New, more flexible parking permit rules
Residents will be able to get a second resident parking permit for paid areas within Reykjavík, and the Reykjavík Parking Service will also be authorized to issue special parking permits for businesses. The operator permits are designed for businesses operating in paid parking areas throughout the city. These changes to the parking permit rules are intended to create greater flexibility for both residents and businesses.
The Environment & Planning Council approved the changes at its meeting today. The proposals will be forwarded to the City Executive Council and must also be published in the Official Gazette before they take effect and applications for the new permits can be accepted. The new rules are expected to take effect in early 2026.
On Reykjavík's Consultation Portal this summer
The rules were presented to the Environment & Planning Council this summer, and drafts were posted on Reykjavík's Consultation Portal from July 15 to Aug. 15. The operator permit proposals were submitted unchanged after the consultation period, but two changes were made to the resident parking permit rules based on feedback received through the portal. The rules now specify that a declaration of usage division is sufficient when parking spaces are designated as common areas and there are fewer spaces on the lot than residential units sharing the permits, regardless of whether a declaration of property division exists. The rules will also be temporary and remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2027. Before they expire, officials will decide based on their performance whether to keep them unchanged or revise them.
Nearly 2,000 resident parking permits are currently in use. Reykjavík Parking Service currently operates about 3,200 paid parking spaces where resident parking permits are valid, but public parking spaces in permit zones — areas where resident parking permits apply, whether paid or free — are at least twice as numerous.
Key changes to resident parking permit rules
The proposal includes significant changes to current resident parking permit rules. The key adjustments are as follows:
- A second permit, designated "resident parking permit 2," may be issued for a residence with no on-lot parking space where one permit has already been issued. A "resident parking permit 2" may also be issued if the residential unit includes the right to use a maximum of one on-lot parking space.
- Temporary exemptions from legal residence registration requirements may be granted for applicants staying in shelters who cannot, due to special temporary circumstances, transfer their legal residence to their current address (such as sometimes applies to clients of The Women's Shelter).
- Embassy staff in Iceland and other similar parties who are foreign citizens and cannot have legal residence in Iceland are exempt from legal residence registration requirements.
- Expanded definition of residential housing eligible for resident parking permits.
- Requirement that the applicant be a registered owner or operator of a vehicle in the vehicle registry.
Operator permits for deliveries and flexibility
Operators must meet certain conditions to obtain a permit. For example, parking may not be included with the property, and only one operator permit may be issued per business. Businesses located within tariff zone 1 are not eligible for operator permits. If an applicant's business is on the border between two coverage areas, they may choose which area the operator permit covers.
The proposal aims to accommodate neighborhood shop operators in paid parking areas. Neighborhood shops and other operators providing local services are essential for helping residents reduce their car trips. Operator permits can make it easier for such businesses to operate. The proposal assumes the permits will work similarly to resident permits within Reykjavík Parking Service tariff zones. The purpose of operator permits is, for example, to ensure deliveries can reach specific business locations and thereby increase flexibility.
The fee will be 20,000 króna per month
A separate fee schedule proposal recommends a fee for this new resident parking permit of 20,000 króna per month. The operator permit fee is also proposed at 20,000 króna per month. This is equivalent to paying tariff zone 2 fees for just over three hours per day (230 króna per hour) out of the 11-12 hours per day when fees apply.
View Reykjavík Parking Service resident parking permit zones in City Viewer: