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Permit issuance by the Environmental Monitoring Agency
The Environmental Monitoring Agency grants operating permits and confirms registrations for businesses and institutions that provide services to the public or cause pollution.
Operating permits
Generally, operating permits are valid for 12 years, but permits for temporary business operations are issued for shorter periods.
Please note that it is prohibited to start a business operation requiring an operating permit without one, and a necessary precondition for issuing an operating permit is that the operation is consistent with planning and the use of premises has received approval from the Building Commissioner.
Operating permits issued according to Regulation 550/2018 for polluting operations must be advertised for four weeks.
- General conditions for operating permits for polluting operations
- Act No. 7/1998 on Hygiene and Pollution Prevention
Polluting operations
The Environmental Monitoring Agency is responsible for issuing operating permits to businesses that may cause pollution according to Appendix IV of Act No. 7/1998 on Hygiene and Pollution Prevention, as amended.
Operators must apply for an operating permit from the Public Health Authority of Reykjavík before operations begin.
Businesses subject to professional registration
The regulation on mandatory registration is now in effect.
With the Regulation's entry into force, 47 categories of operations are now required to register according to the appendix in the Regulation. Such activities must be registered at www.island.is before operations begin. The Public Health Authority of Reykjavík will conduct inspections and confirm registrations.
Exemptions regarding operating permits
The Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate may grant exemptions from issuing operating permits according to the Regulation on Hygiene No. 941/2002 after receiving official statements from the Public Health Committee and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Tobacco sales permit
All retail tobacco vendors must have a valid tobacco sales permit issued by the Public Health Committee.
Sanitation control certificate
The Environmental Monitoring Agency issues sanitation control certificates/exemptions for ships according to the World Health Organization's International Health Regulations. All ships engaged in international voyages require such a certificate, which is valid for a maximum of six months.
Applicants are advised to contact the Public Health Authority to request a ship inspection and certificate. A certificate fee and a variable inspection fee based on the scope of the inspection must be paid.
Reykjavík Public Health Authority
- Borgartún 12, 105 Reykjavík
- Service Center 411 1111