May you turn right on a red light, state by state?
Every state’s answer, and the District of Columbia’s, from its own manual or code: 51 have a rule on this, quoted below with where it is written.
Statutes fetched on 8 October 2026; manuals fetched between 6 September and 4 October 2026. How the answers are made
| State | The rule | Where it is written | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | You may turn right after stopping for a red light if you are in the proper lane, yielding to traffic and pedestrians, unless a sign prohibits it. | Alabama Driver Manual, p.60 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Alaska | On a steady red light, a right turn is permitted only after a full stop, when it can be made safely, and when no “No turn on red” sign restricts it. | Alaska Driver Manual, p.55 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arizona | Where signs do not prohibit it, you may turn right on a red light after coming to a complete stop, when cars and pedestrians are clear. | Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide, p.34 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arkansas | In Arkansas the driver may turn right on red unless there is a sign prohibiting a right turn on red. | Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, p.25 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| California | You may turn right at a red light after coming to a complete stop, unless a NO TURN ON RED sign is posted. | California Driver’s Handbook, p.18 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Colorado | After stopping and yielding to pedestrians and other traffic, and if not prohibited by a traffic sign, you may turn right while the light is red. | Colorado Driver Handbook, p.7 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Connecticut | In Connecticut you may turn right at a red light after stopping, unless a traffic sign prohibits it. | Connecticut Driver's Manual, p.15 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Delaware | In Delaware you may turn right on a steady red light after a full stop, unless a posted sign or a steady red arrow prohibits it. | Delaware Driver Manual, p.69 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| District of Columbia | You may turn right at a red signal after coming to a complete stop, unless a sign at the intersection says "No Turn on Red." | DC Driver Manual, p.87 | 16 Sep 2026 |
| Florida | After stopping at a red light you may turn right if there is no NO TURN ON RED sign and the way is clear. | Official Florida Driver License Handbook, p.51 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Georgia | Unless a sign says otherwise, a right turn on a red light is allowed in Georgia after a complete stop, once you have yielded to all traffic and people on foot and decided the turn is safe. | Georgia Driver's Manual, p.45 | 18 Sep 2026 |
| Hawaii | In Hawaii, after stopping at a red light you may turn right unless a sign prohibits it. | State of Hawaii Driver’s Manual, p.39 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Idaho | At a steady red circular indication you may turn right after stopping and yielding to cross-traffic, except where posted otherwise. | July 2026 Idaho Driver's Handbook, p.69 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Illinois | A driver may turn right at a red light unless a sign prohibits it, and may turn left at a red light from a one-way street onto another one-way street with traffic moving to the left, after a complete stop and after yielding. | Illinois Rules of the Road 2026, p.77 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Indiana | To turn right on a red light where allowed, come to a full stop, check that no vehicles or pedestrians are in your path, and make sure no No Turn on Red sign is posted. | Indiana Driver's Manual, p.34 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Iowa | In Iowa you may turn right on a red light unless a sign prohibits it. | Iowa Driver's License Manual, p.19 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Kansas | When turning right at a Kansas intersection, if there is no sign prohibiting a right turn on a red light, a driver may turn after stopping and checking for traffic and pedestrians. | Kansas Driving Handbook, p.34 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Kentucky | A Kentucky driver may turn right after stopping at a red light if there is no approaching traffic, unless a sign prohibits such right turns. | Kentucky Driver Manual, p.35 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Louisiana | With no NO TURN ON RED sign, you may turn right on red after stopping at the stop line and checking for traffic and pedestrians. | Class D & E Driver's Guide, p.28 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Maine | In Maine, a right turn on a red light is allowed after stopping, unless a sign says otherwise. | Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.50 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Maryland | Unless a sign forbids it, after a complete stop at a red signal you may turn right, or turn left from a one-way street onto another one-way street, yielding to people crossing and to all other traffic. | Maryland Driver's Manual, p.17 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Massachusetts | You must come to a complete stop at a red light, and may then turn right unless a NO TURN ON RED sign is posted. | Massachusetts Driver's Manual, p.98 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Michigan | (ii) Vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal, after stopping before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or at a limit line when marked or, if there is no crosswalk or limit line, before entering the intersection, may make a right turn from a 1-way or 2-way street into a 2-way street or into a 1-way street carrying traffic in the direction of the right turn or may make a left turn from a 1-way or 2-way street into a 1-way roadway carrying traffic in the direction of the left turn, unless prohibited by sign, signal, marking, light, or other traffic control device. The vehicular traffic shall yield the right of way to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection. | Michigan law, Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.612(1)(c) | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Minnesota | At many intersections you may turn right on a red light after coming to a complete stop. | Minnesota Driver’s Manual, p.28 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Mississippi | You may turn right