What Is the Legal Drinking Age in Iceland? (2026)

By

Last Updated on December 31, 2025

Are you wondering what the legal drinking age in Iceland is? I’ve got you covered!

Whether you’re visiting Iceland for a couple days or weeks, or just passing through, it’s important to know the legal drinking age, and cultural practices around drinking. 

As with traveling anywhere, knowing the local laws and customs when it comes to alcohol helps you to be a responsible tourist as you partake in some tasty beer, wine, or cocktails while abroad. 

When my partner and I visited Iceland, we did a 10-day road trip along the southern coast. We traveled in a camper van, cooking most of our meals ourselves. 

We rarely drank alcohol throughout our trip. At the end of most days, we were tired from driving, hiking, and being outdoors.

There were a few evenings, however, where we were in the mood for a beer at our campsite, and when we went out for meals in Reykjavik, we looked forward to a glass of beer with dinner. 

Regardless of how much you plan to drink (if it all!) while in Iceland, it’s important to know the cultural norms and restrictions around alcohol. 

Let’s dive into the Icelandic drinking age and laws related to alcohol.

Table of Contents
a red camper van on a grassy lawn surrounded by mountains in Iceland
Our camper van in the Golden Circle, Iceland

The legal drinking age in Iceland is 20. This is a higher than average drinking age given the majority of countries have set their legal drinking age at 18 or 19 years. 

Iceland has this high legal drinking age as part of the country’s ongoing efforts to promote responsible alcohol consumption. 

Iceland Drinking Customs and Culture

Iceland has an interesting history around alcohol. Total prohibition in Iceland went into effect in 1915. The ban on wine was eventually lifted in 1922, and the ban on spirits was lifted in 1935. But beer? It continued to be banned until 1989.  

Today, beer and most other alcoholic beverages are available in Iceland, but they are heavily regulated and taxed.

Why was beer illegal in Iceland until 1989?

Prohibition in Iceland was abolished in 1935, but beer continued to be banned until 1989. This was due to a mixture of alcohol being frowned upon in general, but also for political reasons. 

Throughout the 20th century, Iceland was struggling for independence from Denmark, and Icelanders strongly associated beer with Danish lifestyles. This association meant that Icelanders saw beer as unpatriotic. 

Over time, attitudes toward beer changed. Finally, in 1988, Iceland’s parliament voted to legalize beer, after debates that were televised live, attracting huge audiences.

Why is Iceland so strict with alcohol?

Iceland’s strict laws around alcohol are meant to reduce alcoholism amongst Icelanders, particularly teenagers. In the 1980s, Iceland had a significant teenage drinking problem. The teen drinking rate at that time was around 42% – the highest rate in Europe.

At the time, several other Nordic countries had a drinking age of 20. As a result, setting the legal drinking age to a seemingly high age was aligned with norms in nearby countries, and it was assumed that this would help reduce teenage drinking. 

As of 2018, a survey by the Icelandic Centre for Social Research and Analysis (ICSRA), found that only5% of teens in Iceland reported getting drunk in the past 30 days. A huge improvement compared to the 1980s!  

Traditional Icelandic beer in a big mug, on a patio on a sunny summer day Iceland
Traditional Icelandic beer in a big mug

It’s crucial to be aware that the regulations concerning alcohol usage in Iceland are distinct from those in nearby countries, like the United Kingdom, Ireland, and European nations. 

Therefore, it’s important to become acquainted with the statutes and restrictions, before consuming any alcoholic beverages in Iceland.

In many European nations, drinking is permitted as of age 18. This is a notably lower age (2 years younger) than the legal drinking age in Iceland. 

In Iceland, there are also laws which restrict the service of alcohol to minors, including prohibitions on providing alcohol to minors, hosting minors at private parties where alcohol is served, and buying alcohol for someone under the legal drinking age.

In Iceland, you are required to present a valid ID if asked. Typically, bartenders and cashiers will ask if you look like you are 25 or younger. 

Can Minors Drink With a Parent in Iceland?

In some countries, underage people can enjoy an alcoholic beverage if they are under parental supervision. This isn’t the case in Iceland. Iceland has a very strict stance on teens drinking, and as a result, it is only legal to have alcohol once you are 20 years old, or older.

 If you’re traveling to Iceland with a parent, or you have teenage children who are allowed to have a beer or glass of wine with you at home, you’ll need to keep this law top of mind. 

