Push Button Legend Wording: Standard Text and Colors for START, STOP, RESET, JOG and E-STOP
You are filling in a legend schedule and every device needs a word. Pick the wrong one, or use two different words for the same function, and the operator or the maintenance tech has to stop and guess.
Important Disclaimer
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, safety, or professional compliance advice. Regulations, standards, and codes are subject to change and may be interpreted differently by authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ). Always consult with qualified safety professionals, licensed engineers, or legal counsel to determine the specific requirements applicable to your facility. TagBuilder is not responsible for any actions taken based on this information.
Short answer: use one all-caps verb with no punctuation, such as START, STOP, RESET or JOG. Use the same word on the plate, the drawing and the HMI. Let the device color follow the current edition of your color standard, your plant spec or the OEM spec, and make the legend plate match the device.
Why the wording matters
A legend plate is read at a glance, often with gloves on and a machine running. When the wording is vague or inconsistent, the failures are ordinary ones:
- An operator presses RESET expecting to clear a fault and instead restarts a cycle, because the plate said START on one machine and RESET on the next.
- A maintenance tech trips the wrong unit because the plate says MOTOR while the drawing says CONVEYOR DRIVE.
- A reorder arrives in the wrong size because the schedule listed the text but not the mounting diameter.
None of these are dramatic. They are the small, repeatable mistakes a clean legend schedule prevents.
Wording habits that read fast
- All caps. Capital letters stay legible at a distance and at an angle.
- One verb. START, not PRESS TO START. The button already says press.
- No punctuation. Skip periods, colons and exclamation marks. Use a slash only where the pair reads as one function, such as ON / OFF.
- Keep lines short. On a 22 mm plate, plan on roughly 8 to 10 characters per line. Longer words get small, and small text is the first thing a tech cannot read.
- Match everywhere. If the plate says FAULT RESET, the drawing, the BOM and the HMI should say FAULT RESET, not CLEAR FAULT.
For plate diameters and mounting sizes, see the 22 mm vs 30 mm push button ring tag guide. This article covers wording and color only.
Standard legend text by function
The table below lists the legend text most panels use, the actuator color commonly paired with it, and the plate color that usually follows the device. Colors are summarized from commonly cited practice, not quoted from a standard, so check the current edition of IEC 60204-1 and NFPA 79 and your plant or OEM spec before you commit.
| Function | Legend text | Typical actuator color | Typical plate color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start a motor or process | START | Green (North American practice) or white | White on green, or black on white |
| Stop normally | STOP | Red (North American practice) or black | White on red, or white on black |
| Reset after a trip | RESET | Blue, white, grey or black | White on blue, or white on black |
| Jog, momentary run | JOG | Black or white | White on black |
| Machine running | RUN | Green or white | White on green |
| Power on or off | ON / OFF | White or black | Matches the device |
| Direction | FORWARD / REVERSE | Black or white | White on black |
| Valve or gate | OPEN / CLOSE | Black or white | White on black |
| Hoist or lift | UP / DOWN | Black or white | White on black |
| Clear a fault | FAULT RESET | Blue or white | White on blue |
| Begin a machine cycle | CYCLE START | Green or white | White on green |
| End a machine cycle | CYCLE STOP | Red or black | White on red, or white on black |
| Silence horn | ALARM SILENCE | Black or white | White on black |
| Test indicators | LAMP TEST | White or black | Black on white |
| Energize control circuit | CONTROL POWER ON | White or green | Matches the device |
| Emergency stop | EMERGENCY STOP or E-STOP | Red mushroom head | Black on yellow |
Two-word legends such as CYCLE START or CONTROL POWER ON usually need two lines on a 22 mm plate. Read the character limit again before you order.
What the color standards say, paraphrased
IEC 60204-1 sets out actuator colors by function. In summary, and always subject to the current edition:
- START / ON: white is preferred. Grey, black or green are also permitted. Red is not used.
- STOP / OFF: black is preferred. Grey or white are permitted. Red is also permitted, but not close to an emergency stop device where the two could be confused.