on a red light unless a sign prohibits it, but you must first stop completely and yield to other traffic and pedestrians; only yielding before turning is not enough and is illegal. | Mississippi Driver's License Manual, p.37 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Missouri | After a complete stop you may turn right on a red light if the way is clear of pedestrians and traffic, unless a No Right Turn On Red sign is posted. | Missouri Driver Guide, p.44 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Montana | At a traffic light, unless a sign says you cannot, you may turn right on red after you have stopped in the proper lane and made sure it is safe. | Montana Driver Manual, p.40 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nebraska | Turning right at a circular red light after stopping is allowed unless signs at the intersection prohibit it. | Nebraska Driver’s Manual, p.32 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nevada | Where signs do not forbid it, you may turn right on a red light after coming to a complete stop. | Nevada Driver Handbook, p.30 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Hampshire | A driver may make a right turn on a red signal only if there is no sign prohibiting a right turn on red. | New Hampshire Driver's Manual, p.20 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Jersey | Unless a sign prohibits it, New Jersey allows a right turn on red after a full stop and a check for traffic. | New Jersey Driver Manual, p.72 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Mexico | You may turn right on a steady red light after a full stop, if it is safe and no sign forbids the turn. | New Mexico Driver Manual, p.4 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| New York | A driver can make a right turn at a steady red light after coming to a full stop and yielding the right-of-way to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. | New York State Driver's Manual, p.31 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| North Carolina | A steady red circular signal means stop; unless a sign says NO TURN ON RED, you may turn right after coming to a complete stop and yielding to traffic and pedestrians. | North Carolina Driver Handbook, p.80 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| North Dakota | In North Dakota you may turn right on a red light after stopping, when the intersection is clear of pedestrians and vehicles, unless a sign prohibits it. | North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, p.15 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Ohio | A right turn on red is permitted unless a sign forbids it, and only after a complete stop and after all crossing traffic and pedestrians have cleared. | Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws, p.25 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oklahoma | After coming to a complete stop, you may turn right on red unless there are signs forbidding the turn. | Oklahoma Driver Manual, p.26 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oregon | After a complete stop at a red signal, and unless a sign or officer says otherwise, you may turn right when entering a two-way road, and may turn right or left when entering a one-way road in the direction that road runs. | 2026-2027 Oregon Driver Manual, p.15 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | You may turn right on a red signal unless a no turn on red sign is posted, but you must stop first and check for and yield to people crossing and to other traffic. | PA Driver's Manual, p.7 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Rhode Island | Unless a sign prohibits it, you may turn right on a steady red light after a complete stop and yielding to pedestrians and other vehicles. | Rhode Island Driver’s Manual, p.41 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Carolina | Traffic facing a red signal may turn right, except where a sign prohibits a right turn on red. | South Carolina Driver's Manual, p.62 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Dakota | You may turn right on a steady red light after coming to a complete stop, if it is safe and no sign prohibits turning on red. | South Dakota Driver License Manual, p.32 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Tennessee | Unless a sign says otherwise, you may turn right on red after a complete stop when no pedestrians or cross traffic are present. | Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, p.41 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Texas | At a steady red light a driver stops before entering the crosswalk or intersection and may turn right unless the law prohibits it. | Texas Driver Handbook, p.25 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Utah | A Utah driver may turn right on a red light after coming to a complete stop, unless posted otherwise. | Utah Driver Handbook 2026-2027, p.46 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Vermont | Right turns at circular red lights are usually allowed, but only after the driver has stopped completely, scanned the intersection and yielded to pedestrians and other vehicles. | 2025 Vermont Driver's Manual, p.31 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Virginia | You may turn right on a stop signal after coming to a complete stop, looking both ways and yielding to people crossing and to other traffic, unless a sign or an arrow forbids it. | Virginia Driver's Manual, p.5 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Washington | After a complete stop at a red light, a driver may turn right if there is no sign forbidding it and there is plenty of room to enter traffic. | Washington State Driver Guide, p.110 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| West Virginia | A driver may turn right on red at the intersection of two-way streets, or turn left on red from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after yielding to all other traffic and people crossing and where no sign forbids it. | West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, p.39 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Wisconsin | A driver may turn right on red where it is safe to do so and no sign prohibits it. | Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, p.32 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Wyoming | You may turn right at a red light, unless a sign prohibits it, only after stopping and yielding to persons and other vehicles. | Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, p.97 | 14 Sep 2026 |
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