Do I Need an International Drivers Permit for Iceland?

If you are a tourist who wants to fully explore its capital Reykjavik with an Iceland car rental or another location which features the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights in the country, then it is highly recommended to get your International Driver's Permit (IDP). This is a document which translates your valid driver's license into 12 widely used languages worldwide. By having this, you can resolve language barriers especially during checkpoints and even during the process of car rentals.

However, what you must know about an IDP is how they are not standalone documents that will allow you to drive in this country. They will only be recognized and considered valid, if accompanied by your valid National Driving Licence from your home country.

Can You Drive with US License in Iceland?

Yes, driving with your US License can be done in Iceland. However, the only way for this to be considered legal is when you have your IDP with you. For the International Driving Permit is the document that will translate your driver's license for you when you drive vehicles in the country.

What is Required to Drive in Iceland?

The items which are required for you to drive in this country as a visiting tourist are the following:

• Your Valid Home Driving Licence
• Your valid IDP
• A car rental you will pick up from the car rental company or at the airport (such as the keflavik international airport, reykjavik airport, etc.)
• A collision damage waiver insurance coverage

Here are also some of the things you need to keep in mind when driving abroad in countries like Iceland, Norway, Greenland, or any other country, especially in its mountain roads.

• Emergency number in cases of car breakdowns
• The number of roadside assistance from the car rental company itself, if they offer this.
• Speed Cameras, to help claim insurance when assessing accidents

Are Iceland F Roads Worth It?

The mountain roads are worth driving in due to the wonderful views they can promise you, however, this can only be done with a four wheel drive only. With a 4x4 vehicle, you can withstand harsh road conditions where you may encounter crossing rivers, potholes, and gravel roads.

Iceland, the island of fire and ice, became one of the world's top travel destinations because of its thrill-seeking adventures and beautiful natural landscapes. Here, you'll find active volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, glaciers, and many more.

To know more about the country, we have listed some of the destinations that would best describe the country's beautiful sceneries.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Jökulsárlón (yu-kuls-aur-lon) was formed around 1935 because of its rising temperatures at the start of the twentieth century. Today, the expansion of Jökulsárlón is accelerating, and it is expected that the lagoon will continue to grow until it becomes a vast deep fjord.

Iceland's most famous glacier lagoon is approximately 60 kilometers east of Skaftafell, where giant icebergs float in peace. The beautiful blue glacier lagoon is where seals swim around the countless mountains of ice that regularly break off the Breiðamerkurjökull (brei-the-mersh-ker-yu-kull) glacier ice cap.

When is the best time to go?

The best time to drive to Jökulsárlón, is in winter. Winter driving will give you a chance to experience the atmosphere of Jökulsárlón and why it became one of the most visited destinations in the country. But, you may also go during the summertime. The people in Jökulsárlón made sure to have all kinds of activities for every month of the year so that you may plan your visit to Jökulsárlón anytime.

What can I do in Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon?

During summer and winter, a boat tour will take you to the lagoon in a boat where you will see the magnificent glaciers and wildlife within the vast icebergs and will even get the chance to taste the 1000-year-old ice. But in late autumn, boats can no longer sail on the lagoon and depart from Jökulsárlón to a different ice miracle.

What makes it famous?

Jökulsárlón ranked as one of the top lagoons because its lake is filled with the meltwater from an outlet glacier. It stands out since it also overflows with icebergs breaking from the glacier, some of which tower several stories high. This charming location is the highlight of many self-drive tours and guided packages. There are also underground rivers of meltwater in summer that cut through Vatnajökull, the country's largest glacier, where these rivers create a vast underground network of sapphire ice channels.

Skaftafell Nature Reserve

The Skaftafell is a national reserve in the southeast that embodies unusual landscapes beyond compare to anywhere in the world. It covers over 4800 square kilometers that are composed of rivers that cut through a great black desert. It is an oasis of the nation's various landscapes and features. It was once a national park in its own right.

What makes it famous?

Skaftafell Nature Reserve is known for its beautiful hiking trails, often called "hiking paradise." There are easy treks that lead to several sites such as the waterfall Svartifoss, circled by bizarre and beautiful basalt columns and glaciers.

