Working Hours and Rest in Iceland (2026 Legal Guide) — Rules & Requirements
About this article
Sourced from Icelandic Acts of the Althingi, statutory instruments, and official guidance. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Icelandic law limits working hours and guarantees rest, transposing the provisions of the EU Working Time Directive through the EEA Agreement:
- Ordinary full-time hours: 40 hours a week (set in collective agreements).
- Maximum working week: 48 hours including overtime, averaged over a 4-month reference period (extendable to 6 months by collective agreement).
- Daily rest: At least 11 consecutive hours in every 24-hour period.
- Weekly rest: At least 1 full day a week, which should normally include Sunday.
- Overtime: Work beyond 8 hours a day counts as overtime. The rates are set in collective agreements.
If rest is shortened for operational reasons, you must be given equivalent compensatory rest as soon as possible.
When does it apply?
- You are an employee — the law covers most workers.
- Certain trades (e.g. transport, seafaring) may have special rest rules under sector-specific laws or collective agreements.
What to do if your employer breaches the working-time rules in Iceland
- Keep track of your working hours — record the hours you work, including overtime.
- If your employer regularly exceeds 48 hours a week or denies you rest, report the breach to the Administration of Occupational Safety and Health (Vinnueftirlitið).
- Contact your trade union — it can enforce the working-time provisions through a complaints procedure.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't waive your rest — statutory rest is not a matter for negotiation.
- Don't work unpaid overtime — collective agreements require payment for overtime.
- Don't confuse ordinary and maximum working time — 40 hours is the benchmark; 48 is the statutory maximum.
About Workers' Rights in Iceland
Work in Iceland is built on collective agreements — there is no statutory minimum wage. The Trade Unions and Labour Disputes Act (Lög nr. 80/1938) and the Act on Workers' Terms of Employment (Lög nr. 55/1980) make agreed pay scales binding on every employee and employer covered by the agreement. Workplace safety falls under Lög nr. 46/1980; parental leave under Lög nr. 95/2000 provides 12 months in total, of which 6 are reserved for each parent. Equal-pay certification is mandatory for companies with 25+ employees under Lög nr. 150/2020. Collective disputes go before the Labour Court (Félagsdómur); individual disputes before the district courts.
Common Questions
What is the maximum working week in Iceland?
The ordinary full-time week is 40 hours and is set in collective agreements. The statutory maximum is 48 hours a week including overtime, averaged over a 4-month reference period (extendable to 6 months by collective agreement). Work beyond 8 hours a day is overtime and must be paid at the rate set by the relevant collective agreement.
What rest am I entitled to in Iceland?
You must get at least 11 consecutive hours of rest in every 24-hour period, plus at least 1 full day of rest a week — usually including Sunday. If rest is shortened for operational reasons, you must be given equivalent compensatory rest as soon as possible. Certain trades such as transport and seafaring follow special rules under sector-specific laws.
How do I report a breach of the working-time rules in Iceland?
Record the hours you work, including overtime. If your employer regularly exceeds 48 hours or denies you rest, report the breach to the Administration of Occupational Safety and Health (Vinnueftirlitið). Also contact your trade union — it can enforce the working-time provisions through a complaints procedure under Lög nr. 46/1980.
What is the working hours and rest right in Iceland?
Icelandic law limits working hours and guarantees rest, transposing the provisions of the EU Working Time Directive through the EEA Agreement:Ordinary full-time hours: 40 hours a week (set in collective agreements).Maximum working week: 48 hours including overtime, averaged over a 4-month reference period (extendable to 6 months by collective agreement).Daily rest: At least 11 consecutive hours in every 24-hour period.Weekly rest: At least 1 full day a week, which should normally include Sunday.Overtime: Work beyond 8 hours a day counts as overtime. The rates are set in collective...
When does it apply — working hours and rest?
You are an employee — the law covers most workers.Certain trades (e.g. transport, seafaring) may have special rest rules under sector-specific laws or collective agreements.
What should I do if my employer makes me work more than 48 hours a week in Iceland?
Keep track of your working hours — record the hours you work, including overtime.If your employer regularly exceeds 48 hours a week or denies you rest, report the breach to the Administration of Occupational Safety and Health (Vinnueftirlitið).Contact your trade union — it can enforce the working-time provisions through a complaints procedure.
What should you NOT do — working hours and rest?
Don't waive your rest — statutory rest is not a matter for negotiation.Don't work unpaid overtime — collective agreements require payment for overtime.Don't confuse ordinary and maximum working time — 40 hours is the benchmark; 48 is the statutory maximum.