Iceland Motorhome 2026: 3 mm Tread From 1 November, 90 km/h

Two rules shape a motorhome trip in Iceland more than anything else, and the older version of this page mentioned neither. From 1 November to 14 April every tyre needs 3 mm of tread rather than the usual 1.6 mm, and studs are allowed. And sleeping in a camper van outside a registered campsite has been prohibited since 2015. Everything else follows from those two: a modest speed ceiling of 90 km/h, one tunnel toll on the whole island, and a highland network that a motorhome simply cannot use.

Motorhome Speed Limits in Iceland

Iceland has no motorways, and no road carries a limit above 90 km/h. The same figures apply to a motorhome as to a car — the country regulates by surface, not by vehicle weight.

The gravel figure matters more than it looks. A heavy, high-sided motorhome on loose gravel at 80 km/h has very little margin, and the transition from tarmac to gravel on the Ring Road’s side routes is often abrupt and poorly signed. Slow down before the surface changes, not after.

Winter tyres: the 3 mm rule and the stud window

This is Iceland’s most important rule for anyone collecting a vehicle outside high summer.

• 1 November to 14 April: a minimum of 3 mm of tread on all tyres. There is no dated obligation to fit winter tyres, but the vehicle must be equipped for snow or ice when they are on the road.
• Studded tyres are permitted during the same window and are genuinely useful on glazed surfaces; from 15 April to 31 October studs and chains are banned unless conditions require them.
• Outside those dates the ordinary 1.6 mm minimum applies.

If you are hiring, confirm what is fitted before you drive away rather than assuming the rental fleet has been changed over. The tread dates are fixed; the weather is not, and October storms and late-April ice both happen.

Wild Camping and Overnight Parking

Staying overnight in a motorhome, camper van or caravan outside a registered campsite has been prohibited since the Nature Conservation Act came into force in 2015. This is not a grey area and it is enforced, particularly in the south and around the popular waterfall and glacier stops.

The practical position is good: more than 170 registered campsites cover the island, closely spaced along Route 1. A Camping Card gives discounts at a subset of them. Outside summer many rural sites close, so check opening dates before committing to a night’s driving.

Size and Weight Restrictions

• F-roads are out. The highland routes demand genuine four-wheel drive, ground clearance and unbridged river crossings. Standard motorhomes are excluded practically and by nearly every rental contract.
• Route 1 and the sealed regional roads are where a motorhome belongs, and they reach most of what visitors come to see.
• Single-lane bridges are common; the vehicle closest to the bridge goes first, and a long motorhome needs more judgement about that than a car does.
• Wind is the underrated hazard. Gusts strong enough to tear a door off its hinges are routine; never open a door downwind, and check the road wind warnings on road.is before setting off.

Off-road driving is illegal

Driving off marked tracks is against the law in Iceland and attracts heavy fines. Moss and lava surfaces take decades to recover from a single set of wheel tracks. There is no tolerated exception for photographs, for parking or for turning around.

Gas and LPG Availability

Autogas is not widely available. Most motorhomes rely on campsite electricity, and propane bottles should be carried full. Plan gas as a scarce resource rather than something to be topped up en route.

Waste Disposal and Service Points

Service points are provided at most registered campsites. Iceland’s environment is unusually sensitive to grey water and chemical discharge, so use the facilities provided and nothing else.

Tolls

There is one, and it is the Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel near Akureyri, at roughly ISK 1,500. There are no booths: cameras read the plate and payment is made online at veggjald.is, ideally within three hours of the crossing, otherwise an invoice follows. Every other road in the country, including the full Ring Road, is free.

Alcohol

Iceland’s limit is 0.02, effectively zero and among the strictest in Europe. One drink puts a driver over it. Police patrol the Ring Road actively, fines are high, and there is no useful tolerance.

Emergency Numbers

Recommended Apps

• Park4Night
• Camping.is
• Tjalda App
• road.is for road and wind conditions, which changes faster than any app can cache

More Resources

• Complete Iceland Driving Guide
• Iceland Tyre Laws
• Travel Checklist
• Fuel Cost Calculator
• Route Planner