What can you do at Skaftafell Nature Reserve?

With the right guide, you can try either ice climbing or glacier hiking. These activities are two of the most authentically Icelandic experiences you can partake, while you're in the country. If you wish to climb the country's highest peak, the Hvannadalshnúkur, Skaftafell, is also the perfect base camp.

When is the best time to go?

Suppose you want to visit Skaftafell at its warmest time. In that case, the hottest months are June to August, where the warmest is generally in late July at around 56.3 degrees Fahrenheit (13.5 degrees Celsius), with the temperature dropping below 46.1 degrees Fahrenheit (7.8 degrees Celsius) on rare occasions at night.

The Golden Circle

The Golden Circle offers spectacular sights and a glimpse into this country's history and culture. It is the most popular tourist place in the country, where the Haukadalur, Gullfoss, and Thingvellir are the main attractions.

What makes it famous?

The three destinations in the Golden Circle have different specifications on how they became one of the country's historical places. In Haukadalur, an area crowned by the geyser Strokkur, it spouts an enormous amount of hot water up to 20 meters into the air every 10 minutes.

The Gullfoss is the most traveled waterfall in the country as it echoes on theHvítá River, falling into the impressive 70-meter deep Hvítá canyon. On sunny days you would see a rainbow that stretches through the waterfalls and displays peace together with the waterfalls roaring power. Lastly, Thingvellir is a UNESCO's world heritage site, a national park of rich beauty and overflowing with historical and geological significance and the birthplace of Icelandic culture and democracy, the perfect completion of the golden circle tour.

What can you do at the Golden Circle?

Hiking, camping, and Swimming are the top activities to do in these locations. Just make sure to be mindful of your litter to preserve each landscape.

When is the best time to go?

If you plan to go on a road trip in these destinations, the best time would be in the summer. You would see a clear view of the geyser's eruption, the iconic rocky fields of the waterfalls, and the perfect sunrise and sunsets on Thingvellir.

Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Snaefellsnes Peninsula is in the west of the country, and is often referred to as "Iceland in miniature," because of the different varieties of geological phenomena it contains. If you had the chance to have a day tour of the Peninsula, you'd get to see and experience many of this country's most sought-out natural wonders.

What makes it famous?

Within Snaefellsnes, there is a glacier-capped volcano called Snaefellsjökul. It is found at the tip of the Peninsula with an elevation of 1446 meters. Some have claimed that the glacier is a center of tremendous and pure dynamic power and maintains it to be one of the seven most important cosmic energy centers on the planet.

What can you do at the Snaefellsnes Peninsula?

You can take a hiking trail to see the incredible scenery before heading to Ytri Tunga (where the largest seal colonies nest) or Kirkjufell mountain, where trickling streams and whispering rivers surround it. The journey in Snaefellsnes is a fulfillment to anyone who wants to travel here.

When is the best time to go?

If you want to travel to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, the best time would be in the summer. Sites like the Ytri Tunga and Kirkjufell mountain are at its best appearance during summer, and you could even camp during summer.

The Westman Island

Westman Island or Vestmannaeyjar in Icelandic is a group of 15 islands and over 30 massive cliffs, rocks, and skerries that are 70 kilometers off the southern coast.

What makes it famous?

Heimaey, the largest of all islands, has a rough population of 4100 and is the only populated island of the entire archipelago. It is also the home of the puffin's largest colony on the planet. And even though the island's volcano, called Eldfell (Mountain of Fire), erupted on January 23, 1973, after 5000 years of being dormant, the island remains one of the safest and most peaceful areas in the North Atlantic.

What can you do on Westman Island?

You can start your journey on to Eldfell volcanic crater and take in the beautiful scenery before going to Eldheimar. A museum built on top of an excavated house buried in the ash of 1973 and take a boat where you can explore Westman Islands incredible caves and cliffs that inhabits the largest puffin colony in the world.

When is the best time to go?

Traveling to the island in the summer is the best time. You will get a chance to feel the island's archipelago in the summer and even have the opportunity to see all kinds of animals that the island has populated.

