F-roads: 4x4 only
RequiredHighland 'F-roads' are gravel, unbridged, and legally restricted to 4x4 vehicles. Standard hire-car insurance is void if you take a 2WD car onto an F-road.
← All country guides
Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Iceland
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Iceland: 2 legal requirements + 1 other things worth knowing.
2
Required
1
Recommended
0
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Iceland
2 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
F-roads: 4x4 only
Highland 'F-roads' are gravel, unbridged, and legally restricted to 4x4 vehicles. Standard hire-car insurance is void if you take a 2WD car onto an F-road.
Headlights on at all times
Dipped headlights required 24/7 in Iceland: even in mid-summer when it's bright at midnight.
Driving rules
Headlights on at all times
RequiredDipped headlights required 24/7 in Iceland: even in mid-summer when it's bright at midnight.
Environment
Sand-and-ash insurance for the south coast
RecommendedWindstorms can sandblast paint off a car along the South Coast. SAAP insurance is sold by all hire-car desks: well worth £5/day for sustained driving in the area.
Plan your Iceland road trip
We'll build the itinerary, estimate fuel + tolls, and show EV chargers along the route, and this checklist appears automatically on every trip that crosses into Iceland.
Start planning →Popular destinations in Iceland
Places to add to your Iceland road trip.
Don't get caught out
Watch out for these
F-roads: 4x4 only
RequiredHighland 'F-roads' are gravel, unbridged, and legally restricted to 4x4 vehicles. Standard hire-car insurance is void if you take a 2WD car onto an F-road.
Headlights on at all times
RequiredDipped headlights required 24/7 in Iceland: even in mid-summer when it's bright at midnight.