Can I drive in Iceland with a license from another country?

Do you meet the rental company's requirements?

The first thing to do if you’re keen to rent a car for your road trip around Iceland is to make sure you qualify. There are minimum age limits. Typically, would-be renters should be aged 20 or above. This rises to 23 for certain luxury cars and SUVs. In some cases, drivers in possession of a full – not provisional – license who are aged 18 or 19 can rent a vehicle but should expect to pay a young driver surcharge.

Next, take a close look at your driving license

Regardless of age, drivers keen to get behind the wheel of a rental car in Iceland need to have held their driving license for at least one year. The date is calculated from the first day of the proposed rental period. Equally, the license expiry date should not be before the end of the proposed rental period. In some countries, photocard driving licenses are valid for a relatively short period, so check the expiry date sufficiently far in advance of your trip to give you time to apply for a replacement should you need to. 

Icelandic law applies of course

When you step up to the rental desk, you’ll need your original driving license. It’s not possible to present a photocopy; this will not be accepted and you will not be able to rent a car. Under Icelandic law, foreign drivers including tourists must hold a valid licence for the vehicle they intend to rent. This refers not only to the main driver but also to any additional drivers.

In other words, the driving license you hold determines what you can drive around in during your stay. You shouldn’t expect to be allowed to drive a commercial vehicle in Iceland, for example, if you aren’t qualified to do so on home turf. So for instance, part of Article 29 in the Icelandic legislation 830/2011 states:

“A driving license issued in a state that is a member of the European Economic Area or in the Faroe Islands entitles the holder to drive the same vehicles in Iceland for categories AM, A1, A2, A, and B and permits driving in the issuing country during its period of validity, however not longer than until the holder reaches the age of 70.”

Note that classifications refer to mopeds and motorcycles, while the B classification stands for a car.

Do you need an international driver’s license in Iceland?

If you are the holder of a driving license issued by a European country, then your own driving licence is perfectly adequate so long as it meets the terms and conditions we’ve already mentioned. Most EU countries will find their own license is enough; for example, a Danish driver’s license is valid in Iceland. Post Brexit, perhaps you’ve been wondering, can you drive in Iceland with a UK license? The answer is also yes.

What about if you’re a North American driving license holder? Similarly, it’s good news: if you’ve been thinking about driving in Iceland with a US license or you’re asking if you can drive in Iceland with a Canadian license then you’ll have no problems so long as you meet the age criteria and have a licence that’s valid.

What about a license that’s issued outside Europe or North America?

Renters holding licenses from outside Europe or North America will need what’s known as an International Driving Permit (often referred to as an IDP) before they can get the keys to a rental car in Iceland. Iceland uses the 1949 version of the document. For example, holders of Australian driver’s licenses should try their state’s AAA motoring club or apply online before arriving in Iceland.

Where you get the IDP from varies according to the practice in your country; for instance, if you’re wondering if you can drive in Iceland with an Indian license, then you’ll need to head over to your nearest Regional Transport Office (RTO) to get your IDP. For a Japanese driver's license to be valid in Iceland, the IDP would typically be obtained from the Driver’s Licence Centre or police station.

Before driving in Iceland with a Singapore driving license, Singaporeans should apply for their IDP through the Automobile Association of Singapore (AAS). Those intending to bring a Malaysian driving license to Iceland can apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP) in Malaysia at a JPJ State or Branch Office, or at the Malaysia Automobile Association (MAA) office.

How about if you are hoping to use a Chinese driving license in Iceland? Unfortunately, mainland China doesn’t recognize the IDP. However, if you are planning on driving in Iceland with a Hong Kong license, you can get yours through the Hong Kong Automobile Association; it’s possible to apply online if you have an iAM Smart+ account.

What happens if the license isn’t written in a Latin script?

While many countries use a Latin script just like Iceland does, some use a different alphabet. In these cases, an official translation will be required alongside the original driving license, so that the representative on the desk can be sure that the driver is permitted to rent a car. The translation of its text can be into Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, or English.

This translation most commonly takes the form of an International Driving Permit and you will need to apply for it before you leave your home country. Some examples of this would include licenses written in Arabic, Greek, Cyrillic (adopted by countries such as Russia and Bulgaria), Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Chinese or other non-Latin languages. 

This isn’t an exhaustive list and of course, policies and procedures change. It’s always a good idea to check upfront before you make any firm arrangements. But even if you have to go through a few administrative hoops before you can drive in Iceland, it’s absolutely worth it. Seeing the country at your own pace and reaching those off-the-beaten-track places that tours overlook is something you won’t want to miss.