What must a rental craft carry in Iceland?
The required safety equipment for a rental SUP, kayak, jet ski, motorboat and sailboat — every line with the section of the act and a link to it. Then what to tell customers at check-out.
Law Reglugerð nr. 377/2007 um björgunar- og öryggisbúnað skemmtibáta
Authority: Samgöngustofa
Covers pleasure boats registered, or required to be registered, in Iceland with a registered length up to 24 m, including hire boats, and foreign pleasure boats of that size in Icelandic waters (except visitors with a customs permit staying no more than 9 months in any 12). The kit must be aboard whenever the boat is used and checked before leaving harbour. Kayaks, SUPs and boards are not covered.
In Iceland the list depends on the service area written in your boat’s seaworthiness certificate (haffærisskírteini) and on its registered length. Hire boats carry more than shown here.
Read the official text ↗ · Rules checked 15 October 2026
What our research found about rentals and commercial use:
- The pleasure-boat regulation covers boats for hire too. Boats hired out commercially carry liferafts for everyone aboard whatever the service area, and in restricted service under 8 m the liferaft and the fixed compass are required only on rental boats. These rental items are not in the lists below. Reglugerð 377/2007, 8. gr. 2. mgr., 11. gr.; fylgiskjal, tafla I · source · Rules checked 15 October 2026
General guidance: the lists below are the equipment rules for recreational craft. Hiring craft out is a business, and some countries add rules for rental or commercial craft, or ask for a permit. Before the season, check with Samgöngustofa or the local harbour master which rules apply to your fleet.
SUP board rental
Worked out for One paddler on a SUP board, no engine, by day.
Required 0
Iceland’s equipment rules cover boats. A SUP board isn’t one, so no statutory carriage list applies — local bylaws, beach rules or wearing duties still may.
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Fit the buoyancy aid and say whether wearing it is required here (see “Licence, lifejacket and charter rules”).
- Show the leash: coiled ankle leash on flat water, quick-release waist leash on rivers and in current.
- Point out the area they may use, the swimming zones and the boat traffic, on a map.
- Offshore wind: kneel or lie on the board, paddle across the wind towards the nearest shore — not back to base.
- Agree the return time and how you will contact them.
- How to call for help: phone in a waterproof pouch, the rescue number below, stay with the board.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Quick-release waist leashMoving water demands a quick-release waist leash — an ankle leash in current is a hazard, not a safety device.
- Coiled ankle leashFlatwater. Your board is your biggest flotation device; stay attached to it.
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)A belt-pack inflatable is unobtrusive enough that people actually wear it.
- Floating waterproof phone pouchFloating, on you, not strapped to the board.
- Drysuit or thick wetsuitCold shock off a paddleboard is the classic early-season incident.
- Whistle on the vestCosts nothing, carries far.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Kayak / canoe rental
Worked out for One paddler in a kayak or canoe, no engine, by day.
Required 0
Iceland’s equipment rules cover boats. A kayak / canoe isn’t one, so no statutory carriage list applies — local bylaws, beach rules or wearing duties still may.
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Fit the buoyancy aid; check the spraydeck release loop is outside and they can pull it.
- Capsize: stay with the kayak, hold on, swim it to shore or wait for help; show the paddle float if you supply one.
- Point out the area, the weirs, current or shipping lanes, and where they may land.
- Groups stay together; the strongest paddler last.
- Agree the return time and how you will contact them.
- How to call for help: phone in a waterproof pouch, the rescue number below.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)Worn the whole time. A buoyancy aid in the day hatch has saved nobody.
- Paddle float + hand pumpWith a hand pump, this is the actual self-rescue kit — practise before you need it.
- SpraydeckA swamped cockpit ends the trip.
- Buoyancy bagsKeeps the boat recoverable after a capsize.
- Handheld VHF, floatingSea kayaking: waterproof handheld, on your person.
- Personal strobe / vest lightYou sit very low. Being seen is the whole problem.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Jet ski / PWC rental
Worked out for A jet ski with a rider and a passenger, by day. Jet skis count as faster than 20 knots.
Required 0
The regulation applies to boats that are registered or must be registered, which is understood to start at 6 m. If your boat is smaller and unregistered, the list is not shown; ask Samgöngustofa whether any of it applies to you.
No statutory equipment for this craft in the waters checked.
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Kill cord on the wrist or the vest, every time the engine runs.
- Lifejackets on the rider and the passenger, fastened — check the wearing rule below.
