Lights and reflectors on vehicles

Lights and reflectors

Vehicles used in public traffic may only have the lights, reflectors and reflective markings that are permitted or required. All other lights, reflectors and reflective markings, regardless of their names are, are prohibited. This prohibition also covers lights inside the car that could be confused with permitted or required lights.

Purpose of rules on lights and reflectors

Lights and reflectors on vehicles in public traffic are not for decoration. The purpose of having clear rules on lights and reflectors is to ensure that drivers and other road users can communicate in a coordinated and safe manner in traffic and to be able to see well enough while driving without causing inconvenience to other road users.

Types and requirements on lights and reflectors

The rules for lights include requirements for their number, location, colors, illumination, settings, light intensity, connection and how the driver should be alerted when they are on or flashing. Similar rules apply to reflectors and all types of reflective markings.

Types of lights

Lights can be categorized into:

• Lights that illuminate the road so that the driver can see better, such as headlights (low-light and high-light), fog lights, reverse lights, and cornering lights.

• Lights that show the vehicle and its outlines, and even distinguish it from other vehicles, such as parking lights, marker lights, side marker lights and rear fog lights.

• Signal lights that the driver uses to signal in traffic, such as turn signals, brake lights and hazard lights.

The general rule is that front lights must be white, rear lights must be red and side lights must be amber, but also that turnings signals must be amber and reversing lights must be white. However, there are a few exceptions to these rules.

Types of reflectors

Reflectors can be standalone or integrated with various types of lights. As with light colors, the general rule is that rear-facing reflectors should be red, side reflectors should be amber (with a few exceptions), and front facing reflectors should be white.

It is mandatory to have rear reflectors on all vehicles, while side and front reflectors can be either allowed or required, depending on the type and size of the vehicle.

Types of reflective markings

Reflective markings refer to surfaces of vehicles that are covered (filmed) with reflective material or special signs with reflective properties. Reflective markings have different purposes, colors, patterns, shapes and reflective strengths. They are used to:

• Mark civil protection vehicles, such as police and firefighters vehicles, ambulances and rescue vehicles, in order to make them more visible during operations. (emergency-driving reflective markings)

• Identify larger vehicles and trailers in heavy transport to increase their visibility in traffic (approved outline markers and heavy transport reflective markings)

• Draw special attention to vehicles used in road work and their protruding equipment (approved reflective warning markings)

• Mark trucks, vans and buses with some kind of graphics (approved advertising reflective markings).

Approval of lights and reflectors

Almost without exception, light fixtures and bulbs, reflectors, reflective markings must bear approval marks confirming they are manufactured for a specific purpose and meet relevant requirements. These can be E-, e-, DOT- or UI-markings. The mark should be clearly visible but may be found inside or on the back of the light fixture or reflector.

It is noted that online shops offer various light fixtures and bulbs that are not approved for Europe, even if they are declared to fit in vehicles found in Iceland. There are also all kinds of reflective markings that are not allowed to be used on vehicles in public traffic as they are intended for other uses. Unauthorized lights and reflectors are noted during regular inspections and by police traffic control. The vehicle owner may need to prove that the replaced lighting equipment complies with requirements if it is evident that lights have been changed and approval markings are not visible.

Use of lights in traffic

Here are general information about the use of vehicle lights.

Use of driving lights

In Iceland, traffic laws require that vehicle driving lights (main beam) must always be used and turned on when a car is in use on public roads. The same applies to other vehicles. Driving lights include headlights or daytime running lights that illuminate the front, along with rear lights.

The driver must turn on the vehicle lights if they do not turn on automatically. Attention is drawn to the fact that in the last few years both cars and motorcycles have been manufactured so that the daytime running lights turn on automatically without the rear lights turning on in all cases. The driver must also be particularly careful manually turn on the headlights at the start of all journeys to ensure the rear lights are also on.

Use of fog lights and rear fog lights

Front fog lights are used to improve illumination of the road ahead if fog or similar weather conditions reduce visibility and headlights are not as effective. Fog lights can be turned on without the headlights being on at the same time. When fog lights are on, an indicator light on the dashboard will illuminate. Fog lights should be turned off when the weather conditions improve.

The rear fog light is a strong red light that emits light behind the vehicle and is used to make the car or trailer visible in dense fog for those coming from behind. When the rear fog light is turned on, a prominent indicator light on the dashboard lights up. It is important that this light is turned off as soon as the fog clears to avoid disturbance to other drivers behind.

