I decided to pay the ticket immediately using my credit card. On open roads the speed limit varies too; on gravel roads the speed limit is 80km/h, on asphalt roads the speed limit is 90km/h. The maximum speed on most paved roads outside of towns and villages in Iceland is 90 km/hr, which is 56 mph. If the parking fee is still unpaid after 28 days, it goes up to 5000ISK (39USD). Please send us a line at icelandmag@365.is. Iceland has strict driving laws and huge fines. Also, please remember that the speed limit is only an indicator of the maximum speed and so if road conditions change (i.e. These are bridges where only one car will fit at a time. and according to driving laws and posted signs along your route. 2006-2023 All copyright reserved on photos and content, This website uses cookies to help you browse on the website/ web. As an aside, a guide at the Tourist information in Hofn suggested i take the OXI road to Egilstaddir to shave 60km off my trip. They can also go to the website of Blastasjur and see pictures of the car. In both instances, your options are limited - see below. I live inCentral Florida and with 47 million visitors a year, speeding and reckless driving is a major problem. 30-35 km zones. A parking offence is when you park a car where its simply not allowed to park at any time like on a curb or streets where parking is never allowed. If you are unable to avoid getting a fine, then it may be possible for you to dispute it. Go Icelands office will then withdraw a handling fee of 5000ISK (39USD) as stipulated in the car rental agreement. Step by Step Guide to Renting A Car In Iceland, For a Guide to Campervan Travel in Iceland click here. SSN: 680513-1550 / VAT: 114128 A lot of car rental companies also charge a handling fee if you get a speeding ticket. Most likely when you receive your ticket in the mail from an Iceland speed camera,they offer a 25% discount if you pay within a certain amount of time. Like nearly $500 for 11 km/h (6.7 mph) over on a road like that. Scandinavian Travel Services ehf. Haha I decided to write it because there really was no blog post or definite answer on whether or not one needed to pay the speeding ticket. But, on the same page from Trip Advisor about Icelandic fines, there is an ad explaining how to beat "speeding fines". Answer 1 of 38: Hello, I am just curious as to what the speeding penalties are for a British tourist in Iceland? ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-95594770', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');car as it was 20,000k more to go to the station to pay. In both instances, your options are limited - see below. 2023 by Reykjavk Cars Booking Office. It seems the question itself angered a few Icelandic citizens who dont appreciate this mindset of I dont live there, so why should I deal with the consequences. Which is $460. Yes, you should pay because you broke the law and it is the right things to do. However, if you refuse to pay your fine, you should also never think of returning to Iceland because if you do and the police stop you the next time you visit, you will go to jail. When you get your speeding ticket in the post, make sure to pay it quickly because youll pay 25% less than waiting. The second one is when a parking offence has been comitted. Blikavellir, KEF International Airport (Iceland). Don't break the law and you won't have to pay fines. Do I have to have international driving license? In March 2018, I went on a 7-day road trip around Icelands Ring Road where I drove a total of 967.7 miles. Sure it sucked, but I didnt speed the rest of my trip. Iceland is a country with many natural wonders, but the best way to explore Icelands natural beauty is by car. Then because people lose control when roads changes suddenly from tarmac to gravel. And Im SO glad they let you off with a warning! How do I pay my speeding fine in Iceland? We simply dont have the necessary number of people Gurn tells RV. Ask those many tourists who are, or have been in a hospital, after a traffic accident. You'll fine the answers here! A study done by the University of Iceland found that there is an average of one speed bump every 20 meters in the country. Understanding the speed limit is about as basic as knowing if to drive on the right side of the lane or the left. I was so nervous lol. As of February, foreign tourists owed over ISK 27 million ($255 000/216 000) in fines. Driving 26km/h or faster over allowed top speed. In hindsight, it was terrible advice to have given. Keep your eyes peel at all times. Its definitely nerve-racking getting in trouble with the law, even if its something like a speeding ticket or up-to-date inspections haha. If you get your ticket in the mail from a speed camera, you have two options. The low speed limit is not just about safety, it's about quality of life. In fact, you might be tempted to toss a parking ticket into your glove compartment and forget about it but if you give in to such temptation, you might face some consequences for giving in to such thought. It is rumored that some of these also work as speed cameras. 