If you decide to rent a campervan or a motorhome for your trip to Iceland, it is normal that the first thing you think of is thedriver’s license requirements. Do I need a special license to drive in Iceland? Is my license valid for a motorhome? This is quite normal as most of you are probably used to driving standard cars in your countries and never wondered if it allows you to also drive some bigger models. We will answer all those questions in this article so you can be ready for your road trip!
Driver’s Licenses valid to rent a campervan or a motorhome in Iceland
For most of the countries, the license issued in your home country is valid in Iceland as well. This is for all those who are holding a Type B European license. This permit allows you to drive any vehicle up to 3,500 kg, which is 3.5 tons. This might seem like a lot for some of you right? To give you an idea, a standard compact car weighs around 1.5 tons to 2.0 tons. You can also check the differences between a campervan and a motorhome in our post dedicated to this subject.
A motorhome’s weight usually does not exceed 3.5 tons, even though they look enormous. They are not that heavy as you might think. Campervns are even lighter those can weight between 2-2.5 tons. You probably thought it would be more than 3.5 tons right? For many it is a surprise but those vehicles only look massive. To give you an idea, a Renault traffic model is around 1,400 kg on its own. Adapted to be a camper it definitely doesn’t exceed 2,500 kg!
Exceptions
There are, however, some restrictions regarding your drivers license in Iceland. It is required to be written in English or Latin characters so it can be easily read and understood.
That is the case for countries like China (characters), Saudia Arabia (Arabic), Russia (Cyrillic). In that case, you will need to get an International Driving Permit or get a sworn translation of your license. The translation can be in English, Danish Norwegian or Swedish.
Some of the licenses only allow to drive vehicles up to 2,500 kg which for some models we rent it would be not sufficient. If this is your case, do not hesitate to contact us in order to check which model would be suitable for your rental.
International Driving Permit (IDP)
Many people confuse this term and use “international driver’s license” even though there is no such thing. International Driving Permit is nothing more than an official validation of your home license. It states that it is valid to drive in other countries. It makes it easy for the authorities of the country you visit to read your license and states clearly if it is valid for driving or not.
Please beware that the IDP is not valid on its own. It always has to be acompanied by your original drivers license.
The application process is quite simple. You’ll need to go through an official government organization and apply online for your IDP. Visit the link below to see the whole list of the official entities that can issue your International Driving Permit.
Age requirements
Okay so we’ve cleared up the information regarding your driver’s license and you know that you are allowed to rent a campervan or a motorhome in Iceland. Now it is time to check the age requirements for the certain models.
The minimum age requirements for the rental is from 20- 25 years old depending on the model.
Age requirement for 2WD campers : 20 years old
Age requirement for 4WD campers : 23 years old
Age requirement for all motorhomes: 25 years old
Note that your driver’s license needs to have been held for at least one year prior to the rental. What happens if you renew your license? If the issue date is not stated on your new license, you will need to bring us the old driver’s license. If this is not possible, any official document that certifies the issue date of your first license will suffice.
What License Do I Need to Drive a Motorhome or Campervan in Iceland?
Just to summarize all the information gathered in this article. In order to rent a campervan or a motorhome in Iceland, you need a valid license held for at least one year. It needs to be valid for vehicles that weigh up to 3,500 kg.
Your license needs to be in English or written in Latin characters so it can be read by the authorities from another country.
Remember to check these details before your arrival. If you are not sure what are the restrictions of your license, compare it with the standard Category B European license. It is very important so you don’t have anything to worry about and can simply enoy your trip around Iceland.
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