Here you can find all the rental requirements and our cancellation policy when renting your car with Hertz Iceland:
Do you need an International driver’s license to rent a car in Iceland?
No, if you have held a driving license with ENGLISH info. If you hold a driving license, for example, from the EU/EEA countries, the U.S., Canada, or any Asia country printed with English information, you can rent a car from us directly with your VALID license.
If your driving license does not have any English information, then you will need to apply for an international driver’s license or provide a notarized translation of your driving license.
You will need to present the original copy of your driving licence when renting with us; We do not accept virtual driving licenses for rental.
Please note: If your driving license is not categorised according to the IDP (International Driving Permit), for example, a driving license issued by the Hong Kong SAR government, we recommend you apply for an International driver’s license to drive and rent a car in Iceland.
Driver’s License: Minimum years held, and international driving license
The driver must present a valid driver’s licence held for a minimum of one year at the time of rental. An International Driving Permit (IDP) / International Driving License (IDL) is also required if your national driver’s licence is not in English/Roman script. We highly recommend you get an international driving license with you if your license is not in English, in case the Icelandic police do not recognize the language of your national driving licence. International driving licences are recommended for translation purposes and may only be used in conjunction with a national driving licence. Renting 10-seater (9 passengers + driver) or more vehicles, driving licence D (Type D) is required.
Additional Driver / Operator, i.e. extra driver
The person named on the reservation booking must be the main driver, present at the time of rental and payer of any rental charges. Additional drivers are possible with a small daily fee for each additional driver. The charge for an additional driver serves to cover the second driver under the same agreement as the main driver.
Please be reminded that if an undeclared driver drives the car and has an accident, the insurance is automatically invalidated.
The driving licence requirement applied to the main driver is also applied to the second driver. For further information regarding the second driver’s licence requirements, .please refer to the “Driver’s licence” section.
The second driver is also expected to meet the minimum age requirement depending on the type of car renting. For further information regarding the second driver’s minimum age requirements, please refer to “Iceland car rental minimum age and exceptions”.
Car Insurances and coverage package in Iceland
By renting a car in Iceland with Hertz, some car insurances are already included with your rental (i.e. CDW, TPL). We also offer ranges of rental coverage packages at different price with different level of protection, please read our car protection coverages and extra price list for more information about the insurances details and prices. And you are also free to choose only reply on the travel insurances offered by your credit car company, if you find that is more convenient to you. It is not mandatory but highly recommend to get our MAX coverage package with ZERO excess online or at our rental desk.
How old to rent a car in Iceland? Minimum age limitation and exceptions
Hertz Iceland not have a Maximum age limit restriction when renting or driving with us. But we do have minimum age requirement on renting and driving our vehicles.
The minimum age for rentals in Iceland is 20 years old for vehicle groups Economy, Compact, Compact Wagon, Intermediate 2 and 4 doors and Intermediate Wagon. For all other vehicle groups, the minimum age is 23 years old. For certain prestige/luxury cars, a 25-minimum age might be required. Please refers to the car description page for information about the exact age requirement of each car.
For further information, please contact our Reservation Center.
Do you need a credit card to rent a car in Iceland?
Yes, you will need a valid credit card in the main driver’s name when renting with Hertz Iceland. When you rent, we will place an authorization hold (not deposit) on your credit card for security. This applies to all payment methods and reservation statuses.
- The only acceptable credit cards are: H.C.C. card holders (booked through hertz.com), American Express, Mastercard, and Visa. Unfortunately, We DO NOT accept apple credit or debit card.
To meet the needs of different customers, we now accept debit cards and prepaid credit cards with some conditions:
- Debit card requirement: we ONLY accept Debit card with a 16-digit number starting with 4 or 5.
- Prepaid credit card requirements: The card must be in the name of the main driver. The driver must ensure sufficient funds are available on the card to cover all estimated charges, as we will authorize a certain amount at the start of the rental.
For luxury vehicle rentals, TWO credit cards must be presented at the time of rental.
Methods of Payment: A physical Card is required, NOT virtual cards, apple/google pay or e-wallet
You need one of the cards mentioned above in the main driver’s name to book and rent the vehicle. This rule applies no matter where you reserved your rental with Hertz Iceland. However, you may opt to pay by other means at the termination of the rental, subject to specific terms and conditions being met.