It is important for drivers to familiarize themselves with how to turn on fog lights so they can activated them without hesitation when needed.

Replacement and maintenance of lights and reflectors

When replacing and maintaining lights, approved light fixtures and bulbs should be used. Always check whether the light fixtures and bulbs are marked with approval marks before buying them.

If replacing or changing bulbs in headlights or fog lights, ensure the light alignment is correct after the bulb change or repair.

Installation of new light fixtures, reflectors or reflector markings

Additional lights or reflectors must not be installed unless all applicable rules are followed. The Icelandic Transport Authority recommends consulting professionals in such cases.

Additional front lights on vehicles

Questions often arise about whether it is possible to add the following front lights (based on current regulations):

• Low beams: Only one pair of low beams is allowed, so they cannot be increased.

• High beams: High beams are mandatory on cars (emitting white light). One additional pair is allowed on all cars (or one central light). On large trucks (over 12 tons) two additional pairs are allowed, but only one pair can be used at a time (these additional pairs are often integrated, so they can not be added). High beam light fixtures must be approved as such and be properly adjusted.

• Fog lights: One pair is permitted on cars (emitting white or yellow light). They must be correctly aligned and approved. Many cars come with integrated pair of fog lights, so they cannot be increased.

• Spotlights: One pair of spotlights are allowed on off-road vehicles, buses and trucks (or one central light). Light pitchers must always be installed afterwards and do not require special approval. Spotlights must always be installed afterward and do not require special approval. Spotlights must be correctly connected and can only be used on roads outside urban areas in poor conditions when headlights are of limited use due to snow or drifting snow.

• Parking lights: One pair is mandatory and no more than that. They are small and white and must be approved as such. On passenger and vans, the parking lights can extend across the car to form a line across the vehicle (they come approved as such form the manufacturer and cannot be installed afterwards).

• Width marker lights: These are small light pairs that are placed as high as possible and are designed to draw special attention to large vehicles approaching. They emit white light (can be amber on cars from USA and Canada) and must be approved as such. They are only allowed on cars and trailers over 1.8 meters wide and are mandatory when the width exceeds 2.1 meters. One or two pairs can be placed at the outer edges (one pair can be at the top corners of the cab and the other at the top corners of the cargo box).

Additional side lights on vehicles

Questions often arise about additional side lights:

• Side lights: Side lights can be added to a car or increased in number. They are mandatory if the car is longer than 6 meters. They must meet height and length placement rules and be correctly connected. Side lights must be amber amber and approved.

Additional rear-mounted lights

Questions often arise about whether it is possible to add the following rear lights (based on current regulations):

• Parking lights (rear lights): One pair is mandatory and no more. They are small and red and must be approved. On passenger and delivery cars, rear lights can extend across the car to form a light line (they come approved from the manufacturer and cannot be added afterward).

• Width marker lights (rear lights): This is a pair of small lights placed as high as possible to draw special attention to a large vehicle in front. They emit red light and must be approved. They are only allowed on cars and trailers over 1.8 meters wide and are mandatory when the width exceeds 2.1 meters. One or two pairs can be placed at the outer edges.

Other lights on vehicles

Questions often arise about whether it is possible to add the following lights (based on current regulations):

• Work lights: Work lights can be installed, one or more, on vehicles used in special work conditions while stationary. The lights are used to illuminate the work area around them and should be adjusted to light only the work area around the vehicle, not behind, to the side, or forward on the road. The lights must not interfere with other traffic or the illumination of other vehicle lights. Work lights should be white and do not require special approval. Work lights must be turned off when driving.

• Warning lights: These are yellow flashing lights intended to draw special attention to a vehicle disrupting traffic due to road maintenance or assisting on the road following accidents or incidents. They can also be on tractors and work vehicles not following traffic speed and flashing while driving between locations. One or more warning lights can be used in these cases and do not require special approval.

• Clearance lights: These are three small lights in a row in the center at the top front and rear, sometimes found on vehicles and trailers from the USA and Canada to distinguish those wider than 80 inches (over 2 meters). The front-facing lights are white or amber, and the rear-facing lights are red. This is a special Icelandic authorization for use here, so they do not need to be removed from these vehicles or trailers upon import. There is no reason to add them to other vehicles or trailers.

• Emergency driving lights: These are blue flashing lights for vehicles in civil protection and law enforcement. Special permission is required to install such lights on vehicles, and no one may use or have them without authorization.

More information

More information on light and reflectors of vehicles in is available in Icelandic here.