Everyday services and paperwork in Iceland

Passports, driving licences and benefits are handled in different places

In Iceland, many tasks run through a national body or a district commissioner rather than a municipal office. Choose a task such as getting a passport, registering a vehicle or setting up your electronic ID to see who it is meant for and where it is handled.

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A plain description is enough to find your task

What do you need to get done?

Moving into a new home, swapping a foreign driving licence, signing up for work support or getting help with money: open the task that fits and you will see who it is for and which offices handle it. You do not need to know its Icelandic name.

Setting up your electronic ID

Understand what the electronic ID is for, how it is activated and where to go when you need help with the first setup.

40 offices · 16 cities

Registering or transferring a vehicle

For anyone importing a car or buying a used one in Iceland: what happens before the inspection, what the station does and how ownership changes are reported.

30 offices · 14 cities

Social assistance from your municipality

Find out who can apply, which municipality handles your case and what to check before you contact social services.

22 offices · 19 cities

Your Icelandic national ID card

See who can get a nafnskírteini, whether it can replace a passport for travel in the EEA and where a photo is taken for your application.

13 offices · 13 cities

Applying for an Icelandic passport

Who can apply, what you do online, what happens at the district commissioner and how a child’s passport differs from an adult’s.

12 offices · 12 cities

Swapping a foreign licence for an Icelandic one

Check how licences from the EEA and from other countries are treated, what to bring to the district commissioner and when you can apply.

12 offices · 12 cities

Renewing or replacing your driving licence

A quick look at who can renew an Icelandic licence, when a medical certificate comes into play and where to hand in the application.

12 offices · 12 cities

Registering as a jobseeker in Iceland

How the public employment service registers jobseekers, what a counsellor can help with and how this differs from claiming benefit.

7 offices · 7 cities

Claiming unemployment benefit in Iceland

See who qualifies after losing a job in Iceland, how to apply with the Directorate of Labour and what you must confirm each month.

7 offices · 7 cities

Tax registration and the limited ID number

For short stays and special cases: who qualifies for a limited ID number, what it does not allow and when to register elsewhere.

6 offices · 6 cities

Registering your home address in Iceland

Understand which authority takes your address when you move to Iceland, how the steps differ for Nordic, EEA and other citizens, and where to go.

5 offices · 2 cities

Icelandic course certificates

For residence applications that ask for language proof: what the certificate shows and which adult education centres can provide it.

5 offices · 5 cities

Cities

Offices in each city

Choose your city to see its offices and how to arrange a visit.

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Guides

Guides that help with this

Iceland

Universities

Apply to University in Iceland

International admissions and documents

Plan applications across Icelandic universities, including programme requirements, foreign records, assessments, offers and the steps after admission.

Iceland universitiesinternational student
13 min readRead guide

Iceland

Work

Working While Studying in Iceland

Work rights, hours, contracts and renewal

Confirm your right to start, track work across employers, check pay and pension records, and protect academic and residence requirements.

student jobs Icelandstudent work permit
11 min readRead guide

Iceland

Freelancing

Self-Employment in Iceland

Tax, VAT, pension, and records

Set up independent work correctly and understand the registration, calculated pay, tax, VAT, pension, insurance, invoicing, and recordkeeping involved.

self-employedcontractor
12 min readRead guide

Iceland

Student finance

Student Funding in Iceland

Loans, grants and backup plans

Compare funding sources, document eligibility and deadlines, track payments and build a practical fallback for study and living costs.

Iceland scholarshipsstudent loans
12 min readRead guide

Iceland

Universities

Tuition and Study Costs in Iceland

Fees, living costs and financial evidence

Verify programme charges and refund terms, budget arrival and monthly expenses, and keep funding and permit evidence consistent.

Iceland university coststuition fees
12 min readRead guide

Iceland

Freelancing

Starting a Business in Iceland

Structure, registration, and duties

Choose a suitable legal form, prepare the required formation records, register the operation, and map its tax, accounting, payroll, and permit obligations.

start a businesscompany formation
12 min readRead guide

Iceland

Residence permits

Permanent Residence in Iceland

Eligibility, continuity, and timing

Check whether your permit history can lead to permanent residence and prepare the language, financial, residence, and supporting evidence required.

permanent residence permitqualifying permit
12 min readRead guide

Iceland

Work

Parental Leave in Iceland

Rights, payments, and planning

Plan paid leave or a parental grant, understand how payments are calculated, and coordinate applications, employer notice, and changes between parents.

parental leavematernity leave
12 min readRead guide

Iceland

Registration

Getting Married in Iceland

Eligibility, documents and registration

Check the legal conditions, prepare certificates and translations, arrange the ceremony and verify the marriage record for later use.

marriage Icelandcertificate of no impediment
11 min readRead guide

Other countries

Everyday services in other countries

Where to next

Local offices across Iceland

See the district commissioners, tax offices, labour service centres and other offices in the city where you live, and the services each one handles.

Local offices in Iceland

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