What not to do in Iceland? Do not have any alcohol before driving.
 
Drinking and driving is explicitly forbidden in Iceland by law. According to Icelandic Traffic Law, Act no. 77/2019, the maximum permitted level of alcohol in a driver’s blood is 0.02%, and a level of 0.05% or up is punishable. 

If you are pulled over and the level of alcohol in the bloodstream is more than 0.049%, you will be fined at least 100,000 ISK (that’s around 800 US dollars). There’s also the risk of other penalties, like a ban from driving, and jail time. 

From what I’ve been told by locals and other travelers, the police won’t likely issue a ticket or other punishment unless a person registers a blood alcohol level above 0.05% – but this doesn’t mean anything above 0.02% isn’t illegal.
 
For most people, one drink will result in a blood alcohol level of 0.02%. Given this, it’s best to be extremely cautious. 

On my own travels in Iceland, if my partner and I knew we would have a drink at dinner, we did not drive. Even though 1 drink likely would have been okay, it wasn’t worth the risk. 

The bottom line? Don’t drive under the influence in Iceland, even if it is acceptable in your own culture. 

Why does Iceland have such strict laws around alcohol and driving? The roads in Iceland can be challenging. 

There are often unpredictable high winds, dense fog and rain, sheep running into the road, steep seaside and mountain cliffs, single land bridges, tunnels, and other challenges. The law is meant to protect you, the driver, and everyone else on the road. 

a hamburger with fries along with a glass of craft beer at Smiðjan Brugghús, a brewery in Iceland, where the legal drinking age in Iceland is 20 years old
Having a meal and a craft beer at Smiðjan Brugghús, in Vik, Iceland

In Iceland there are strict consequences for underage drinking, as well as consequences for other offenses related to drinking. 

These are the most common consequences:

  • Being charged with an offense and facing criminal penalties such as a fine or imprisonment.
  • If you serve alcohol to a minor, you could face penalties.

Can You Drink at 18 in Iceland?

No, the legal drinking age in Iceland is 20. Iceland has a high legal drinking age as part of ongoing efforts to promote responsible alcohol consumption. The drinking age law is very strict, and so it’s essential to abide by it. 

Where to Buy Alcohol In Iceland

In Iceland, alcohol is sold in state-controlled stores called Vínbúð. These stores have limited opening hours during the day, and most of them are closed on Sundays. As an alternative, grocery stores in Iceland sell low-alcohol beer.

Most of the larger towns in Iceland will have one Vínbúð. The bigger cities have more. Reykjavik, for example, has at least 4 of them. You can’t count on smaller towns to have a Vínbúð.

For example, when we stayed in Hellissandur, the closest one was in the next town over, about a 20 minute drive away. 

If you’re arriving in Iceland by plane, it’s a good idea to pick up any beer, wine, or spirits you’d like to enjoy during your travels, before you exit the airport. 

Because it’s duty free, it’s a better price, and getting what you need at the start of the trip will save you from having to plan around the Vínbúð locations and hours. 

The duty free shop in the airport has a great selection of beer, spirits and wine at a good price. 

Most restaurants in Iceland sell beer and wine, as well as spirits and cocktails. And of course, there are pubs and bars throughout the country.

Want to try craft beer? On our trip around Iceland, we went to Smiðjan Brugghús in Vik, twice! They serve delicious food, and the craft beer was fresh and tasty. Plus, it was just a 15 minute walk from the Vik campground to the brewery.

Another favourite of ours was Lebowski Bar in Reykjavik. We went to this joint in the center of Reykjavik on our last night in Iceland. It’s of course, themed after the movie The Big Lebowski!

Yes, Lebowski Bar is a bit touristy, but the decor was super fun, and the vibe there was lovely. We had a great time celebrating the end of our trip with a beer there.

Enjoying drinks in Reykjavik

In conclusion, the legal drinking age in Iceland is 20. This regulation applies to all types of alcohol, and all settings. 

Regardless of if you’re in a bar, restaurant, hotel, or home, you cannot consume alcohol if you are less than 20 years old. It’s important to remember that Iceland does not allow any exceptions for drinking with parental supervision. 

It’s also crucial to remember that the blood alcohol level permitted for driving is very low. Best practice is to avoid drinking any alcohol if you will be driving.

As a guest visiting Iceland, it’s important to respect these laws. Following local laws, as well as cultural customs when traveling abroad is an important part of responsible tourism.

More on Iceland from Pina Travels: