Frequently asked questions

The physical driving license of every driver (held for at least one year and valid for the whole rental), a valid passport or national identity card, and a physical credit or debit card in the renter's name with enough available funds or credit for the hold on your card (pre-authorization). Digital licenses, screenshots and scans are not accepted, except an Icelandic digital license verified live through Ísland.is. If a license is not in the Latin alphabet, bring an International Driving Permit (IDP) with the original (rental terms 3, 4, 7).

A full license from the EEA, the UK, the US, Canada and most other countries is accepted if it shows your photo, has been held for at least one year, is valid for the whole rental and has no major endorsements. You do NOT need an IDP for a license in the Latin alphabet, such as a US, Canadian, UK or EEA license. A license that is not in the Latin alphabet (for example from China or Japan) needs an International Driving Permit (IDP) with the original — or, where the country issues no IDP (for example mainland China), a certified translation, or a TIDL, sworn or officially authorized translation plus your passport (rental terms 3).

At least 20. For SUVs, 4x4s and vans (our Comfort, 4×4 Adventure, Highland 4×4 and Family & Space categories) the minimum age is 25, but we may, at our discretion, allow drivers aged 20 to 24 to rent them for the young driver fee of €15 per day. There is no maximum age and no senior-driver fee. Every driver needs a physical license held for at least one year (rental terms 2–3, 40(d)).

Yes. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, China UnionPay, Discover and Diners Club as credit or debit cards, and Apple Pay and Google Pay, with no card surcharge; JCB is not accepted. Debit-card renters do not have to buy extra cover. You need a physical card in the renter's name, valid for 90 days after the rental, with enough available funds or credit for the card hold — also when you pay by phone; prepaid, purchasing, anonymous and virtual cards are not accepted. Cash in EUR, ISK, USD or GBP may be accepted on arrival (rental terms 6–7).

Often not the way you'd expect. A card's rental-car cover usually pays you back later: you pay the Icelandic repair bill in full first, then claim it back at home. And the Iceland-specific risks (gravel, sand and ash, water, and F-road or off-road damage) are exactly what many cards exclude, along with many 4x4s. Check your card's terms for Iceland. On this website BASIC + SCDW is already in the price (excess €1,000), and Tire and Windshield Protection and Sand and Ash Protection are made for the local risks. If you would rather rely on your card, you can decline CDW when you book or at pickup, at the same price: you are then liable for damage up to the value of the car and extras, which we charge to you directly for you to claim back. The Theft Waiver and the legally required insurance still apply (rental terms 35).

Since 1 January 2026 Iceland charges a kilometer fee (kílómetragjald) on rental cars. We show it as the road-use charge: €10.50 per started rental day, as its own line in your quote and included in the total before you pay. It is the official daily rate (ISK 1,390 in 2026), passed on without markup or VAT, plus our processing charge including VAT, and it is refunded if a booking is canceled or not collected (rental terms 41).

Partly, depending on what you choose. BASIC + SCDW, included in every price on this website, gives you a €1,000 excess for covered collision damage. It does not cover damage only to wheels, tires, suspension, batteries, the windshield, roof or radios, or damage from windblown sand, gravel, ash, pumice or earth. Tire and Windshield Protection (€20 a day, which gives you PLUS) replaces, at no cost for the part, a tire damaged on its own and a front windshield damaged by gravel from another vehicle. Sand and Ash Protection (€15 a day) covers all damage from sandstorms, erosion and ash with no excess, except in an area under an orange or red wind warning. MAX (€40 a day) includes both, takes your excess to €0 and also covers wheels and tires; damage only to suspension, batteries, roof or radios stays excluded. The damage administration fee (€150) applies each time damage is charged, with every cover option. No cover option covers water or undercarriage damage, and sand and ash damage is covered only with Sand and Ash Protection or MAX: such damage, found at the return inspection, is charged in full, and we may place a hold of up to €10,000 on your card for it (rental terms 7, 36, 38).

Yes. Our Comfort SUVs and the Highland 4×4 are automatic, and the 4×4 Adventure category has both automatic and manual models; Everyday cars and the 9-seat Family & Space van are manual. Every car on Our cars shows its gearbox, and you can filter by it. If you need an automatic in summer, book early.

Some models are hybrids, a plug-in hybrid among them, which you simply refuel like any petrol car — there is no charging to plan around Iceland, and a plug-in hybrid need not be returned charged (rental terms 11). Whether a car may use F-roads depends on its drive and its approval, not on its engine: only a four-wheel-drive car that your booking confirms as F-road approved may use F-roads and the other highland roads the terms name (rental terms 16). You book a car class: a specific make or model is promised only if we agree it in writing (rental terms 1).