- Show the area, the no-go zones, swimmers and the speed limits near the shore and in harbours (local rules).
- Licence and age: check the renter is allowed to drive it here (see below) before handing over the key.
- Capsize: how to right it (sticker on the hull) and climb back on from the stern.
- Fuel, return time, and how to call for help.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Impact / buoyancy vestImpact protection as well as buoyancy — you hit the water hard.
- Kill cord / wireless kill switchWrist lanyard, every single time.
- Floating waterproof phone pouchOn you, not in the hull.
- Whistle on the vestEngine off, voice gone — a whistle carries.
- Drysuit or thick wetsuitImmersion is a matter of when, not if.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Motorboat rental
Worked out for An open motorboat, 5 m, outboard up to 25 kW (34 hp), CE-marked, up to four adults, by day, no cooker aboard.
Required 0
The regulation applies to boats that are registered or must be registered, which is understood to start at 6 m. If your boat is smaller and unregistered, the list is not shown; ask Samgöngustofa whether any of it applies to you.
No statutory equipment for this craft in the waters checked.
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Kill cord on the driver, every time the engine runs.
- Where the lifejackets are, how to put them on — children’s sizes by weight.
- Engine start and stop, fuel, the anchor, and how to come alongside.
- Show the area, the shallows, channels and no-go zones on a chart; propeller near swimmers.
- Weather limits and the return time; lights if they could be out after sunset.
- How to call for help: VHF channel 16 if fitted, the rescue number below.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Kill cord / wireless kill switchA planing boat that loses its driver circles back over them. The single highest-value item on a motorboat.
- Lifejacket, 150 N auto-inflateAuto-inflate, so it works whether or not you were conscious when you hit the water.
- Boarding ladder reachable from the waterGetting back aboard alone, from the water, over a high topside — plan for it before you need it.
- Fixed VHF with DSCDSC distress with position, monitored by everyone around you.
- PLB, 406 MHz, registeredFor when you’re beyond VHF range or the set has drowned.
- CO alarmPetrol engines and an enclosed cabin.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Sailboat rental
Worked out for A sailing yacht, 9 m, with a cabin, an inboard engine and a gas cooker, CE-marked, up to six adults, by day.
Required 32
- Lifejacket, 100 N (CE)per person
A lifejacket for everyone aboard, at least 100 N (EN 395, now EN ISO 12402-4) or SOLAS.
Reglugerð 377/2007 6. gr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Lifebuoy or rescue sling + 15–25 m throwline
A lifebuoy or horseshoe buoy with a buoyant line of at least 27.5 m, four reflective bands and the boat’s name or number. Up to 8 m a throwing ring or rescue sling with a 30 m line may replace it.
Reglugerð 377/2007 7. gr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Liferaft, places for everyone aboard
Inflatable liferaft(s) with places for everyone aboard, never smaller than 4-person: in coastal and oceanic service at any length, and in restricted service from 8 m. Under 8 m in restricted service only hire boats need one. SOLAS or ISO 9650 Type I, group A, serviced at least every 2 years.
Reglugerð 377/2007 8. gr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Hydrostatic release unit
Each liferaft on a one-action manual release plus a hydrostatic release that frees it automatically, with the painter made fast to the boat.
Reglugerð 377/2007 10. gr. · source - Table of life-saving signals
Boats with a liferaft: instruction cards on using the liferaft and a guide to life-saving signals, posted where they are easy to see.
Reglugerð 377/2007 13. gr. 5. mgr. · source - Compass
A permanently fitted liquid boat compass, clearly visible from the helm; card at least 70 mm (6–12 m) or 100 mm (from 12 m).
Reglugerð 377/2007 11. gr. 1. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Chart + means of fixing position
The latest editions of the charts needed for the area — passage and detailed charts — kept corrected.
Reglugerð 377/2007 11. gr. 3. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Chart plotting tools
The instruments needed to plot on the charts.
Reglugerð 377/2007 11. gr. 3. mgr. · source - Nautical publications for the area
Light lists and the pilot books needed for the area.
Reglugerð 377/2007 11. gr. 3. mgr. · source - Tide tables for the area
Tide tables for the area.
Reglugerð 377/2007 11. gr. 3. mgr. · source - Binoculars
Binoculars.
Reglugerð 377/2007 11. gr. 4. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Navigation lights
The navigation and signal lights COLREG requires, of an approved type.
Reglugerð 377/2007 12. gr. 1. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Day shapes (ball, cone)
The day shapes COLREG prescribes.
