Fixed speed camera
Löggæslumyndavél
Looks like: A grey rectangular box fixed to a pole beside the road.
Catches: Speeding.
A sign with this name warns of an automatic police camera ahead.
Driving in Iceland: the road rules for visitors
In Iceland you drive on the right, with the steering wheel on the left, and roundabouts go anticlockwise. At junctions without signs or road markings, traffic from your right goes first, even from a small side street.
Watch for fixed, mobile and average speed cameras.
RightSide of the road
50km/h in towns
90km/h on country roads
0.02blood alcohol limit
Noturning right on red
112emergency number
The rules that catch visitors out
The most important first.
Priority to the right
At a junction with no signs, signals or road markings, give way to traffic coming from your right, even from a small side street. Where paths cross at a junction or open area with no signs, give way to the vehicle on your right.
Single-lane bridges
Many bridges are only one lane wide and carry traffic in both directions, including 26 on the Ring Road. The car closer to the bridge, which reaches it first, has the right of way. Slow down, and if a car is coming the other way, stop and let it cross before you drive on.
Paved roads turn to gravel
Paved roads can suddenly become gravel, and crashes happen when drivers do not slow down for the change. A sign reading Malbik endar warns you. The limit on gravel is 80 km/h. Stones thrown up by passing cars can break windscreens, so slow down when you meet another car.
Blind hills
Blind hills and bends are common, and the two directions are often not separated. The law requires you to drive slowly at blind hills, and bans overtaking and stopping at or near them. Keep right. The warning sign reads Blindhæð, or Blindhæðir where there are several.
Sheep on the road
Sheep, and sometimes horses or cattle, graze beside and on the road, most of all from June to August. Slow down when you see them, because they may run across the road to rejoin their group.
F-roads are for 4x4s and open only in summer
Highland roads with an F before the number are for four-wheel-drive vehicles only, and some need a large or modified 4x4. Hire insurance is void if you take a two-wheel-drive car onto one, and no insurance covers damage while crossing a river. Most open only from late June or early July until mid-September. Closures are strictly enforced with heavy fines.
Off-road driving is banned
Driving off roads and tracks is strictly forbidden. In the highlands it can lead to prosecution, large fines or prison under the Nature Conservation Act. In towns, driving or parking off the road costs ISK 20,000.
Roads close in bad weather
Storms can close roads without warning, in winter and sometimes into June. Check umferdin.is or call 1777 before every drive, and never drive past a closure.
No stopping on the road for photos
Stopping at the roadside to take photos is banned. The law also bans stopping in tunnels, on or under bridges, and at or near blind hills and bends. Drive on to a parking area before you stop.
Pedestrian streets (göngugötur)
Motor vehicles are generally not allowed, with some exemptions. Where: Signposted pedestrian streets in town centres. Watch for pedestrian street signs in town centres, and do not follow a navigation app into one.
Tolls with no booths
The Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel and the new Ring Road section in Hornafjörður charge tolls. There are no booths. Cameras read the number plate, and you pay online within 24 hours. Vaðlaheiðargöng costs ISK 2,216 for a single trip in a car under 3.5 tonnes. Pay at veggjald.is or tunnel.is in the 24 hours before or after you drive through. If the Vaðlaheiðargöng toll is not paid within 24 hours, a claim goes to the online bank of the vehicle's keeper, which for a hire car is the rental company. Unpaid claims go to debt collection with an extra charge.
6 more rules worth knowing
Strong wind
Strong gusts are frequent in places, and a warning sign reading Sviptivindur marks them. Slow down there and keep both hands on the wheel. Park facing into the wind and hold the door firmly when you open it, because gusts can damage doors. Check whether your hire insurance covers sand and ash storm damage, because standard cover at some companies does not.
Headlights on all the time
Headlights must be on whenever you drive, day and night, all year. The fine is ISK 20,000.
Two-lane roundabouts
In a two-lane roundabout, the inner lane has priority. If you are in the outer lane, give way to cars leaving from the inner lane. Use the outer lane if you will leave at the first exit, and do not change lanes inside the roundabout.