Yes. Every car has winter tires from 1 November to 14 April, at no extra charge (rental terms 1). In October and the second half of April, ask at the desk for a car that already has winter tires — it's free when one is available, but we can't promise one.

Up to 30 days. To keep renting after that, you must first bring the car back to our office (rental terms 12). Rental days are counted in 24-hour periods from your booked pickup time, and a return more than one hour after the end of a rental day may be charged an extra day.

Yes, on request only — besides Keflavík Airport (included in the price), we can arrange other places such as Reykjavík or Akureyri. The one-way fee is €50 between Keflavík Airport and Reykjavík; for other places we confirm it in writing when the place is agreed (rental terms 40(o)).

Yes. Every person who drives the car must be named on the rental agreement and meet the same age and license rules as the main driver. Add them to your booking before pickup; each driver shows their license and ID at the desk. Additional driver costs €10 per day, with no cap (rental terms 40(c)), and your cover applies only to drivers named on the rental agreement (rental terms 39).

You choose your pickup and drop-off times when you book. We are open 04:00–20:00 every day, public holidays included, except 24 and 31 December (04:00–12:00) and 25 December and 1 January (closed). Keflavík Airport pickup and drop-off inside those hours are included in the price: call or WhatsApp us once you have your bags, and our shuttle takes about 10 minutes between the terminal and our office. Outside opening hours, pickup and return are available on request, agreed in advance: €75 per pickup and €75 per return, shuttle included, or €150 after 12:00 on 24 and 31 December (rental terms 40(b)). If your flight is delayed, tell us as soon as possible: the car must be collected within two hours of the booked pickup time, and we will try to hold it but cannot promise it (rental terms 10).

Not for damage recorded at pickup. When you collect the car we check it together and record all existing damage in the Vehicle Condition Report, which you sign and get a copy of; we photograph the car, record a 360° video and send them to every renter, and you may take your own photos too. Damage not recorded then is presumed to have occurred during the rental unless you show otherwise, so point out anything we missed before you drive off (rental terms 10). New damage found at the return inspection is charged at the actual repair cost (never above the price list for listed items and, when your cover applies, at most your excess), plus the damage administration fee, with written notice, photos and the estimate or invoice within 10 days. Apart from a hold for damage no cover option includes, nothing is charged until 20 days after that notice, and within those 20 days you can ask for an independent Cabas assessment, which binds us (rental terms 13–14).

Iceland drives on the RIGHT. The first hour is where most mistakes happen, so take junctions and roundabouts slowly (give way to the inner lane), and remember headlights must be on at all times, day and night. Otherwise the rules are familiar — just go slower than you'd expect on gravel and in strong wind.

Full-to-full: you collect the car full and return it full, refueled within 5 km of the return location; a plug-in hybrid need not be returned charged. If it comes back short, we charge the missing fuel per started eighth of a tank, at the price per liter that N1 publishes for its station at Flugvellir 27, 230 Reykjanesbær, on the day we fill the car up — without markup — plus the €30 refueling fee (rental terms 11, 40(j)). Our fees page shows examples per car. An N1 fuel-discount tag on your keyring gives a discount when you fill up at N1 stations.

No. Every charge on this page is tied to something that actually happened — a service you chose, a fine or toll issued for your rental, fuel missing on return, a car that needs special cleaning, or damage — at the published fee or the documented actual cost. After the rental, we email you an itemized statement with the supporting documents before we charge your card (rental terms 7).

Pay a ticket you receive on the spot directly to the issuer. Camera-recorded tolls (the Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel and the Hornafjarðarfljót bridge), parking and site charges must be paid online by the driver by the deadline shown. Notices sent to the car's registered keeper reach us: we pass them on to you, or give your details to the issuer so the charge is issued to you directly, and charge a €10 processing fee per notice (rental terms 22, 40(i)). Many Icelandic fines are 25% cheaper if paid within 30 days.

No deposit at pickup. We place a hold on your card for the excess of the cover you chose — €1,000 with the cover included on this website or with PLUS, €3,000 with BASIC alone or if you decline CDW, and nothing with MAX — and release it after the return; how quickly depends on your card issuer. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, China UnionPay, Discover and Diners Club (credit or debit), Apple Pay and Google Pay, with no card surcharge; JCB is not accepted, and you need a physical card in your name even if you pay by phone. If the return inspection finds damage that no cover option includes (undercarriage, water or river crossings, or sand and ash without Sand and Ash Protection or MAX), it is charged in full, and we may place a hold of up to €10,000 on your card for it (rental terms 7, 13).

