Consultation Portal Sees No Comments on Driver’s License Amendment
The public consultation portal for the Minister of Infrastructure’s proposed changes to driver’s license regulations has attracted zero comments before the deadline. The draft amendment in question would mean people no longer need to provide a medical certificate based on age until they reach 75.
Inga Sæland, the newly appointed Minister of Infrastructure, says the goal is to simplify the renewal process and bring it in line with how things actually work today. She points out that applications from people aged 75 and older are rarely denied anyway, given that older Icelanders are generally living longer and in better health than previous generations. Under current rules, drivers must renew their licenses every five years once they turn 65.
The Ministry of Health has weighed in on the side of change. At present, anyone aged 72 or older must renew their medical certificate every two years, and those over 80 must do so every year.
According to the governing council’s website, the proposed changes are partly intended to ease some of the burden on medical professionals. In 2024 alone, more than 16,000 seniors applied to renew their driver’s licenses. Even if the amendments pass, the basic principle stays the same: drivers of any age are responsible for making sure they are fit to be behind the wheel.
Worth noting is that Iceland’s proposed rules would still be stricter than those in most of its Nordic neighbours, where fitness to drive is assessed on an individual basis rather than tied to a specific age. In those countries, licenses typically run for ten to fifteen years, with renewals required regardless of how old the driver is.
