Save 10% on Car Rental in Iceland — Exclusive Discount Codes

Welcome to the exclusive discount codes for renting a car in Iceland

This page lists exclusive discount codes for car rental in Iceland, available to Stuck in Iceland newsletter subscribers. The codes offer 5-10% savings with four trusted Icelandic operators: Höldur (Europcar Iceland), Go Car Rental, Lava Car Rental, and Konvin Car Rental. Remember that these rental companies often offer extra discounts for long rental periods.

Renting a car is the most popular way to explore Iceland — it gives you complete freedom to set your own pace, stop wherever the landscape demands it, and reach places that organized tours don’t go. I’ve been running Stuck in Iceland since 2012, and I only partner with companies I’d recommend to a friend. Subscribe to the newsletter to instantly unlock your discount codes.

Car rental discount codes for Iceland at a glance

The Stuck in Iceland top rated car rental partners

Save 5% on Go Car Rental

Go Car Rental is the car rental arm of the same team behind Go Campers — a Reykjavík-based company I know well. The same qualities apply: a wide range of vehicles from economy cars to 4×4s, transparent pricing, flexible cancellation, and consistently good communication. A solid choice whether you’re doing a quick South Coast loop or the full Ring Road.

To save on your car rental, just click the link and book your vehicle.

Discover Go Car Rental

Make the most of your travel budget for your Iceland road trip

A road trip is the best way to see Iceland, and it doesn’t have to break the bank. I’ve arranged exclusive discounts with trusted rental companies so you pay less for the car — and when you join the free Stuck in Iceland newsletter, those savings carry over to hundreds of tours and travel services too. The codes are above. The advice below is the part most travelers wish they’d read before they booked.

Why rent a car for a road trip in Iceland?

Iceland rewards people who can stop on a whim. A waterfall you didn’t plan for, a steaming valley over the next rise, a stretch of black-sand coast with nobody else on it — with your own car you can pull over, take it in, and move on when you’re ready. No coach timetable, no group of forty waiting on you.

I’ll be honest about the trade-off. Guided coach tours are comfortable, and someone else does the driving, which suits some people. But if you want to set your own pace and reach the quieter corners, a rental car is the way to do it. In summer, the main roads are straightforward to drive yourself. In winter, it takes a little more care — more on that below.

Why book through the Stuck in Iceland discount codes?

When you rent through the links and codes on this page, you get a better price, and you help keep this independent magazine going. I’ve run Stuck in Iceland on my own since 2012, and reader bookings pay for it. Here’s what you’re getting:

• Codes you won’t find elsewhere. These rates are arranged personally for my readers.
• Partners I actually trust. I only work with rental companies that look after their cars and their customers.
• Cover for every season. Whether you’re chasing the midnight sun in June or the northern lights in January, there’s a vehicle that fits.

Which car should you rent in Iceland — 2WD or 4×4?

This is the decision that affects both your budget and where you can go. Get it right, and you’ll save money without cutting yourself off from anything you wanted to see.

A 2WD car (front-wheel drive)

Perfectly fine in summer for the Ring Road, the Golden Circle, the South Coast, and the Snæfellsnes peninsula — all the headline sights. It’s the cheaper option and easier on fuel. What it can’t do is the Highland F-roads (it’s not allowed on them), and it’s not the car I’d pick for a winter trip.

A 4×4 (four-wheel drive)

You’ll want one if the Highlands are on your list — Landmannalaugar, Þórsmörk, Askja, the Kjölur and Sprengisandur routes — because those F-roads legally require a 4×4. A 4×4 also gives you more ground clearance and surer footing, which earns its keep in winter and on rougher gravel. It costs more, so only pay for it if your plans actually call for it.

Campervans

A campervan rolls your car and your accommodation into one and gives you real freedom over where you wake up. Just plan to stay at registered campsites — overnighting wherever you please isn’t permitted in Iceland.

A simple rule for winter

From roughly November to March, take a 4×4 with good winter tires, even if you’re only on main roads. The extra grip and clearance are worth far more than the savings on a smaller car.

Car rental insurance in Iceland, explained plainly

This is the section that saves people the most money and the most stress, so stay with me. Iceland’s roads pose a few specific risks, and the insurance terminology can be confusing. Here’s what each one actually means.