Two at the moment, both without booths. The Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel near Akureyri in north Iceland: pay online at veggjald.is within 24 hours before or after you drive through, using the car's registration number. The Hornafjarðarfljót bridge near Höfn on Route 1 (tolled since 1 September 2026): ISK 1,500 per trip for a car, paid at spolur.is within 24 hours after you cross. If a toll goes unpaid and a notice reaches us, you pay the actual toll plus our €10 processing fee (rental terms 22, 40(i)).

Normal road dirt and dust are expected — Iceland is dusty and muddy. The €150 cleaning fee applies only when the interior needs wet-vacuuming or special treatment, for example mud or sand ground into the carpets, spills soaked into the seats or pet hair throughout, or when there are signs of smoking or vaping, such as stubs, ashes or odor (rental terms 40(k)). A quick vacuum before you return usually avoids it.

No. Per-day prices — additional drivers, the young driver fee, Tire and Windshield Protection, MAX, Sand and Ash Protection, Roadside Assistance Protection and equipment — are charged for every rental day, without a cap. A rental lasts at most 30 days (rental terms 12).

The terms give no automatic exception, so tell us as early as you can: a canceled or badly delayed flight is exactly the situation where we try to move your dates instead. If your flight is only delayed, the car must still be collected within two hours of the booked pickup time; tell us and we will try to hold it, but we cannot promise it (clause 10). Travel insurance usually covers prepaid rentals lost to a canceled flight; we send you the written confirmation your insurer needs.

48 hours before the collection date and time on your booking, in Icelandic time. A pickup on Friday at 10:00 means Wednesday 10:00 is the cut-off.

You can return the car early, but days already booked are not refunded — the rental price covers the reserved period — unless a fault you did not cause, and that we did not fix, kept you from using the car (clause 12).

We issue it within a few business days of confirming the cancellation; your card issuer then takes its usual time to show it, typically 5–10 business days.

Yes — child seats are arranged with your quote, subject to availability: infant seat (0–13 kg) €10, toddler seat (9–18 kg) €10 and booster seat (15–36 kg) €5 per day, charged for every rental day with no cap. Icelandic law requires a suitable child restraint for every child under 135 cm; we assign the seats by the child's height, weight and age, approved to current European standards (R129 / i-Size), and you fit them yourself (rental terms 23).

Yes. The 9-seat Renault Trafic in the Family & Space category counts as a passenger vehicle for licensing: a standard category B car license, held for at least one year, covers it (rental terms 3). The minimum age for the van is 25, but at our discretion drivers aged 20–24 may rent it for the young driver fee of €15 per day (rental terms 2 and 40(d)). It is front-wheel drive and made for paved routes: only four-wheel-drive cars that the booking confirms as F-road approved may be driven on F-roads, Kjölur (35), Kaldidalur (550), Öxi (939) or roads 586 and 864, so the van may not use them (rental terms 16).

Each named additional driver is €10 per day, charged for every rental day with no cap (rental terms 40(c)). Register every driver on the booking before pickup: if someone who isn't named drives, your cover doesn't apply (rental terms 39) and a €1,000 unauthorized-driver fee is charged (rental terms 40(h)).

Family & Space — 9 seats including the driver and the most load space of all our cars. For up to five people with normal luggage, Comfort usually does the job; if you're unsure, list the party and the bags in the quote request and we'll say honestly what fits.

Yes, with the right car and habits. Winter tires are fitted from 1 November to 14 April (rental terms 1), the AWD Comfort category is the usual family pick, and you plan shorter days around the daylight. Check umferdin.is and the weather before each leg.

We meet you outside the arrivals hall, at the meeting point named in your booking confirmation — look for the Ring Road Cars sign. There is no timetable: call or WhatsApp us on +354 779 9499 when you have your bags and we come to the terminal. Our shuttle takes you to our office at Bogatröð 1, 262 Reykjanesbær, about 10 minutes away, where you pick up the car. The shuttle is included in the price during opening hours (04:00–20:00 every day; 24 and 31 December 04:00–12:00; closed 25 December and 1 January).

Collect the car within 2 hours of your booked pickup time, or the booking may be treated as a no-show (rental terms 10). If your flight is delayed, tell us as soon as possible — ideally with your flight number. We will try to hold the car, but we cannot promise it. That's also why we ask for your flight number when you book.

No — booking is quote-first. You request a quote, we reply with an itemized offer, and the team confirms the booking with you; the website doesn't take card payment online today. Every charge is itemized before you pay.

