einkaaðili

Einkaaðili is an Icelandic legal term that designates a natural person, i.e., a private individual, as opposed to a legal entity (lögaðili) such as a company, organization, or foundation. The term is used across legal, administrative, and data-protection contexts to refer to a person with civil rights and obligations who can own property, enter contracts, sue and be sued, and bear responsibilities.

In general, einkaaðili may exercise rights and assume duties, with capacity to act that can be limited for minors or persons under guardianship in accordance with Icelandic law. The concept helps separate private individuals from organizations and other entities for purposes of liability, taxation, consent, and privacy. In practice, many everyday transactions and legal relations involve einkaaðilar as consumers, private tenants, or private authors, as opposed to lögaðilar such as businesses or public bodies.

The term is commonly contrasted with lögaðili to clarify who is a private person versus an organized entity. This distinction affects how laws are applied, including contract formation, liability, and regulatory compliance. In data protection and privacy discussions, an einkaaðili typically refers to the natural person who is the subject of personal data processing.

Etymology: The word combines einka- meaning private or personal and -aðili meaning party, member, or entity; together they denote a private person as distinct from a corporate or collective entity.