- Emergency stop: a red actuator on a yellow background. That combination is reserved for emergency devices.
- RESET: blue, white, grey or black.
- Yellow: commonly used for intervention in an abnormal condition.
NFPA 79 is closely aligned with these, but practice in North America often runs green START and red STOP, and many plant standards and OEM specs require exactly that. When the specs disagree, the project spec wins. The legend plate color usually follows the device, so a white-on-green START plate sits on a green button.
For where these requirements sit in the larger machinery picture, see the NFPA 79 machinery marking guide.
Pilot light wording
Pilot lights follow the same one-word rule. The table lists common indicator colors and the legend text that goes with each. Again, check the current edition.
| Indicator | Legend text | Typical lens color |
|---|---|---|
| Machine running | RUNNING | Green |
| Control power present | POWER ON | White |
| Fault or alarm | FAULT | Red |
| Abnormal condition | WARNING | Yellow |
| Action required | RESET REQUIRED | Blue |
E-STOP versus STOP
Keep the two legends distinct. STOP is a normal, controlled stop and sits with the other operating controls. EMERGENCY STOP or E-STOP belongs only on the emergency device, on a yellow background, and nothing else on the panel should borrow that look. Wording and placement for conveyors are covered in the conveyor E-stop identification guide.
Worked example: a six-device operator station
This legend schedule is written to paste into a BOM. Each row has the device tag, legend text, plate size and plate color. Rename the tags to match your drawings.
| Device tag | Legend text | Plate size | Plate color |
|---|---|---|---|
| PB-01 | CONTROL POWER ON | 22 mm, 2 lines | White on black |
| ES-01 | E-STOP | 60 mm round for 22 mm device | Black on yellow |
| PB-02 | START | 22 mm, 1 line | White on green |
| PB-03 | STOP | 22 mm, 1 line | White on red |
| PB-04 | JOG | 22 mm, 1 line | White on black |
| PB-05 | FAULT RESET | 22 mm, 2 lines | White on blue |
If your spec calls for white START and black STOP, change only the last column. The legend text stays the same.
Ordering the exact plates
Single-line plates for the common functions are listed individually:
- START, white on green
- STOP, white on red
- RESET, white on black
- JOG, white on black
- E-STOP, 60 mm round, yellow
Frequently Asked Questions
What color should a start button be?
It depends on the spec you are building to. IEC 60204-1 prefers white and also permits grey, black or green, but not red. Many North American plants still specify green, and the plant or OEM spec overrides general practice. Check the current edition and the project documents.
Is a red STOP button required?
Not by the summary above. IEC 60204-1 prefers black for STOP and permits red, with the caution about keeping it away from an emergency device. Red STOP is common in North America because many plant standards call for it. Confirm with your AHJ and your customer spec.
What is the difference between E-STOP and STOP legends?
STOP is a normal stop among the operating controls. E-STOP or EMERGENCY STOP is for the emergency device only, a red actuator on a yellow background. Do not use the emergency look on anything else.
Should I write RESET or FAULT RESET?
Use FAULT RESET when the panel has more than one kind of reset, such as a fault reset and a safety circuit reset. Use RESET when there is only one on the station. Whichever you choose, use it on the drawing and the HMI as well.
Can I put two words on a 22 mm legend plate?
Yes, on two lines, with roughly 8 to 10 characters each. CYCLE START and FAULT RESET fit that way. Anything longer, such as ALARM SILENCE, should be checked against the plate size before ordering.
Send us your legend schedule, or one legend, and we'll engrave a free sample plate in your size and colors so you can check the fit.
If you are working through a whole station, the controls panel section lists the common legends in one place, and the free sample page is the quickest way to see one plate in your hand before you order the rest.
UL, NFPA, NEC, ASME, CEMA, TIA, ANSI and OSHA are names or marks of their respective organizations; TagBuilder is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them. Requirements above are paraphrased summaries, not the text of any standard. Always work from the current published edition and your AHJ.