Yes, but only on request, agreed in advance. Our opening hours are 04:00–20:00 every day, public holidays included, except 24 and 31 December (04:00–12:00) and 25 December and 1 January (closed). Outside them, each pickup costs €75 and each return €75, shuttle included, or €150 each after 12:00 on 24 and 31 December (rental terms 40(b)). Give us your flight number so we're ready; the details for your rental are confirmed in your booking.

Every booking made on this website comes with unlimited mileage (rental terms 24). The road-use charge (kílómetragjald) is separate and shows as its own line in your quote: €10.50 per started rental day, made up of the official daily rate (ISK 1,390 in 2026), passed on without markup or VAT, plus our processing charge including VAT (rental terms 41). It is charged per day, not per kilometer driven, and a rental lasts at most 30 days (rental terms 12).

Refundable rates: full refund if you cancel at least 48 hours before pickup. Later than that, or for a no-show, there is no refund; non-refundable rates are not refunded, and a pay-later booking may then be charged the same amount. Cancel by email to info@ringroadcars.is; a booking made through a travel agent is canceled through that agent. No road-use charge applies to a booking that is canceled or not collected (rental terms 8).

Yes: during opening hours the shuttle ride is included in the price; outside them, the out-of-hours fee for each pickup or return includes it.

Tell us as soon as you know, by phone, WhatsApp or email, and we will try to hold the car, but we cannot promise it. The car must be collected within two hours of the booked pickup time, or the booking may be treated as a no-show (rental terms 10). If you miss a connection or your flight changes, send us the new details.

The ride takes about 10 minutes. There is no timetable: call or WhatsApp us when you have your bags and we tell you how long the wait will be; then allow time for the handover at our office.

It is a few kilometers along roads without a proper footpath, so we do not recommend it. Take the shuttle; it is part of the service.

No, there is no timetable. Call or WhatsApp us on +354 779 9499 when you have your bags and we come to the terminal for you; we tell you where the shuttle is and how long it will be.

Only on request: outside opening hours, pickup at Keflavík Airport is available only on request, agreed in advance, so ask when you book. If we can do it, the pickup costs €75, shuttle included (€150 after 12:00 on 24 and 31 December; rental terms 40(b)), and your confirmation states exactly where and when we meet. If a late pickup is not possible on your date, we say so before you pay.

Yes. We answer day and night: phone and WhatsApp on one number, +354 779 9499, plus email. Our team is on site 04:00–20:00; at night we prioritize breakdowns and emergencies.

Not in winter. Under the rental terms, public holidays have the same hours as any other day, except at Christmas and New Year. On 24 and 31 December we are open 04:00–12:00, and on 25 December and 1 January we are closed. After 12:00 on 24 and 31 December, a pickup or return is possible only on request, agreed in advance, for the holiday out-of-hours fee of €150 each (rental terms 40(b)). Other hours apply only if your rental agreement states them. If the hours ever change, our opening-hours page and your confirmation are updated first.

Tell us as soon as you know, by phone, WhatsApp or email. The car must be collected within two hours of the booked pickup time, or the booking may be treated as a no-show; we will try to hold the car for you, but we cannot promise it (rental terms 10).

No — they are two separate airports. Keflavík International Airport (KEF, IATA code KEF) handles almost all international flights to Iceland and sits about 50 km southwest of Reykjavík. Reykjavík Airport (RKV) is a small downtown facility that serves domestic routes to Akureyri and the Westfjords, plus flights to the Faroe Islands and Greenland. If you flew from abroad, you landed at Keflavík.

Keflavík International Airport is roughly 50 km (about 45–50 minutes by road) southwest of central Reykjavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula. The drive along Route 41 (Reykjanesbraut) is straightforward and signposted.

Pickup is in the KEF area, confirmed with your quote or booking; we do not deliver cars to Reykjavík. A return in Reykjavík can be agreed in advance as a one-way rental for €50 (rental terms 40(o)). From the city, take the Flybus / airport coach (about 45 min) or a taxi to KEF — we're happy to help arrange a taxi. If you arrange a pickup outside opening hours (on request, agreed in advance: €75, shuttle included, or €150 after 12:00 on 24 and 31 December; rental terms 40(b)), instructions are sent before travel.

Not for damage on the pickup record. At pickup we check the car together, record existing damage in the Vehicle Condition Report you sign, and send you our photos and 360° video. Damage that isn't recorded then is presumed to have happened during your rental unless you can show otherwise — so point out anything you notice before you drive off, and take your own photos if you like. At return we compare the car with the pickup record and bill only new damage.

