How to start a SUP, kayak, jet ski or boat rental in Iceland
Thinking of renting out SUPs, kayaks, jet skis or boats in Iceland? Here is what we found — 15 points, each linked to the text it comes from and checked on 17 October 2026 — plus what we could not confirm yet and who decides (6 official bodies).
Registering the business
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Companies are registered in the Register of Enterprises (Fyrirtækjaskrá) run by Skatturinn (Iceland Revenue and Customs), which also covers VAT registration and beneficial-owner registration.
Original wording
“Á grundvelli aðgerða gegn peningaþvætti og fjármögnun hryðjuverka ber að skrá raunverulega eigendur allra lögaðila sem stunda atvinnurekstur á Íslandi eða eru skráðir í fyrirtækjaskrá.”
Permits to rent out watercraft
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Anyone who puts together, organises, sells or offers tours needs a licence from the Icelandic Tourist Board (Ferðamálastofa) — e.g. guided kayak/SUP/jet ski tours. Whether pure equipment rental (no tour) needs one was not confirmed (gap).
Original wording
“Allir sem setja saman, skipuleggja, selja eða bjóða ferðir til sölu þurfa leyfi frá Ferðamálastofu.”
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Day-tour seller licence (ferðasali dagsferða): single trips under 24 h without accommodation; packages or overnight trips need a travel-agency licence.
Original wording
“ferðirnar mega ekki vera lengri en 24 klst. og gisting má ekki vera innifalin.”
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Passenger transport on sea, rivers and lakes is licensed by Samgöngustofa (Icelandic Transport Authority) — relevant if you carry customers in your boats.
Original wording
“Samgöngustofa sér um útgáfu leyfa varðandi fólksflutninga hvort sem er á landi, í lofti eða á sjó, ám og vötnum.”
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The applicant must check whether other permits are needed.
Original wording
“Umsækjanda ber að kanna hvort önnur leyfi eru nauðsynleg í tengslum við starfsemina.”
Using the beach, shore or quay
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Activity in protected areas and national parks needs permits/agreements from the Nature Conservation Agency (Náttúruverndarstofnun) or the relevant national park (Þingvellir, Vatnajökull, Snæfellsjökull). Municipal/harbour permits were not found.
Original wording
“Náttúruverndarstofnun veitir leyfi vegna aksturs utan vega, framkvæmda innan friðlanda, ljósmynda- og kvikmyndatöku og annarrar starfsemi á svæðum sem heyra undir hana”
Your duties as an operator
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Anyone running organised trips in Iceland must prepare a written safety plan (öryggisáætlun) for each type of trip, whether selling directly or through others.
Original wording
“hver sá sem framkvæmir skipulagðar ferðir innan íslensks yfirráðasvæðis ber ábyrgð á að útbúa skriflega öryggisáætlun fyrir hverja tegund ferðar”
Safety equipment
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Statutory on-board equipment by craft type is in the VesselSOS Kit Finder (https://vesselsos.com/kit-finder/), from Regulation 377/2007 on life-saving and safety equipment of pleasure boats — which explicitly covers boats intended for hire.
Original wording
“Skemmtibátur er hver sá bátur sem ætlaður er til íþrótta-, tómstunda- eða skemmtisiglinga, þ.m.t. bátar sem ætlaðir eru til útleigu, óháð framdrifi bátsins.”
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Rental-specific: pleasure boats for general commercial hire must carry inflatable liferafts for everyone on board regardless of operating area.
Original wording
“Skemmtibátar, sem eru ætlaðir til almennrar útleigu í atvinnuskyni, skulu búnir gúmmíbjörgunarbátum fyrir alla um borð án tillits til farsviðs.”
Customer age and licence rules
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Skippers of pleasure boats with a registered length of 6 m or more need a pleasure-boat skipper certificate (since 2008).
Original wording
“Skipstjórar á skemmtibátum sem eru sex metrar að skráningarlengd eða lengri, þurfa að afla sér grunnþekkingar á öryggisþáttum sem tengjast siglingum og skipstjórn og hafa gilt skipstjórnarskírteini á skemmtibát.”
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Certificate conditions include minimum age 16 and Icelandic citizenship or residence.
Original wording
“hafa náð 16 ára aldri,”
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Jet skis under 4 m are "pleasure boats" (skemmtibátar). Not found: any licence or minimum age specific to jet skis or boats under 6 m.
Original wording
“Með bollengd frá 2,5 m til 24 m og allar sæþotur styttri en 4 m.”
Insurance
Nothing confirmed from an official text yet — see “Not confirmed yet” below.
Registering and marking the craft
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Boats 6 m and longer must be registered (pleasure boats are registered as pleasure ships under the ship registration act no. 115/1985).
