Can I drive after one beer?
In practice no — the limit is 0.5‰, and a single drink can put you over. Under Traffic Act no. 77/2019 the punishable threshold is 0.5 per mille in the blood or 0.25 mg/l in the breath. The myth that will not die: that the limit is 0.2‰. It was proposed in the 2019 bill but was never enacted — you are punished from 0.5‰. Regulation no. 1240/2019 sets the fines in bands: 0.50–0.60‰ brings 90,000 kr and a 2-month ban, 0.76–0.90‰ brings 120,000 kr and a six-month ban, and above 1.20‰ the ban runs to a year and a half or more. What people underestimate: you lose the licence immediately at the lowest band — the ban is not optional, it is automatic. Refusing a test counts as drink-driving. Leave the car.
📋 The rules
- The threshold is 0.5‰ in the blood or 0.25 mg/l in the breath (Traffic Act no. 77/2019). Driving under any influence that impairs ability is always prohibited, whatever the amount.
- Fines and bans rise in bands by level (regulation 1240/2019): 0.50–0.60‰ = 90,000 kr + 2 months, 0.91–1.10‰ = 130,000 kr + 8 months, 1.20–1.50‰ = 180,000 kr + 1½ years.
- Above 1.20‰ everything gets heavy fast: 2.51‰ or more brings 270,000 kr and a 3½-year ban. A repeat within three years multiplies the ban.
- Refusing a breath or blood test is itself an offence with the same consequences as drink-driving — 130,000 kr and a one-year ban on a first offence.
- Drug-driving (cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, sedatives) falls under section 50: a small amount 100,000 kr + 6 months, a large amount 200,000 kr + at least 1½ years.
🔓 Exceptions
- The threshold applies regardless of how well you feel you drive. Body weight, time and amount decide the reading — there is no safe rule of thumb about "one drink".
- Medicines taken on a doctor's advice do not excuse driving if they impair your ability. It is the driver's responsibility not to drive under such effects.
- Drinking alcohol within six hours after driving to hide your state is a separate offence (50,000 kr) if a police investigation is likely.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The fine alone runs from 90,000 kr at the lowest band up to 270,000 kr at the highest, but the amount is not the main point. The ban is: at least two months straight away at 0.50–0.60‰, and up to three and a half years at the top band, with no option to take the fine instead. A repeat within three years doubles the picture — 0.50–1.19‰ then becomes 240,000 kr and a three-year ban. In serious cases or on repeated offences the licence can be lost permanently, and serious offences can carry up to 2 years in prison. Refusing a test saves nothing — it brings 130,000 kr and a one-year ban. The hidden cost then comes from insurance: liability can fall on a driver who drives drunk, and premiums rise. Letting another drunk person drive your car is an offence too.
📎 Official sources
- Ísland.is · Alcohol and medication while driving (Police) →
- Alþingi (Parliament) · Traffic Act no. 77/2019 →
- Ísland.is · Regulation no. 1240/2019 (fines and penalties) →
❓ Frequently asked
Is the limit 0.2 or 0.5 per mille?
The punishable threshold is 0.5 per mille in the blood or 0.25 mg/l in the breath — that is the figure the police and regulation 1240/2019 use. A proposal to lower it to 0.2‰ came up when the new Traffic Act was passed in 2019 but was not enacted, so the 0.2 figure seen so widely is simply wrong.
How many drinks can I have and still drive?
In practice no safe number, because the 0.5‰ threshold can be reached with a single drink depending on body weight and time. There is no reliable rule of thumb, and the only safe course is not to drive at all if you have been drinking — the rest is guesswork that can cost the licence.
Do I really lose the licence at the lowest band?
Yes, a ban follows automatically from 0.50–0.60‰ and is then at least two months. The ban is not an option you can buy off with the fine, and it lengthens as the reading rises — up to three and a half years at the highest band under the regulation.
What happens if I refuse the test?
Refusing a breath or blood test is an offence with the same consequences as drink-driving itself. A first offence brings a 130,000 kr fine and a one-year ban, and the refusal saves nothing — the police are entitled to demand a test where drink-driving is suspected.
Does this apply to cannabis and medicines too?
Yes, driving under the influence of narcotics and impairing medicines falls under section 50 of the Traffic Act. A small amount brings 100,000 kr and a six-month ban, a large amount 200,000 kr and at least a year and a half, and medicines on prescription do not excuse driving if they impair your ability.
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