Understanding the rules of the road in a foreign country is crucial, especially when it comes to Iceland driving rules, like their speed limits. You may wonder, are car rental companies in Iceland strict? Indeed, they are because Iceland takes its driving regulations very seriously. It's essential to familiarize yourself with Iceland driving rules before getting behind the wheel. Keep in mind that adhering to these rules is not only necessary but if not followed, you could be faced with fines or, worse, become involved in a dangerous accident.

Driving Under the Influence

Before opting for a rental car, note that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal in Iceland. The country has a very slippery road, and one slip up could cost you your life. If you are caught under the influence, the minimum punishment for first offenders is a fine of at least 100,000 ISK (Icelandic Krona) and loss of driving privileges for four months.

Weather Conditions

Weather conditions should always be monitored because it can quickly change. Most people (tourists and locals) tend to ignore the country's wind and weather warnings, making it dangerous for their safety. Suppose you want to check for any information about the weather; in that case, the Icelandic meteorological society (government in Iceland) is responsible for all the advisory if it is safe to drive or not.

Speed Limit

Because of the ice and snow on the roads, the general speed limit in populated areas is 30-50 km/hour, on gravel roads in rural areas is 80 km/hour and on paved roads is 90 km/hr. If you ever see a blue rectangular shape sign with white letters, it is to advise you that the road has lower speed limits. The signs for speed limits are essentially used in troubled spots on rural highways, like a sharp corner or a single-lane bridge.

Road Stop

We know that Iceland is a beautiful place, and you may want to have a quick picture of the scenery, but don't ever stop in the middle of the road. Many people have died from doing this because they either want to see the beautiful landscape or need to grab something at the back of the seat. There are many pull-out or small side roads in Iceland; you simply need to drive to one.

Seatbelt Laws

Because this country has some crazy weather, wearing a seatbelt is one of their rules when driving in the country. Also, if you have a child under 12 years old, they must ride in the backseat. If you drive without a seatbelt, you will get stopped and fined by the police. Although there are no penalties for this rule, they strictly advise you to follow it to avoid any major road accidents.

Headlights

Another safety law is to always keep your headlights on, day and night. If someone flashes their headlights at you, that is because yours are turned off. Turning on headlights will indicate your approach when there is a sharp corner ahead and prevent a potential collision.

Mobile Phones

Driving while holding your phone is strictly illegal; you will need to use a hands-free device. Especially when you're driving during winter, you must be using a hands-free device because you may easily get in an accident.

Road Signs

In Iceland, you might see some weird signs on the road while driving. These signs were made specifically for the country because most travelers and some locals tend to get absurd accidents like falling off a riverbank. Also, most streets are heavily populated with animals, and they tend to wander the roads. To know about these road signs in Iceland before driving is better than going around the country blindly, and for you to know them, we have listed some of the unusual signs that you might encounter.

• Heavy Crosswinds in the Area warning sign is a triangle-shaped sign with a black and white striped flag and should be taken seriously by anyone who plans to drive in the country. A road with this road sign should highly consider taking other routes (if there's any) because of the dangerous winds ahead.
• Warning signs for animals are very common on residential streets and roads in the middle of the forest. The sign has a drawing of either a sheep, reindeer, or cow. When you see road signs like these while driving in Iceland, it is best to slow down and be alert about your surroundings.
• No entry allowed is a weird warning sign because it's a blank circle with a red lining. There's no drawing or letters indicated in the sign, and if you see this while driving, it is mostly because the street is part of private property.

Driving Age in Iceland

Before driving you should know the minimum and maximum age limit of driving license holders in the country first. If you are driving here, the minimum license age requirement must be at least 17 years old for locals but, if you're a tourist and needs to rent a car, you must be at least 20 years old (age may vary by car category), and drivers under the age of 25 may have to pay for a young driver fee. Generally, there is no maximum age limit when driving in the country.

Driving Side

If you're wondering which side of the road Iceland drives on (left or the right). Well, if you're from a country that operates on the left, you wouldn't have a hard time in Iceland because they also drive on the left side of the car.