U-turns are not outright illegal in Missouri, but state law bans them in enough common situations that drivers get ticketed for maneuvers they assumed were fine. A U-turn is legal only when you can complete it safely without interfering with other traffic and other drivers can see your vehicle from at least 300 feet in both directions. It is always illegal at a signal-controlled intersection and on a divided highway except at a designated crossing. A violation is a Class C misdemeanor, not a simple fix-it ticket.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 304.341 – Turns at Intersection, Violation, Penalty
The Safety and Visibility Rule
Section 304.341 sets the baseline. You may turn your vehicle around on a roadway only when you can do so safely and without interfering with other traffic. If your U-turn forces another driver to brake, swerve, or slow, it is illegal even on a road with no posted sign.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 304.341 – Turns at Intersection, Violation, Penalty
The statute also sets a hard sightline. You cannot make a U-turn on any curve, near a hilltop, or at any point where drivers approaching from either direction cannot see your vehicle from 300 feet away. That is roughly the length of a football field. If terrain, buildings, or a bend in the road blocks that view, the U-turn is illegal regardless of how little traffic is around.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 304.341 – Turns at Intersection, Violation, Penalty
Signal-Controlled Intersections Are Always Off-Limits
This is the rule most Missouri drivers don’t know. U-turns are flatly illegal at any intersection controlled by a traffic signal or by a police officer directing traffic. Not just on red. Not just where a “No U-Turn” sign is posted. The statute draws no distinction between green, yellow, or red: if the intersection has a signal, you cannot turn around there.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 304.341 – Turns at Intersection, Violation, Penalty
This catches people because many other states permit U-turns on green unless a sign says otherwise. Missouri takes the opposite approach. The only exceptions are locations where a local ordinance or posted signage specifically authorizes the maneuver, which some municipalities do with dedicated U-turn lanes.
Divided Highways
A separate statute, Section 304.015, governs divided highways. On any road split by a physical barrier, median, curbing, or painted dividing lines, U-turns are illegal except at three locations: intersections, interchanges, or spots specifically signed by the state transportation department as U-turn points.2Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 304.015 – Motor Vehicles to Be Driven on Right Half of Roadway, Exceptions
Cutting across a grass median or paved divider on a highway is one of the more dangerous maneuvers a driver can attempt. The ticket itself follows the same fine schedule as other U-turn offenses, but if the maneuver causes a crash the charges escalate quickly.
Local Rules on Top of State Law
Cities and counties can add restrictions beyond what the state imposes. Kansas City, for example, requires drivers to obey all posted no-turn signs, including no-U-turn signs, at any intersection where they appear.3Kansas City Code of Ordinances. Kansas City Code of Ordinances 70-458 – Obedience to No-Turn Signs Springfield restricts U-turns in its downtown business district. Other municipalities limit U-turns near schools during drop-off and pick-up or on narrow residential streets. A U-turn that would be legal under state law on an uncontrolled road can still violate a local ordinance you didn’t know existed, so watch for signs in unfamiliar towns.
The Fine and the Points
A U-turn violation under Section 304.341 is a Class C misdemeanor.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 304.341 – Turns at Intersection, Violation, Penalty Most tickets are handled through traffic court on a set fine schedule. Based on published Missouri court schedules, expect roughly $134 to $167 in total once court costs and surcharges are added to the base fine. The exact amount varies by court.416th Circuit Court of Missouri. Fine Schedule – State Traffic Offenses
A conviction also adds two points to your Missouri driving record under the catch-all provision for moving violations not specifically listed in the point statute.5Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 302.302 – Point System, Determination and Assessment, Effect Two points alone won’t threaten your license, but they stack. Eight points within 18 months triggers a license suspension, and 12 within 12 months leads to a full one-year revocation.6Missouri Department of Revenue. Tickets and Points FAQs A single U-turn won’t get you there, but one stacked on a speeding ticket and a failure-to-yield within the same year puts you close.
When a U-Turn Becomes a Bigger Charge
If an illegal U-turn causes a collision, the exposure is much larger than two points and a fine. Missouri’s careless and imprudent driving statute, Section 304.012, applies when a driver fails to exercise the “highest degree of care.” That is a Class B misdemeanor on its own and escalates to a Class A misdemeanor if an accident results.7Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 304.012 – Careless and Imprudent Driving A careless driving conviction carries four points instead of two, with higher fines and potential jail time.5Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 302.302 – Point System, Determination and Assessment, Effect Insurance premiums follow the record, so a U-turn tied to a crash costs well beyond the courtroom.