Original wording
“en bátar 6 metrar og lengri eru skráningarskyldir.”
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Pleasure boats built after 16 June 1998 must be CE-marked; imports need Samgöngustofa approval.
Original wording
“Skemmtibátar smíðaðir eftir 16.júní 1998 skulu vera CE-merktir”
Inland waters and the sea
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Pleasure-boat certificates are tied to operating areas: coastal (within 50 nm), restricted area, rivers/lakes/inland waterways in Europe, and offshore.
Original wording
“Þau eru strandsigling (innan 50 sjómílna frá strönd) og sigling á takmörkuðu farsviði*, sigling á ám, vötnum og vatnaleiðum innan Evrópu og úthafssiglingar.”
Season
Nothing confirmed from an official text yet — see “Not confirmed yet” below.
Not confirmed yet
What the research could not confirm from an official text. Ask before you rely on it.
- Not verified
Whether self-guided equipment rental (kayak/SUP/jet ski without a guide) needs a Ferðamálastofa licence — not confirmed (Ferðamálastofa points to its "Litli leiðsögumaðurinn" tool).
Check with Ferðamálastofa (Icelandic Tourist Board) — tour licences, safety plans
- Not found
Jet ski specific rules (age, licence, zones near shore) — not found.
- Not found
Licence needed for motorboats under 6 m — not found (certificate rule tied to registration length 6 m+).
- Not verified
Content requirements for the öryggisáætlun (safety plan) — page linked, not retrieved.
- Not found
Municipal/harbour permits for shore use — not found.
Check with Náttúruverndarstofnun / national parks — permits in protected areas
- Not found
Insurance — not found; Act 96/2018 on Ferðamálastofa (althingi.is) blocked fetch.
Check with Ferðamálastofa (Icelandic Tourist Board) — tour licences, safety plans
- Open question
Season: no official dates.
- Not found
Insurance requirements for rental craft or activity operators (travel agencies have their own travel-guarantee insurance rules).
Official bodies
Who decides. Ask them before you open — rules and fees can change every season.
- Ferðamálastofa (Icelandic Tourist Board) — tour licences, safety plansferdamalastofa.is ↗
- Samgöngustofa (Icelandic Transport Authority) — boats, certificates, passenger transport licencessamgongustofa.is ↗
- Skatturinn — Fyrirtækjaskrá (Register of Enterprises)skatturinn.is ↗
- Landhelgisgæslan (Icelandic Coast Guard)lhg.is ↗
- Náttúruverndarstofnun / national parks — permits in protected areasferdamalastofa.is ↗
- Ísland.is (government portal)island.is ↗
Quick answers
Do I need a permit to rent out SUPs, kayaks, jet skis or boats in Iceland?
Anyone who puts together, organises, sells or offers tours needs a licence from the Icelandic Tourist Board (Ferðamálastofa) — e.g. guided kayak/SUP/jet ski tours. Whether pure equipment rental (no tour) needs one was not confirmed (gap). Source: ferdamalastofa.is, checked 17 October 2026.
Are there special rules for renting out jet skis in Iceland?
Jet skis under 4 m are "pleasure boats" (skemmtibátar). Not found: any licence or minimum age specific to jet skis or boats under 6 m. Source: island.is, checked 17 October 2026.
Do customers need a licence to use a rented boat or jet ski in Iceland?
Skippers of pleasure boats with a registered length of 6 m or more need a pleasure-boat skipper certificate (since 2008). Source: island.is, checked 17 October 2026.
How do I register a watercraft rental business in Iceland?
Companies are registered in the Register of Enterprises (Fyrirtækjaskrá) run by Skatturinn (Iceland Revenue and Customs), which also covers VAT registration and beneficial-owner registration. Source: skatturinn.is, checked 17 October 2026.
Do rental craft have to be registered in Iceland?
Boats 6 m and longer must be registered (pleasure boats are registered as pleasure ships under the ship registration act no. 115/1985). Source: assets.ctfassets.net, checked 17 October 2026.
Next steps
What each craft must carry
The safety equipment a rental SUP, kayak, jet ski, motorboat and sailboat must carry in Iceland, from the law.
Safety rules for rental fleets in Iceland Kit Finder on vesselsos.com ↗Free tools for your dock
Print them, no account needed. Only the PDF asks for your email.
Safety briefing cardRental agreement & waiver templateDock poster All free toolsThen run the day with VesselSOS Fleet
Fleet is the rental dashboard we are building with pilot operators for the 2027 season. Your customers' phones are the trackers — no hardware.
Fleet does not replace any permit, licence or duty on this page.