak: 1 # Also business districts
  az: 1
  ar: 1
  ca: 1
  co: 1
  ct: 1
  de: 1
  fl: 1
  ga: 1
  hi: 1
  id: 1
  il: 1
  in: 1
  ia: 1
  ks: 1
  ky: 1
  la: 1
  me: 1
  md: 1
  ma: 1
  mi: 1
  mn: 1
  ms: 1
  mo: 2
  mt: 1
  ne: 1
  nh: 1
  nv: 1 # Also business districts except at intersections
  nj: 1
  nm: 1
  ny: 1 # Also school zones
  nc: 1
  nd: 1
  oh: 1
  ok: 1
  or: 2
  pa: 1
  ri: 1
  sc: 1
  sd: 1
  tn: 1
  tx: 1
  ut: 1
  vt: 1
  va: 1
  wa: 1
  wv: 1
  wi: 1 # Also business districts except at intersections
  wy: 1