No deposit is taken at pickup. We hold your excess on your card (a pre-authorization): €3,000 with BASIC or without CDW, €1,000 with BASIC + SCDW (every booking on this site) or PLUS, and with MAX nothing at all. It's a hold, not a charge, and we release it after the return — how soon the amount is available again depends on your card issuer. The card is kept on file as a secure token and may be charged for amounts due under the rental terms — after the rental, only once we've emailed you an itemized statement with supporting documents. After the return inspection, damage no cover option includes — such as undercarriage or water damage, or sand and ash damage without Sand and Ash Protection or MAX — is charged in full, and we may hold up to €10,000 on your card for it; any unused part is released.

Contact us first: we send you the Damage Liability Form, the photos and the estimate or invoice, and nothing is charged until 20 days after our written damage notice. Within those 20 days you can ask in writing for an independent Cabas assessment by a repair shop — its result binds us, and if it's lower than our figure we pay for the assessment and refund the difference (the damage administration fee applies in every case). You can also take the matter to the Consumer Complaints Board (Kærunefnd vöru- og þjónustukaupa) or the courts; residents of other EEA states can contact ECC Iceland, and you can start a chargeback with your card provider.

Yes: MAX brings it down to €0 for €40 a day. It includes Tire and Windshield Protection and Sand and Ash Protection, and covers wheels and tires too. The €150 damage administration fee still applies each time damage is charged, and the exclusions still apply — damage only to suspension, batteries, roof or radios, the undercarriage, water, off-road driving, animals and the rest. If you add MAX later, it doesn't cover damage from before. You see the daily price before you book, so you can decide in your own time.

Our opening hours are 04:00–20:00 every day, except 24 and 31 December (04:00–12:00) and 25 December and 1 January (closed). Outside them, a return is possible on request, agreed in advance: €75 per return, shuttle included, or €150 after 12:00 on 24 and 31 December. The car is inspected when opening hours next begin. The rental ends when you hand the car and all keys to our staff; a car left unattended stays at your risk. Recording your own 360° video at handback is a good idea. The pre-authorization is released after the return, subject to your card issuer's processing time.

No. It's an optional add-on that Ring Road Cars provides under the rental agreement. In an emergency, it waives the call-out, labor and recovery fees, including towing, for a flat battery, a tire puncture or keys locked in the car. It doesn't pay for damage to the car, and it isn't an insurance policy.

No — it waives the call-out, labor and recovery fees, not the tire itself. A new tire is charged at the Price List price for its size. Tire and Windshield Protection — the upgrade to PLUS on this site, and part of MAX — pays for the new tire when only the tire is damaged, and MAX also covers wheels and tires.

Call us. Being locked out is one of the three things Roadside Assistance Protection is for: in an emergency, the call-out, labor and recovery fees are waived. If a key is lost or broken, a new key is charged separately (€550 for a key or key fob, from the Price List).

A breakdown you didn't cause is free for every renter, with or without Roadside Assistance Protection, including a tow and a replacement car as soon as reasonably possible. Call us first, before arranging any help yourself.

It's up to you. Without it, a call-out for a flat battery, a puncture or a lock-out is charged at our towing rate, from our office to where help is needed and back: at least €200, and €900 if help is needed 100 km from our office. With it, the call-out, labor and recovery for those three are waived. Decide by how far you'll drive and how much certainty you want.

Most of Iceland's roads are free. You'll mainly meet charges in three places: two tolls on Route 1 (the Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel near Akureyri and the Hornafjarðarfljót bridge near Höfn), paid parking in Reykjavík and at Keflavík Airport, and parking fees at a growing number of popular natural sites and national parks. The driver is always responsible for paying these on time.

Each area has a short free grace period, then a per-hour or per-day rate, with a 24-hour cap. The drop-off lane is free for 5 minutes; P1/P2 suit pick-ups; P3 is the budget long-stay lot. Pay at the machines or via the airport's site. Figures are indicative — confirm current rates at the KEF airport website.

Central Reykjavík is split into paid zones P1 (most expensive) to P4. Pay at a meter (coins or card — you enter the plate, no dashboard ticket needed) or in an app such as Parka, EasyPark or SíminnPay. Since 1 October 2026, P1 and P2 charge until 20:00. Parking is free outside charging hours and on public holidays. Always check the sign — if you pay for the wrong zone you can still be fined, and the city's parking service, not us, handles those disputes.

Yes, if you arrive by car during the day in summer. In 2026 a reservation was needed from 20 June to 13 September for arrivals between 09:00 and 16:00, and a parking service fee applies to every car at any hour. Book and pay before you set off on the official booking page (run by Parka for the Nature Conservation Agency).