50-60km/h zones. Also, if you receive your ticket by mail, you might notice a new charge by your rental car company around 5000 ISK ($39 USD). $400 max, $700+ now that is the real crime!! As a general guide the fine is usually between $195- $460 USD, however, if you are driving very fast, such as 41+km/h faster than legal top speed in 80-90km zones, then you may get fined $615-$690. He escorted me inside the van where I was seated at a desk. Couple questions and concerns. Ill keep it short and simple. a fine for speaking on mobile while driving is raised from 25.000 to 40.000 ISK (from about 250 USD to 400 USD). Your car is captured by a speeding camera - In this case, the Icelandic police will trace the speeding car to the car rental company and subsequently send a mail requesting information on the offending car. Use our "Jump to Chapter" if you want to get to some of the info quickly. Remember that the inside lane always has the right of way. Frankly, single car road accidents are very common in Iceland, and are really frowned upon, as they are almost always the driver's fault. Thx to the rental company for not giving us a heads up on a rediculous fee system. I wish the fines were at least double what they are. The officer was very polite and professional. The Icelandic road system is unique and drivers must be aware of both on-road and off-road conditions. Learn more about the fines and penalties . I would be so freaked out being pulled over in a country where I didnt speak the language!! Gurn Hauksdttir a police officer with the Police in Stykkishlmur in Western Iceland, where data from roadside cameras is processed, told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RV that one reason is that travelers frequently write their addresses in hand in their own alphabet, which can be difficult to decipher for police officers. If a speed camera snaps a shot of you, the Icelandic police trace the car back to the proper rental car company. The different speed limits in towns and out on the countryside are always well marked and needs to be followed. Iceland has some of the lowest speed limits in the world. What do you do if you get a speeding ticket? If you are unsure then you should always stick to a slower speed. And also as a social contribution to a country which has offered so much of its natural beauty which I enjoyed practically for free ( no entrance fees..). peppinoss77 - US$ 200 = in round figures ISK 20.000 so that doesn't compute for 3kph over the speed limit - try entering a limit of 30kph and you'll find the lowest fine is ISK 5.000 at 36kph. Pedestrians crossing a zebra crossing, that has no lights, always have the right of way. the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Are these used in Iceland? If you ever got a parking ticket stuck under your windshield wiper, you know how annoying and frustrating that could be, especially when you thought you have your car parked at the right place. You will be heavily fined for spending a night at private parking lots or other areas outside of the campsites. I noticed that in certain parts of the country there are 'camera' signs indicating that speed cameras are in effect. Unfortunately it wasnt a fraud . In rural areas, gravel roads are 80km/h and paved roads 90km/h. Option 1: Pay the fine then and there, and receive a 25% discount off your ticket. The best way to avoid getting a speeding ticket in Iceland is always to drive. If an accident occurs farmers in Iceland do appreciate if the local law enforcement are informed so they will be able to attend the wounded animal. There are speed cameras all over the country. When it comes to speeding fines if a police officer issued the fine on the spot, you can pay it immediately. He never paid it and they tracked him down a year later. If you go off the road in a remote area it would cost the rescue services a lot of money to save you. The cost of a speeding ticket in Iceland varies according to many factors; such as the speed you are driving. I understand that you get a speeding fine but do you get points on your licence? A car pulling any type of trailer is driving over the legal limits. Speed cameras in Iceland look like gray rectangles, with lenses on them. The only concern the officer had was for me to pay the stupidly high 80,000. Speeding tickets issued by speeding cameras along the highway have proven especially hard to collect, as the cameras record the license plate number of offending motorists. Image:REUTERS/Anton Vaganov. Speeding fines in Iceland are very expensive. The approach to pursuing fines incurred by foreigners varies by country. Many of our foreign tourists, very unfortunately, completely ignore tickets. Fines for speeding are quite different from other offenses. Option 2: Wait to receive your ticket in the mail and pay the fine with no discount. Driving in Iceland gives you immense freedom and can be great fun. Photo from the Reykjavk Police Instagram Account. The floating crosswalk was thought up by town environmental commissioner Ralf Trylla. