International Driver's License for Iceland

Most car rental agencies and local authorities in Iceland ask foreign visitors to carry an International Driver's License together with their home license. Iceland drives on the right, and an IDL provides an official translation that simplifies dealings with police, rental counters, and insurers. Get your IDL through E-ITA — apply online and receive your copy in minutes.

An IDL (International Driving License) and IDP (International Driving Permit) are the same document — a multilingual translation of your national license. In Iceland you carry it alongside your home license, never instead of it. It lets Icelandic rental staff and officials read a non-Latin or unfamiliar license format without difficulty.

Iceland generally allows visitors to drive on a valid foreign license during a tourist stay, with an IDL recommended to accompany it. The IDL does not extend that period; if you settle in Iceland you would need to look into a local license. For a typical trip, your home license plus an IDL is what rental agencies expect.

Iceland does not issue foreign-license translations to arriving tourists at a counter, so it is best to have your IDL before you fly. E-ITA's application is fully online, so you can complete it in a few minutes from anywhere — even shortly before departure — and land ready to collect your rental car without paperwork problems.

* People drive on the right side of the road.

* The minimum age to drive a car is 16 years old. The minimum age to rent a car is 20 years old.

* Iceland does have a national seat belt law. We recommend always wearing a seat belt if it is available.

* Iceland does have a national law prohibiting mobile phone use while driving. Using a hands-free device is permitted.

* Iceland does have a national law requiring the use of helmets when on motorcycle or scooter. This applies to both drivers and passengers. There is no age restriction for child passengers as long as they are wearing a helmet. Children who are 7 years or younger shall be placed in an appropriate child seat while children older than 7 years shall be able to have their feet reach the pedals.

* Legal Blood Alcohol Content Level: 0.05%. Do not drink and drive.

* The maximum driving speed is 50 km/h (31 miles/hour) in urban areas and 90 km/h (55 miles/hour) in rural areas.

Iceland's legal blood alcohol limit is 0.05%, and enforcement is strict. Given challenging weather and remote roads, the safest choice is to avoid alcohol entirely before driving.

Iceland's roads include gravel stretches, single-lane bridges, and rapidly changing weather, and many highland F-roads require a 4x4 and are open only in summer. Off-road driving is illegal and heavily penalized to protect the fragile landscape. Your IDL keeps you compliant, but caution and the right vehicle keep you safe.

Rental desks in Iceland commonly ask foreign drivers to show an IDL along with their home license. The minimum rental age is generally 20, so carry the physical IDL booklet, your national license, and a passport to keep pickup smooth — many rentals are collected right at Keflavík Airport.

You apply online through E-ITA in just a few minutes. There is no need to visit an office in Iceland — you enter the details from your existing national license and receive your International Driver's License promptly, ready to be carried alongside your home license when you pick up a rental car.