No. Under Ring Road Cars terms, F-roads are only for a four-wheel-drive vehicle (4x4, 4WD or AWD) that your booking confirms as F-road approved, so every 2WD car is barred (rental terms, clause 16). Drive a car that isn’t approved on an F-road and no waiver covers the damage, you pay the repair or recovery costs, and a €1,000 prohibited-road fee may apply.

F-roads are summer-only tracks. They usually open in June or early July — each road on its own date, some earlier and some later depending on snowmelt — and close again from around mid-September. No fixed dates are published in advance; check umferdin.is or Vegagerðin (the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration) for live opening status before heading into the Highlands.

No. Driving into or across any river, stream or ford is entirely at your own risk, even on a permitted F-road: no waiver or cover option covers water damage, MAX included (rental terms, clause 17). If water covers the road, turn back: water damage can be a total loss at your expense.

No. Only a four-wheel-drive car that your booking confirms as F-road approved may use F-roads, and only when they are officially open. Some F-roads are excluded for every car, including F26 (Sprengisandur), F225 (Landmannaleið), F88 and F910 (Askja) and F249 (Þórsmörk). On a permitted road your cover applies as usual, but no cover option covers river damage or underbody damage from rough roads and stones. Check current conditions on umferdin.is before entering the Highlands.

Popular Highland routes include Kjölur (road 35), Landmannalaugar, Sprengisandur (F26) and Askja (F88/F910). In our cars, F26, F225, F88, F910 and F249 to Þórsmörk are excluded, even in an F-road-approved car (rental terms, clause 16). An approved car may use Kjölur (road 35 from road 37 to road 732), Kaldidalur (road 550), Öxi (road 939), and Landmannalaugar via the northern F208 from road 26 and F224 when they are open. Many Highland routes include river crossings, which are entirely at your own risk.

A 2WD car, no. F-roads, Kjölur (road 35 from road 37 to road 732), Kaldidalur (550), Öxi (939) and roads 586 and 864 are allowed only in a four-wheel-drive vehicle (4x4, 4WD or AWD) that your booking confirms as F-road approved (rental terms, clause 16). A hybrid is fine when it is four-wheel drive and the booking confirms it as F-road approved. On our website the Comfort, 4×4 Adventure and Highland 4×4 categories can be booked that way; the two 4×4 categories have more ground clearance for rougher F-roads. Check opening status at umferdin.is before any highland plan.

Outside winter conditions, yes — Route 1 is paved all the way around, and a front-wheel-drive car handles it fine from roughly May to September. From November to March an AWD or 4×4 car with winter tires — Comfort and up — is strongly recommended; a two-wheel-drive car with winter tires is legal on Route 1 and manages in mild weather, mainly in the southwest. Winter tires are fitted from 1 November to 14 April either way.

Family & Space — a 9-seat Renault Trafic driven on a standard category B car license. It is 2WD and made for paved routes, so pair it with a paved-route plan; it is not permitted on F-roads.

Standard rentals include unlimited kilometers. Separately, Iceland’s kilometer fee for rental cars appears as its own clearly labeled line in every quote — €10.50 per started rental day: the official daily rate (ISK 1,390 in 2026), passed on without markup or VAT, plus our processing charge including VAT — before you pay.

Yes. Every car has winter tires from 1 November to 14 April (rental terms, clause 1); they are included, not an extra. In October and the second half of April, ask at the desk for a car that already has winter tires: it's free when one is available, but we can't promise one. AWD (Comfort) is the sensible winter default; a 4×4 is for remote winter routes.

Yes. Route 1 is paved all the way around, and outside winter conditions (roughly May to September) a standard front-wheel-drive car handles it fine. From November to March an AWD or 4×4 car with winter tires is strongly recommended; a two-wheel-drive car with winter tires is legal on Route 1 and manages in mild weather, mainly in the southwest — check umferdin.is and vedur.is before driving. A 4×4 is the safer choice if you plan to leave the main road.

No. The Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss) and the South Coast (Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Jökulsárlón) are all paved, year-round routes. A compact AWD SUV is comfortable; a 2WD economy car works fine in summer.

You need a four-wheel-drive car that your booking confirms as F-road approved to drive F-roads (the Highland mountain tracks) in summer, and the same goes for Kjölur (road 35 from road 37 to road 732), Kaldidalur (550), Öxi (939) and roads 586 and 864. A 4×4 is also the safer pick on remote routes in winter. The Ring Road itself does not require a 4×4 in summer.

