Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✔ Legal
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✔ Recognized
    Discrimination
    ✔ Illegal
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✔ Full ban
    Military
    N/A
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✔ Banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public Opinion

Suggest Public Opinion Data

Various reputable surveys conducted in Iceland show support for LGBTQ+ rights.

Show 9 More

Support for Lesbians' Right to Seek Assisted Pregnancy

(Fr, 2005)
82.3%
Support

Support for Same-Sex Marriage

(Gallup, 2004)
87%
Support

Support for Adoption

(Gallup, 2000)
53%
Support
12%
Neutral
35%
Against

Perception of LGBTQ+ People

Rate This Region

Survey results from 6 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Iceland.

Overall

Overall

Perceived Safety*

Feel safe being open
Absence of verbal harassment
Absence of threats and violence
*Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.

Equal Treatment

Treatment by peers
Treatment by family
Treatment at work
Treatment at school
Treatment by general public
Treatment by businesses
Treatment by law enforcement
Treatment by religious groups

Visibility & Representation

Inclusion in education
Representation in entertainment
Representation in news
Political support
Out public figures

Culture

Pride/events
Nightlife
Dating life
Interest groups and clubs

Services

Health and wellness
Gender-affirming care
Support and social services
Advocacy and legal

History

Homosexual activity in Iceland

?

Homosexual activity in Iceland is legal.

Current status
Since Aug 10, 1940
Legal
The Icelandic parliament decriminalizes homosexuality; removing the provision of the law that made homosexuality illegal.
Details
Sources:
gaypride.is/Index/English/A…
coe.int/t/Commissioner/Sour…
althingi.is/lagas/135a/1940… e
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Iceland

?

Same-sex marriage in Iceland is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 27, 2010
Legal
Iceland granted marriage equality to gay and lesbian couples on June 27, 2010, making it the ninth country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.
Details
Sources:
queer.pl/news/206755/parada…
icenews.is/2010/06/11/icela…
Report error  ·  Log
Jun 27, 1996–Jun 27, 2010
Civil unions (marriage rights)
Iceland has recognized same sex registered partnerships, giving them all rights and duties of marriage. A ban on same sex adoption was lifted in 2006.
Details
Sources:
althingi.is/thingstorf/thin…
Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in Iceland

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Iceland is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Iceland, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Details
Sources:
queer.pl/news/206755/parada…
Report error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Iceland

?

Right to change legal gender in Iceland is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since Jun 18, 2019
Legal, no restrictions
A new law has been passed that allows Icelandic people to change their registered gender without medical interventions.
Details
Sources:
queer.pl/news/206755/parada…
Report error  ·  Log

Gender-affirming care in Iceland

?

Gender-affirming care in Iceland is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 18, 2019
Legal
The Act on Gender Autonomy No. 80/2019 grants every person the right gender affirming care. Children aged under 16 require parental consent.
Details
Sources:
government.is/topics/human-…
government.is/publications/…
Report error  ·  Log
1975–Jun 18, 2019
Restricted federal law
In 1975, Iceland legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
Details
Sources:
rhsupplies.org/uploads/tx_r…
Report error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Iceland

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Iceland is recognized.

Current status
Since Jun 18, 2019
Recognized
The new law also allows people to register a third gender option 'X' as their legal gender.
Details
Sources:
icelandreview.com/news/icel…
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Iceland

?

LGBT discrimination in Iceland is illegal.

Current status
Illegal federal law
Laws in force in Iceland offer explicit protection against LGBT discrimination in the provision of goods and services, employment and education and can be applied for housing too.
Details
Sources:
database.ilga.org/iceland-lgbti
queerintheworld.com/lgbt-ri…
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Iceland

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Iceland is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1996
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Under Icelandic Criminal Code.
Details
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Iceland

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Iceland is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jul 27, 2010
Sexual orientation and gender identity
In Iceland, homosexual and heterosexual relationships are treated the same under housing laws. Individuals are not allowed to deny a person housing with homophobic or transphobic motivations. This came along with Act 65, The Amending Act which legalized gay marriage.
Details
Sources:
coe.int/t/Commissioner/Sour…
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Iceland

?

Same-sex adoption in Iceland is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 27, 2006
Legal
Legal since 2006
Details
Sources:
Cleaning up after a troll
Report error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in Iceland

?

Intersex infant surgery in Iceland is full ban.

Current status
Since Jun 18, 2019
Full ban
The Act on Gender Autonomy No. 80/2019 strictly prohibits surgery on intersex infants, and requires public bodies to allow a neutral gender to be registered. The act further states that any such surgery can only be performed with the individual's consent.
Details
Sources:
government.is/topics/human-…
government.is/publications/…
Report error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Iceland

?

Serving openly in military in Iceland is n/a.

Current status
N/A
Iceland does not have a military.
Details
Sources:
government.is/topics/foreig…~:text=Iceland%20is%20a%20country%20without,Nations%2C%20NATO%20and%20the%20OSCE.
Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Iceland

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Iceland is banned (indefinite deferral).

A new law will be going into effect in 5 months.
Going into effect Jul 1, 2025
Legal federal law
In October 2024, Iceland announced that it will be revising it's blood donation laws to allow queer men to donate blood with the same restrictions as straight men. According to Axel Helgi Ívarsson, Iceland has wanted to make this change since 2018, but due to a lack of adequate research funding it has taken until now.
Details
Sources:
visir.is/g/20242630552d/lok…

europeancorrespondent.com/r…
Report error  ·  Log
Current status
Until Jul 1, 2025
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Iceland bans men who have sex with men from donating blood.
Details
Sources:
landspitali.is/library/Same… - Most accurate as of Jan 2025

pinknews.co.uk/2014/11/04/i… gayiceland.is/2014/wants-bl… www.blodbankinn.is
Report error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Iceland

?

Conversion therapy in Iceland is banned.

Current status
Since Jun 9, 2023
Banned
The Icelandic parliament has passed a law banning so-called conversion therapy practices on the basis of sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity.
Details
Sources:
thepinknews.com/2023/06/10/…

althingi.is/thingstorf/thin…
Report error  ·  Log
Until Jun 9, 2023
Not banned
Conversion therapy ban pending.
Details
Sources:
No sources
Report error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Iceland

?

Equal age of consent in Iceland is equal.

Current status
Equal
The age of consent in Iceland is 15 for both male-male, female-female, and male-female couples.
Details
Sources:
gayice.is/gay-guide/faqs
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT Rights by Region

View the LGBT laws in each individual region of Iceland.

    Equality Index ?
    94 / 100
    Legal Rights
    98 / 100
    Public Opinion
    90 / 100

    Equality Rank

    View All
    #81
    Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?

    Top Contributors

    Iceland LGBT Organizations

    Suggest an organization

    Share Region

    LGBT Iceland Flag
    LGBT Iceland Flag

    Compare Iceland

    80
    Denmark Flag

    Compare with
    Denmark

    80
    Faroe Islands Flag

    Compare with
    Faroe Islands

    74
    Finland Flag

    Compare with
    Finland

    87
    Norway Flag

    Compare with
    Norway

    73
    Sweden Flag

    Compare with
    Sweden

    Alternative names: Ísland (local name)

    LGBT Rights in Nordic Countries

    80
    Denmark Flag

    LGBT Rights in
    Denmark

    80
    Faroe Islands Flag

    LGBT Rights in
    Faroe Islands

    74
    Finland Flag

    LGBT Rights in
    Finland

    87
    Norway Flag

    LGBT Rights in
    Norway

    73
    Sweden Flag

    LGBT Rights in
    Sweden