Speed limits
The sign with the town's name on it sets the town limit by itself, usually with no speed sign.
What the car must carry
The car must carry child seats. Hire cars should have them, but check before you drive away, because the driver gets the fine.
Drink driving
The blood alcohol limit is 0.02. From 0.2 g/L of alcohol in the blood, or 0.1 mg/L in the breath, a driver is treated as unable to drive safely. From 1.2 g/L the driver is treated as unfit to drive.
Speed limits
Where no sign says otherwise, in kilometres per hour.
Towns and cities
Signs often set other limits. Residential streets are typically 30 km/h, through roads 60 km/h, and main roads through urban areas 60 to 80 km/h.
Country roads
90 km/h applies on paved roads outside towns. On gravel roads the limit is 80 km/h.
Dual carriageways
There is no higher default for divided roads. The law allows signs of up to 110 km/h where the two directions are separated, but Vegagerðin says 90 km/h is the fastest legal speed in Iceland.
- The limit drops from 90 to 80 km/h where a paved road turns to gravel.
- The urban rules, including the 50 km/h default, start at the urban area sign (Þéttbýli) and end at the end-of-urban-area sign (Þéttbýli lokið).
- You must always adapt your speed to the conditions, and the law requires you to drive slowly at blind hills.
- Blue signs with a white number show a recommended speed for a hazard ahead. It is always lower than the limit.
- Signs on the main routes from international airports and ferry ports, and out of the capital area, remind drivers of the general limits.
Who goes first
Look left first
You stop at the stop line.
Priority to the right
Both cars arrive at a junction with no signs or lines.
Roundabouts go anticlockwise
You arrive at the give way line.
The app animates all 7 junctions for Iceland, including the ones above.
Open it in the appSigns to know
Single-lane bridgeEinbreið brú
The bridge ahead is only one lane wide and carries traffic in both directions.
Blind hillBlindhæð
The road crosses a hill that hides oncoming traffic. Often the two directions are not separated.
Paved road endsMalbik endar
The paved surface ends and a gravel road begins.
Automatic police cameraLöggæslumyndavél
An automatic police camera ahead may photograph traffic offences such as speeding.
Average speed checkMeðalhraðaeftirlit
Your average speed is measured over the section of road that starts here.
Speed limitHámarkshraði
The maximum speed in km/h.
Recommended speed
The recommended speed for a bend, hill or other hazard ahead. It is always lower than the speed limit.
Give wayBiðskylda
Give way to traffic on the road you are joining.
StopStöðvunarskylda
Stop completely and give way to traffic on the road you are joining.
AnimalsDýr
Animals, often sheep, may be on or beside the road.
Strong gustsSviptivindur
Strong gusts of wind are frequent on this stretch.
No entry
No entry for vehicles from your direction.
Speed cameras
Fixed speed cameras stand beside roads across the country, and a sign warns of automatic police cameras. Average speed checks are signposted where the section starts. Police also photograph speeding drivers at changing spots. Fines reach hire car drivers through the rental company.
Average speed camera
SignpostedMeðalhraðaeftirlit
Catches: Your average speed between two camera points.
A sign marks the start of each section. Equipment was installed and tested on Grindavíkurvegur and Norðfjarðarvegur in 2021.
Mobile camera
Catches: Speeding.
Police in the capital area photograph speeding drivers at changing spots, such as Vesturlandsvegur at Kjalarnes, and publish the results. Rental companies report that mobile cameras are moved between spots.
Every camera type in Iceland, the warning signs and how fines reach you
Licence and International Driving Permits
| Licence from | Permit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Iceland, the EU, Ireland | Not needed | Licences issued in the EEA (the EU, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein) and the Faroe Islands are valid in Iceland while the licence itself is valid. |
| United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada | Not needed | A licence from outside the EEA is valid if it is printed in Latin letters, which these are. It lets you drive the vehicles your licence covers at home. |
| Japan | Required | A licence from outside the EEA must be in Latin letters or come with a translation into English, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish. An International Driving Permit also counts as a foreign licence. Carry an IDP or such a translation with a Japanese licence. |
What to carry
- Driving licence
- A translation or an International Driving Permit if your licence is not in Latin letters
Zones and tolls
Pedestrian streets (göngugötur)
Motor vehicles are generally not allowed, with some exemptions. Where: Signposted pedestrian streets in town centres.