AWD distributes power continuously to all four wheels and is excellent for snow, gravel, and slippery tarmac — ideal for the Ring Road in all seasons. A proper 4×4 adds higher ground clearance and, on some models such as the Land Cruiser in our Highland 4×4 category, a low-range transfer case. For F-roads our terms decide it: a four-wheel-drive vehicle — 4x4, 4WD or AWD — may use them only when your booking confirms it as F-road approved. On our website that means the Comfort, 4×4 Adventure or Highland 4×4 category, once the booking confirms the car as F-road approved; on rougher F-roads, the 4×4s' extra ground clearance helps.

Plan 6–11 days. Six to seven is a brisk loop best done with summer daylight; eight to nine is the comfortable middle; ten to eleven fits the Westfjords or highland detours. In winter, plan toward the longer end and keep weather margin.

Not for the loop itself — Route 1 is a normal road, paved all the way around, and outside winter conditions a 2WD Everyday car handles it. From November to March an AWD or 4×4 car with winter tires (Comfort and up) is strongly recommended; a two-wheel-drive car with winter tires is legal on Route 1 and manages in mild weather, mainly in the southwest. 4×4 Adventure or Highland 4×4 are worth it when rougher gravel or F-road detours are on the plan, for their extra ground clearance.

No — no section of Route 1 is an F-road. F-roads are Iceland's highland mountain roads. 2WD cars are never permitted on them; only a four-wheel-drive vehicle (4x4, 4WD or AWD) that your booking confirms as F-road approved may drive them, only when they are officially open, and some F-roads stay excluded even then (rental terms, clause 16).

Yes — standard rentals come with unlimited mileage. Iceland's statutory kilometer fee (kílómetragjald) is separate: a fixed €10.50 per started rental day, shown as its own line in your quote. On rentals of up to 30 days it stays the same however many kilometers you actually drive that day.

The road is the same in both directions, so let the forecast decide: check the weather a few days out and drive toward the better half first. The south coast is the busiest, sight-dense stretch — some like it early, others save it for the finale.

Yes, with margin. Winter tires are fitted from 1 November to 14 April, and from November to March an AWD or 4×4 car is strongly recommended; a two-wheel-drive car with winter tires is legal on Route 1 and manages in mild weather, mainly in the southwest. Daylight is short, and checking umferdin.is and vedur.is becomes part of the daily routine. Our winter guide covers it in detail.

Yes. Under our rental terms (clause 1) every car has winter tires from 1 November to 14 April at no extra charge, with at least 3 mm of tread, the legal minimum in that period. In October and the second half of April, ask at the desk for a car that already has winter tires: it's free when one is available, but we can't promise one.

From November to March an AWD or 4×4 car with winter tires is strongly recommended. A proper 4×4 adds further ground clearance (and, in our Highland 4×4, low-range gearing) — worth it if you plan to visit the Westfjords, Snæfellsnes or remote mountain roads in winter conditions. A two-wheel-drive car with winter tires is legal on Route 1 and manages in mild weather, mainly in the southwest, but has less margin in the worst conditions Iceland delivers — check umferdin.is and vedur.is before driving.

Highly variable. A clear, cold morning can turn into a whiteout or icy road within a few hours. Around midwinter, daylight in Reykjavík lasts only about 4–5 hours. Some sections of Route 1 close temporarily in severe weather. Check umferdin.is every morning before setting out, drive to conditions rather than speed limits, and budget more time between stops than in summer.

No. F-roads (the Highland mountain tracks) are closed in winter — usually from around mid-September until June or early July, depending on snow. Driving a closed road is dangerous and breaks the rental terms: no waiver covers the damage and a €1,000 prohibited-road fee may apply. Check umferdin.is for current F-road status.

Absolutely — the northern lights, winter landscapes, and glacier walks are unique to the season. The Ring Road remains open (with occasional temporary closures) and is manageable in an AWD vehicle with winter tires. Just plan for shorter days, slower driving, and more flexibility in your itinerary.

Every price on our website includes BASIC + SCDW, with an excess of €1,000. Two add-ons matter most in winter. Tire and Windshield Protection (TWP, €20 a day) covers at no excess a tire when only the tire is damaged, and the front windshield when it is damaged by gravel from another vehicle: the replacement part only. Without it, damage only to tires or the windshield is not covered by any waiver. Sand and Ash Protection (SAP, €15 a day) covers all damage from sandstorms, erosion and ash at no excess, except in an area under an orange or red wind warning from the Icelandic Meteorological Office. MAX (€40 a day) includes both, takes the excess to €0 and also covers wheels and tires. No cover option covers undercarriage or water damage.