At the time of rental, authorization is obtained on your credit card based on the estimated rental charges. There must be sufficient credit on your card to cover all charges. We are not charging a deposit to your credit card. Instead, we are getting authorization for a certain amount based on your rental. This is done using the credit card you provided.
All online reservations will be charged as soon as the reservation is confirmed. For further information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Reservation Center.
To recap, when renting with Hertz Iceland:
| Accepted Payment Methods |
| Credit Cards American Express, Mastercard, and Visa. H.C.C. cards (booked via Hertz.com) are also accepted. |
| Debit Cards Must have a 16-digit number starting with 4 or 5 and be in the main driver’s name. |
| Prepaid Credit Cards under these conditions 1. Must be in the main driver’s name. 2. Must have sufficient funds to cover all estimated charges |
| Not Accepted payment Methods |
| Apple credit or debit cards. |
| Virtual cards, e-wallets (e.g., Apple Pay, Google Pay). |
Important Notes:
- For luxury vehicle rentals, two credit cards must be presented.
- The physical card must be presented at the rental desk.
- Online reservations are charged immediately upon confirmation.
- Payment at the end of the rental is possible using other methods, provided all terms and conditions are met.
- We do not take a deposit but an authorization hold from the card you provided at the rental
Driving Restrictions
Hertz 2WD vehicles are not allowed to be driven on roads marked F on official maps (i.e. F-roads, Icelandic mountain roads) and KJÖLUR, road nr. 35. and KALDIDALUR nr. 550.
Should these restrictions be ignored all waivers (Third Party Liability, CDW, TP, PAI), if accepted, shall be deemed null and void. The driver will be held fully responsible in case of accidents and will bear all consequences, including the cost of reparation of the damaged vehicle. For further information please contact the Reservation Center.
Please note: Off-road driving is illegal in Iceland. Please ONLY drive on marked roads and tracks at all times. If you drive off-roads, ALL car insurances and coverages you have on the rental car will be deemed null and void, the renter will be responsible for all car damages at full cost.
Please also be reminded that some plug-in hybrid 4×4 cars and electric 4WD cars in our fleet are NOT allowed on F-roads due to the battery position. Please check the rental car description and detail carefully before renting.
Airport Service Charge
An Iceland International airport Service Charge will apply to all rentals with pick-up at Keflavik International airport.
One-Way Rentals
One-way rentals are those customer starts the rental in one location and returns the vehicle to another. Availability is based on the location restrictions and the vehicle type being taken one-way.
One-Way fees
If the car is not returned at the same location as the pick-up took place, there will be added a One-Way fee.
Taxes
All rates are subject to a Government tax (VAT) at 24% and are included in all our rates.
Dropping off the car
Cars are not to be dropped off at hotels, they have to be returned to the rental location according to the agreement. If failed to do so Hertz will charge for the pickup and gasoline.
Opening hours
The car must be returned during office hours of the rental office you choose. Our opening hours can be viewed on our stations locations info page
Cancellation Policy and cancellation fees
You can enjoy a FREE cancellation up to 16 days before your rental time. Reservation that is cancelled more than:
- 16 days before – Free cancellation
- 15-8 days before – 40% of the total reservation value
- 7-2 days before – 50% of the total reservation value
- 1 day before – 80% of the total reservation value
- No Show – 100% of the total reservation value
Vehicles reservation policy
Reservations are made by car category only. The vehicles shown in pricelists are only examples. We cannot guarantee a specific car model. Specific models within a car class may vary in availability and features, such as passenger seating, luggage capacity, and mileage.
Fuel
Hertz vehicles are rented with a full tank of petrol and therefore you are required to return your car with a full tank. A fuel and service charge will apply unless the car is returned with the same amount of fuel as when rented.
Please refers to our ‘car protection and extra items and price list‘ page for more information about the price for extra driver/ equipment rental and the car insurance detail.
Parking
Car renter is responsible for paying the parking fee for the rental car during your rental period. The parking fee of the vehicle is NOT included in the rental price. Please make sure you make the payment when using the paid parking spots in Iceland.
If you do not make the parking payment, Hertz Iceland will receive a parking ticket. In this case, we will have to charge your credit card with the parking fee PLUS the admin fee to process the payment.
- Learn more about Parking in Iceland before visiting.
Hertz Iceland reserves the right to modify or amend its Terms of Service at any time without notice. Hertz Iceland also reserves the right of final decision on the interpretation of its Terms and Conditions.
