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Iceland

Civil law (Nordic)Unitary parliamentary republicReviewed· 2026-08-02
Capital
Reykjavík
Population
390,000
Languages
Icelandic
Currency
ISK

Iceland · Family

Family in Iceland

What the atlas records on family in Iceland, checked against the primary sources cited below.

Family

A single gender-neutral marriage law since 2010

Reviewed· 2026-08-02

Iceland was among the first states to adopt one gender-neutral marriage law, in 2010. Divorce and most family matters are handled by the district commissioners.

Key rules

  • One marriage law applies to all couples since 2010.
  • Divorce is processed administratively by the district commissioner, with a separation step in some cases.
  • Spouses share community of property unless a prenuptial agreement provides otherwise.

Governing law

  • Marriage Act (Hjúskaparlög)

In practice

The district commissioner, not a court, is the usual venue for divorce, custody and child-support agreements.

Sources

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Family in Iceland | LawLegiance