Tip: Watch for pedestrian street signs in town centres, and do not follow a navigation app into one.
Tolls
The Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel and the new Ring Road section in Hornafjörður charge tolls. There are no booths. Cameras read the number plate, and you pay online within 24 hours.
- Vaðlaheiðargöng costs ISK 2,216 for a single trip in a car under 3.5 tonnes. Pay at veggjald.is or tunnel.is in the 24 hours before or after you drive through.
- If the Vaðlaheiðargöng toll is not paid within 24 hours, a claim goes to the online bank of the vehicle's keeper, which for a hire car is the rental company. Unpaid claims go to debt collection with an extra charge.
- The new Ring Road section in Hornafjörður has been tolled since 1 September 2026. A single trip in a car under 3.5 tonnes costs ISK 1,500. Pay at spolur.is within 24 hours of the trip.
- If you do not pay the Hornafjörður toll in time in a hire car, the rental company bills you and may add a service fee.
- Visitors who bring their own foreign-registered vehicle must pay a fixed driving fee (akstursgjald) for their stay.
Fuel and parking
| At the pump | Means |
|---|---|
| Bensín | Petrol (gasoline). The pump nozzle is green. |
| Dísil, Dísel or Dísill | Diesel. The pump nozzle is often black. |
- Do not stop on the road to take photos. Stopping is banned in tunnels, on or under bridges, and at or near blind hills and bends. Drive on to a parking area.
- In Reykjavík, parking without paying or staying past your paid time brings an extra parking charge of ISK 4,500.
- In Reykjavík, parking where it is banned costs ISK 10,000, and parking in a disabled space without a permit costs ISK 20,000.
- Paying a Reykjavík parking charge within 3 working days takes ISK 1,100 off.
- In Akureyri, parking is free, but you must display a parking clock.
- Parking fines on a hire car go to the rental company, which charges them to you with a handling fee.
Seasons and weather
- Highland roads are usually closed from mid-September until June or July, and open only once the snow has gone. From 2021 to 2025, Sprengisandur (F26) opened on 6 July on average, Fjallabaksleið nyrðri (F208) from Sigalda to Landmannalaugar on 2 June, and Kjalvegur (35) from Gullfoss to Hveravellir on 1 June.
- Winter storms can close roads without warning, and storms in the north have closed roads into June.
- Glacial rivers can flood suddenly and wash out roads and bridges for weeks. The area most at risk is south and east of Vatnajökull.
- Free-roaming sheep are most common on and beside roads from June to August.
- Long summer days can tempt you to drive too long. Rest before you get tired.
Driving in the cities
Reykjavík
Residential streets are typically 30 km/h and through roads 60 km/h.
Police regularly photograph speeding drivers on main roads such as Vesturlandsvegur and publish the results.
Parking without paying or staying past your paid time brings an extra charge of ISK 4,500. Parking where it is banned costs ISK 10,000.
Akureyri
Parking is free, but you must display a parking clock.
Höfn (Hornafjörður)
The new Ring Road section through Hornafjörður has been tolled since 1 September 2026. A trip in a car costs ISK 1,500. Pay at spolur.is within 24 hours.
The new road removed three single-lane bridges, leaving 26 on the Ring Road.
Questions people ask about driving in Iceland
What is the speed limit in Iceland?
90 km/h on paved roads outside towns, 80 km/h on gravel roads and 50 km/h in towns, unless signs say otherwise. 90 km/h is the highest legal speed in the country.
Do I need an International Driving Permit to drive in Iceland?