112. It is Iceland's single emergency number for police, ambulance, and fire — the same number for every emergency, 24 hours a day. The 112 Iceland app can also send your exact GPS location to the rescue coordination center.

Report it to us. Small gravel chips happen on Icelandic roads. BASIC and SCDW don't cover damage to the windshield alone (rental terms, clause 36). With Tire and Windshield Protection — which makes your cover PLUS on this site, and is part of MAX — a front windshield damaged by gravel from another vehicle is replaced at no excess: it pays for the windshield itself, not the fitting or other labor (clause 38). Without it, a new windshield is charged at the actual cost, never above the Price List. Before any charge, we compare against the photos and 360° video from pickup — a chip that was already recorded is not yours to pay.

Call us on +354 779 9499 any time, day or night (WhatsApp works too). A breakdown you didn't cause is free for every renter, with or without Roadside Assistance Protection (RAP), including a tow and a replacement car as soon as reasonably possible. Do not attempt to tow or recover the vehicle yourself — especially off-road, near a river, or in snow, as that can cause further damage that no cover option includes. We arrange roadside assistance and will tell you exactly what to do while you wait. Call us before arranging any third-party help or repair — repairs you arrange without us are not reimbursed.

No. Do not admit fault or sign anything you do not fully understand at the scene. Exchange contact and insurance details, photograph everything, and call us. Fault determination is for the insurers — a polite "I need to speak to my rental company" is all you need to say.

All vehicles involved (all four sides), any visible damage, the license plates of every car, road conditions and any relevant signs, the wider scene, and the other driver's license and insurance document. More photos are always better — you cannot take too many.

Report it to the police and to us without delay. The Theft Waiver is included with every cover option, even without CDW: your liability for theft of the car is €0 if it was locked with the windows closed, the keys are returned and the theft was reported without delay. It does not cover theft of parts or belongings, or theft made possible by keys left in the car or by gross negligence, and no cover option includes vandalism (rental terms, clauses 19, 36 and 37).

Yes, whenever another vehicle or a third party is involved, however small the damage. It is the document both insurers work from. If only the rental car is damaged (a stone chip, a scrape on a post), the online report with photos is enough.

Do not argue. Photograph their license plate, the damage and the scene, note their name and phone number if they give them, and call the police and us. Fill in your side of the form anyway and write in box 14 that the other driver declined to sign.

Stop if it is safe, call 112 if the animal is on the road or injured, photograph the scene and report it to the police and to us without delay (that is a term of the rental). The police contact the animal's owner. No cover option, not even MAX, covers damage caused by or involving animals.

No. Send everything to us. We handle the claim with our insurer; you only need the insurer's details to fill in box 8 of the form.

Immediately, per the rental terms: call us from the scene and send the statement the same day if you can. Late reports make it harder to establish the facts, and where a delay seriously hampers assessing or recovering the loss, it can reduce what your waiver covers.

Yes. Report theft, vandalism and damage involving animals to the police and to us without delay, and send us your report with photos. The Theft Waiver applies with every cover option if the car was locked with the windows closed, the keys are returned and the theft was reported without delay; it does not cover theft of parts or belongings, and vandalism is not covered by any waiver.

14 days after the car is returned, at our office, and we email you as soon as we have your item. If you get in touch within those 14 days, we keep it until it is collected or sent. Food and drinks are thrown away the same day. Passports, ID cards, driving licenses and bank cards: we contact you straight away, and if we can't reach you within 7 days we hand them to the police. After 14 days, unclaimed valuables go to the police and everything else is given to charity or disposed of.

Yes, in most cases. Sending it on is at your expense (rental terms 26): we agree the postage with you before sending and email you the tracking details.

For the terminal itself, contact Keflavík Airport's lost property. Anything left in our shuttle or at our office comes to us, so send us the lost-and-found form anyway.

Use the complaints form and choose “A damage charge”. Your message also reaches our claims desk. Our written notice, emailed within 10 days of the return, comes with the photos and the repair estimate or invoice, and you already have the photos and 360° video we sent you at pickup. Apart from a hold of up to €10,000 for damage no cover option includes (rental terms 7), nothing is charged for the damage until 20 days after that notice, unless you agree in writing to an earlier charge, and within those 20 days you can ask in writing for an independent assessment in the Cabas system. Its outcome binds us: if it is lower, we pay for the assessment and refund the difference. The damage administration fee of €150 applies in every case (rental terms 13–14).

Yes, and we pass it on to the person it is about. It also helps us know what to keep doing.

Of course, on our normal number. For anything about money we still ask for it in writing, through the form above or an email to info@ringroadcars.is, so both sides have the same record.