Reglugerð 377/2007 12. gr. 1. mgr. · source - Spare navigation-light bulbs
A spare bulb for every lantern.
Reglugerð 377/2007 12. gr. 1. mgr. · source - Waterproof torch + spare batteries
A watertight torch, and a bright white light ready for use if the power fails.
Reglugerð 377/2007 12. gr. 2. mgr.; 13. gr. 7. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Whistle / fog horn (12 m+)
A fog horn, as COLREG requires.
Reglugerð 377/2007 12. gr. 3. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Hi-vis colour + reflective tapeper person
Under 15 m: part of the boat or its gear above deck in fluorescent or retro-reflective red safety colour, visible all round — at least 0.8 m² in all (0.4 m² with reflective tape); sailing boats without a wheelhouse at least 0.2 m² on the mast above the superstructure.
Reglugerð 377/2007 12. gr. 4. mgr.; 3. gr. nr. 21 · source - Red hand flares× 3
Red hand flares, wheel-marked, renewed at expiry: 2 in restricted service, 3 coastal under 10 m, 4 coastal from 10 m, 6 oceanic.
Reglugerð 377/2007 13. gr. 1. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Boarding ladder reachable from the water
A fixed boarding ladder, or other approved means, so a person in the water can climb back aboard unaided.
Reglugerð 377/2007 13. gr. 3. mgr. · source - First aid kit for the areaOnly: Restricted area
A first-aid box under the regulation on medicines and medical equipment in ships.
Reglugerð 377/2007 13. gr. 6. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Boat hook
A boat hook.
Reglugerð 377/2007 13. gr. 7. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Anchor + rode (≥ 3 boat lengths, ≥ 15 m)× 2
Two anchors, the main one at least two thirds of their total weight, with at least one cable including chain, sized to the boat’s length (Table V), ready to let go at once. A winch if an anchor weighs over 30 kg.
Reglugerð 377/2007 14. gr.; tafla V · source - Mooring lines× 3
Three mooring lines sized to the boat’s length (Table V), and strong points fore and aft.
Reglugerð 377/2007 14. gr.; tafla V · source - Fire extinguisher, 2 kg
CE-marked boats: the fire-fighting equipment EN ISO 9094-1 (up to 15 m) or 9094-2 (over 15 m) requires for the boat.
Reglugerð 377/2007 15. gr. · source - Fixed VHF with DSC
A fixed VHF with antenna for channels 16, 6 and 13 and working channels.
Reglugerð 377/2007 16. gr. 1. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Means to receive marine weather forecasts
A receiver for weather forecasts.
Reglugerð 377/2007 16. gr. 1. mgr. b; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Hand-bearing compassOnly: Coastal (A1)
Coastal and oceanic service: a compass for taking bearings as well.
Reglugerð 377/2007 11. gr. 1. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Red parachute rockets× 3Only: Coastal (A1)
Red parachute rockets, wheel-marked, in a marked waterproof container and renewed at expiry: 2 under 8 m in restricted service (any boat without a liferaft carries 2), 3 coastal under 10 m, 4 coastal from 10 m, 6 oceanic. In restricted service from 8 m the liferaft pack carries them.
Reglugerð 377/2007 13. gr. 1–2. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - First aid kit for the areaOnly: Coastal (A1)
Coastal and oceanic service: a type C medicine chest under the regulation on medicines and medical equipment in ships.
Reglugerð 377/2007 13. gr. 6. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - Radar reflectorOnly: Coastal (A1)
Coastal and oceanic service: a radar reflector.
Reglugerð 377/2007 13. gr. 9. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - National flag (ensign)Only: Coastal (A1)
Coastal and oceanic service: the national flag.
Reglugerð 377/2007 13. gr. 9. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source - EPIRB, 406 MHz, registeredOnly: Coastal (A1)
Coastal and oceanic service: a float-free 406 MHz EPIRB. Not needed if a working beacon is confirmed in the liferaft; coastal boats with automatic position reporting or AIS with an emergency button may be exempted.
Reglugerð 377/2007 16. gr. 3. mgr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source
Also required if…
Lines that join the list when your rental differs from the one above.
Yacht of 12 m or longer1
- Nautical publications for the area
Light lists and pilot books for the area; from 10 m also copies of the Ship Inspection Act, the Maritime Act, COLREG, other rules the Maritime Act requires, and this regulation.