Not if your licence is printed in Latin letters, as licences from the EEA, the UK, Switzerland, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are. Otherwise you need an IDP or a translation into English, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish.
Do you need headlights on during the day in Iceland?
Yes. Headlights must be on at all times while driving, day and night.
Who has priority on a single-lane bridge in Iceland?
The car closer to the bridge, which reaches it first. Slow down, and stop to let an oncoming car cross if it will get there before you.
Can I drive an F-road in a normal car?
No. F-roads are for four-wheel-drive vehicles only, and hire insurance is void if you take a two-wheel-drive car onto one. No insurance covers damage from crossing a river.
How do I pay the Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel toll?
Online at veggjald.is or tunnel.is, in the 24 hours before or after you drive through. A single trip in a car costs ISK 2,216.
What is the drink-drive limit in Iceland?
0.2 g/L of alcohol in the blood. Above that you are treated as unable to drive safely, and from 0.5 g/L you face a fine and a driving ban.
Can I drive off-road in Iceland?
No. Driving off roads and tracks is strictly forbidden and can lead to large fines, prosecution or prison.
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Iceland for drivers from…
The same guide, with only what's different from home.
Sources
Checked 15 October 2026. Official sources first.
- Umferðarlög nr. 77/2019 (Road Traffic Act) Alþingi
- Driving in Iceland Safetravel (ICE-SAR)
- Helstu nýmæli í nýjum umferðarlögum Stjórnarráð Íslands
- Reglugerð nr. 1240/2019 um sektir og önnur viðurlög vegna brota á umferðarlögum Ísland.is
- Road safety for all Icelandic Police
- Samið um meðalhraðaeftirlit sem eykur umferðaröryggi Stjórnarráð Íslands
- Driving tickets and fines in Iceland Hertz Iceland
- Traffic Info Vegagerðin (Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration)
- Hornafjörður Ring road tolls collected from September 1st onwards Vegagerðin
- Mountain roads Vegagerðin
- Spölur: veggjald á Hringvegi um Hornafjörð Spölur ehf. (Vegagerðin)
- Spurt og svarað Spölur ehf. (Vegagerðin)
- Verð og greiðsluleiðir Vaðlaheiðargöng
- Hámarkshraði ökutækja Ísland.is (Lögreglan)
- Do foreign driving licences apply in Iceland? Samgöngustofa (Icelandic Transport Authority)
- Reglugerð nr. 830/2011 um ökuskírteini Ísland.is
- The Icelandic Highland Interior Vegagerðin
- Driving safely in Iceland Vegagerðin
- Opening of mountain roads Vegagerðin
- Reglugerð nr. 965/2026 um að greiða fyrir upplýsingaskiptum yfir landamæri í tengslum við umferðarlagabrot Stjórnartíðindi (Ísland.is)
- Safetravel Safetravel (ICE-SAR)
- Umferðarlög nr. 77/2019, lagasafn útgáfa 157c (1 September 2026) Alþingi
- Umferðarlög nr. 77/2019, lagasafn útgáfa 158a Alþingi
- Reglugerð nr. 250/2024 um umferðarmerki og notkun þeirra Ísland.is
- Road signs in Iceland AARoads Wiki
- Everything You Need to Know About Road Signs in Iceland Guide to Iceland
- Hraðakstur á Vesturlandsvegi á Kjalarnesi (18 February 2025) Lögreglan
- Iceland Speeding Tickets: Fines, Cameras and Rental Car Rules Reykjavik Cars
- Highland driving Safetravel (ICE-SAR)
- The F-Roads of Iceland Blue Car Rental
- Blue Car Rental guide to road signs in Iceland Blue Car Rental
- Handbók um umferðarmerki, flokkur 600: Upplýsingamerki (March 2025) Vegagerðin
- How to drive in Iceland: driving tips and road traffic signs Hertz Iceland
- Traffic signs Sixt Iceland
- Reglugerð nr. 1060/2026 um vanhæfismörk við stjórn ökutækis vegna neyslu lyfja Stjórnartíðindi (Ísland.is)