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-8225084', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Iceland! If the road you were caught speeding on was absent of signs notifying you of speed limits. Even in remote, rural parts of Iceland, you will find speed cameras. Such as time and place and the number plate, the staff finds out who was renting the car at the time and is then by law, required to send this information back to the police. If you're wearing sunglasses then remove these before entering the tunnel. As a general guide the fine is usually between $195- $460 USD, however, if you are driving very fast, such as 41+km/h faster than legal top speed in 80-90km zones, then you may get fined $615-$690. Airport and border. The car hire agency is required by law to send this information back to the police. Speeding cameras are dotted around the country and speeding fines can range between ISK 5,000?70,000 (USD 45 to USD 575). They can be found all along the ring road and they often wander, carelessly, onto the road, right in front of oncoming traffic. A car pulling any type of trailer is driving over the legal limits. This is because the country wants to increase safety and not have any accidents. Of course Iceland does not have autobahn or ultra modern freeways. The minimum depth of tires needs to be 3mm. Uk credits cards not working in Iceland ? I too was brought to the back seat of the police car and asked to pay ISK115000..!! With insufficient resources police relies on people's good conscience. The best way to avoid getting a speeding ticket in Iceland is always to drive safely and according to driving laws and posted signs along your route. Photo from the Reykjavk Police Instagram Account. Iceland is a country with one of the highest rates of car accidents per capita. $720 AUD are you kidding me?! I lived in Iceland for a while and got one for $500 :/ made sure to not speed again after that one!! Here is a short list of of speeding fines in Iceland and how they increase with the offence: 20% will be added to this if: 1. They said I had to pay. A car pulling any type of trailer is driving over the legal limits. I would love to travel to ???????? F.e. I got in touch with the dutch police via their facebook page and decided to pay it before late fees started to accrue. As they were reviewing my license and the rental cars registration, they gave me the option to pay on the spot or receive the ticket later in the mail. According topolice in Iceland, they manage to collect only 45% of those speeding tickets. One thing to consider when you are driving in Iceland is the weather factor. If you were a local (or European) you would be looking at 6 points on your license as well as the fine. Considering it was 11pm, it may have been one of the most frightening experiences of my life, especially when it started to rain near the top. Speed limits are very much present and driving under the influence is a strict no-go. Fines for driving too fast differs with the offence. Most of them seemed to be unaware of the speed limits and found the amount they had to pay very upsetting, according to Hskuldur Erlingsson, duty officer in Blndus, in an interview with Morgunbladid. What are my options and does this sound right? Knowing the driving rules in Iceland will help to keep you safe from harm and from expensive fines! The Ministry of Transport is working on new laws which will facilitate collecting fines for driving infractions, especially from foreign tourists, RV reports. They also hope to reduce air pollution and be more ecologically aware. They said ummm not sure how. But do you have to? When the plate belongs to a car rental the police must rely on information the traveler has given to the car rental in order to send the ticket to the offender. Don't forget, Iceland is an island and if you ever want to leave, pay your fine and the next time obey the law. Verified Expert. The Iceland speed limit varies depending on the road type; in built-up areas, the speed limit is 50km/h. Discounted to ISK 86000 if I pay on the spot which of course I did. Fines for off-road driving are significant, a group of four French tourists was given an ISK 400,000 fine for off-road driving. For more details, review our .chakra .wef-12jlgmc{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;font-weight:700;}.chakra .wef-12jlgmc:hover,.chakra .wef-12jlgmc[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-12jlgmc:focus,.chakra .wef-12jlgmc[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);}privacy policy. The cost of a speeding ticket varies according to many factors; such as the speed you are driving. Ripped off? Police in Iceland manages to collect only 45% of speeding tickets given to foreign travelers. Also, both officers were confused and initially said they dont know what other option I have. (30-35 km zones), Driving 36km/h or faster over allowed top speed. Parking and camping outside of designated camping zones in Iceland are illegal.