Reglugerð 377/2007 11. gr. 3. mgr.; 13. gr. 4. mgr. · source
Not CE-marked1
- Fire extinguisher, 2 kg
Boats without CE marking: approved hand extinguishers for class A, B and E fires with at least 2 kg of agent — 1 under 10 m, 2 for 10–15 m, 4 for 15–24 m. Serviced by an approved agent at least every 2 years.
Reglugerð 377/2007 15. gr.; Reglugerð 377/2007, fylgiskjal, tafla I · source
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Lifejackets and harnesses: where they are, when to wear them, how to clip on.
- Man overboard: who throws the lifebuoy, who points, how to come back under engine.
- Gas cooker: valve shut after use, ventilation; the fire extinguisher and blanket.
- Reefing, the engine, the bilge pump and the anchor.
- Weather limits, the area and the charts; return time and check-in.
- VHF: channel 16, the DSC distress button, and the rescue number below.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Lifejacket, 150 N auto-inflateOffshore, a 150 N auto jacket with sprayhood, light, harness point and crotch strap — a 100 N jacket won’t turn an unconscious person in a seaway.
- Jackstays + tethersClipping on is what stops a man-overboard from happening at all.
- AIS-MOB beacon, on the lifejacketOne per crew, on the jacket. It puts a mark on your own plotter — a flare only helps if someone is already looking.
- Grab bagWhat you take into the raft. Assembled in advance or not at all.
- Softwood plugs / leak kitA failed skin fitting sinks a boat in minutes.
- Rearm kit + CO₂ cylinder (spare)One spare rearm kit aboard — an inflated jacket is single-use until rearmed.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Licence, lifejacket and charter rules
We have no verified licence or wearing rule for Iceland yet.
If a rental needs rescue
The maritime rescue centre for Iceland’s waters — put it on your briefing card and in your staff phones.
Where Fleet helps
Fleet doesn’t replace a single item above. It helps your staff keep an eye on every rental once it is out — we are building it with pilot operators for the 2027 season.
Printable checklist for Iceland
A sheet per craft for the waters you rent in: the required kit with the section of the act, what to tell the customer, and a sign-off line for your staff. Print it or save it as a PDF.
Questions operators ask
What safety equipment must a rental SUP board carry in Iceland?
Iceland’s equipment rules for recreational craft do not cover a SUP board, so no statutory carriage list applies to it. Wearing duties, beach rules or local bylaws may still apply — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental kayak / canoe carry in Iceland?
Iceland’s equipment rules for recreational craft do not cover a kayak / canoe, so no statutory carriage list applies to it. Wearing duties, beach rules or local bylaws may still apply — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental jet ski / PWC carry in Iceland?
Under the rules checked, none for the rental we assume (A jet ski with a rider and a passenger, by day. Jet skis count as faster than 20 knots). Some situations add lines — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental motorboat carry in Iceland?
Under the rules checked, none for the rental we assume (An open motorboat, 5 m, outboard up to 25 kW (34 hp), CE-marked, up to four adults, by day, no cooker aboard). Some situations add lines — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental sailboat carry in Iceland?
Under Reglugerð nr. 377/2007 um björgunar- og öryggisbúnað skemmtibáta, for the rental we assume (A sailing yacht, 9 m, with a cabin, an inboard engine and a gas cooker, CE-marked, up to six adults, by day): Lifejacket, 100 N (CE), Lifebuoy or rescue sling + 15–25 m throwline, Liferaft, places for everyone aboard, Hydrostatic release unit, Table of life-saving signals, Compass, Chart + means of fixing position, Chart plotting tools, Nautical publications for the area, Tide tables for the area, Binoculars, Navigation lights, Day shapes (ball, cone), Spare navigation-light bulbs, Waterproof torch + spare batteries, Whistle / fog horn (12 m+), Hi-vis colour + reflective tape, Red hand flares, Boarding ladder reachable from the water, First aid kit for the area, Boat hook, Anchor + rode (≥ 3 boat lengths, ≥ 15 m), Mooring lines, Fire extinguisher, 2 kg, Fixed VHF with DSC, Means to receive marine weather forecasts, Hand-bearing compass, Red parachute rockets, Radar reflector, National flag (ensign), and EPIRB, 406 MHz, registered. Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a summary of the official texts, with a link to each one, to help you prepare. The operator and the skipper stay responsible for the equipment; when in doubt, the cited act and the national authority win.
A summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. The operator and the skipper stay responsible for the equipment and its condition. Rules change — when in doubt, the cited act wins, and local bylaws, permits or your insurer may ask for more.
Other countries
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