Getting a drivers license

To drive a car in Iceland, you need a driving license. If you are in Iceland for a short time, an overseas driving license is generally accepted as valid.

Here you can find the regulations regarding driving licenses in Iceland (in Icelandic only). Article 29 covers the validity of foreign driving licenses in Iceland. Contact the District Commissioner for more information about what rules are in effect regarding driving licenses in general, whether they be Icelandic or foreign.

Driving licenses issued in the European Economic Area (EEA) are valid in Iceland, for the same class of vehicle for which they were issued in the country of origin.  A license remains valid until its expiry date, although not past the age of seventy. Driving licenses issued in non-EEA countries are valid for up to one month after the license holder has registered a legal domicile in Iceland.

“Off road driving is illegal in Iceland! Icelandic nature is unique and untouched in vast areas, and we want to keep it that way in the future. Off road driving is subject to high fines and even imprisonment!”

How to get a driver’s license?

The general legal age for driving in Iceland is seventeen. To obtain authorization to take your driving test, you must apply for a driving license with your local District Commissioner or the Police Commissioner of the Reykjavik Metropolitan Police in Reykjavik. You can apply anywhere in Iceland, wherever you are a resident.

Driving tests are regularly conducted by Frumherji, which has service locations throughout the country and organizes tests on behalf of the Icelandic Transport Authority. When a student driver receives a test authorization, a written test has to be taken. A practical test may be taken only once the written test has been passed. Students may have an interpreter with them in both tests but must pay for such services themselves.

See info on the Frumherji site (in Icelandic).