Icelanders can now apply for digital drivers’ licences via island.is. The licences are available for both iOS and Android phones and will be equivalent to traditional drivers’ licences in Iceland. The main purpose of the licences is for drivers to be able to provide credentials to police when stopped.
Icelandic residents couldn’t wait to get their digital licences as soon as they became available: 2,000 people applied for one within the first ten minutes the portal was open for applications yesterday, Vísir reports. Over 12,000 applications were filled out on the first day, and the heavy traffic caused delays on the website.
“Getting a driver’s licence on your smartphone is a huge step forward and obviously provides convenience to people. Iceland is the second country in Europe to adopt digital drivers’ licences, and we are following in the footsteps of the Norwegians,” stated Minister of Transport Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson. “The government’s policy is that the public sector increasingly offer digital solutions.”
The digital licences will only be valid in Iceland for the time being – if Icelandic residents plan to drive in Europe they will need to bring their plastic card with them. Users may only have their digital license on a single device.