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). Usually included. It caps what you’d owe for damage — but only down to an excess (the deductible you still pay yourself), which can run into hundreds of euros. A “Super CDW” upgrade lowers that excess.
• Gravel Protection (GP). Worth it. Plenty of Icelandic roads are gravel, and flying stones constantly chip paint and crack windscreens. This covers exactly that kind of damage.
• Sand and Ash Protection (SAAP). Easy to overlook, genuinely important — especially along the South Coast around Vík and out in the Highlands. In a strong wind, blowing sand and volcanic ash can strip a car’s paint and pit the glass in minutes, and standard cover usually won’t touch it.

One more thing to read before you sign: most policies do not cover river crossings, any off-road driving, damage to the underside of the car, or driving through water. If you damage the car doing something that isn’t allowed, you’re on the hook for it.

F-roads and the Highlands — know before you go

F-roads are Iceland’s mountain roads, marked with an “F” before the number (F35, F208, and so on). A few things to keep straight:

• You must drive them in a 4×4 — it’s the law, and a 2WD rental isn’t insured on them.
• Some F-roads include unbridged river crossings. These aren’t covered by insurance and can be genuinely dangerous after rain or warm weather. If you’ve never done one, don’t make your first attempt alone.
• They’re seasonal. Most open around mid-June and close again in September, depending entirely on the snowmelt. Outside that window, they’re shut.
• Always check road.is for which Highland roads are open before you set out.

Fuel, payment and the practical bits

Most Icelandic fuel stations are self-service and pay-at-the-pump, so you’ll need a card with a PIN. A few accept tap, but don’t count on it — a prepaid fuel card from the station chain is a handy backup. Stations are easy to find around the southwest, but they thin out in the East Fjords and the Highlands, so fill up whenever you’re below half a tank rather than waiting for empty.

Iceland driving rules every visitor should know

• Headlights on at all times — day and night, all year. It’s the law.
• Seatbelts for everyone, and no holding your phone while driving.
• Speed limits: 50 km/h in towns, 80 km/h on gravel roads, 90 km/h on paved rural roads. Cameras are common and fines are steep.
• Never drive off-road. Off-road driving is illegal in Iceland, carries heavy fines, and scars fragile moss and terrain that takes decades to recover. Stay on marked roads and tracks, always.
• Single-lane bridges (one car at a time) and blind hills (signed “blindhæð”) are everywhere on rural roads. Slow down and the car nearer the bridge goes first.
• Watch for sheep. They roam free in summer and wander onto roads without warning, often near their lambs. Ease off and give them room.
• Don’t stop on the road for photos. Use marked pull-outs and car parks. Stopping in a live lane causes serious accidents here.
• Don’t drink and drive. The legal limit is effectively zero — leave the car if you’ve had any alcohol.

Plan your route — and be realistic about distances

A rough plan saves you from spending the whole trip in the car. The Ring Road that circles the island is about 1,330 km, and to enjoy it rather than endure it you want 7 to 10 days. If you’ve only got a few days, pick one region and do it well — the South Coast or the Golden Circle, say — instead of racing the whole loop.

To make it easy, I’ve put together ready-made itineraries you can lean on:

• The Ring Road
• The South Coast
• The Golden Circle
• The Diamond Circle

Book your hotels well ahead, especially for a summer trip — the good places fill up early. Booking early usually gets you a better rate and one less thing to worry about.

Before you set off — weather, roads and safety

Iceland’s weather changes fast, so make checking it part of your morning routine. Three sources are all you need:

• Icelandic Met Office — the forecast, including wind, which matters here more than rain.
• Icelandic Road Authority — live road conditions and closures, essential in winter.
• Safetravel.is — read the advice and register your travel plan so rescue teams know your route.

For the full rundown, read my guide on how to stay safe in Iceland. A little preparation goes a long way out here.

Ready to book your car rental in Iceland?

Whether you’re traveling solo, as a couple, or with a carload of friends, a road trip is the way to see Iceland on your own terms. Use the discount codes above, pick the right car for your plans, and you’re set.

And do join the free newsletter before you go — that’s where I send fresh codes for tours, rentals and gear, so you save on the whole trip and not just the car. Safe travels, and tell them Jón sent you.

Read articles about road trips and renting a car in Iceland