The post of Mayor of Reykjavík was incepted in 1907 and advertised in 1908. Páll Einarsson and Knud Zimsen applied for the job and Páll got the position for a period of six years, at the end of which he did not wish to renew his tenure.
Over the period of 2003-2008, seven people have had the mayor position, due to an unprecedented amount of instability in Reykjavík's municipal coalition government.
| Name | Date of birth | Date of death | Office Entered | Office Left | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Páll Einarsson | 25 May 1868 | 17 December 1954 | 1908 | 1914 | |
| Knud Zimsen | 17 August 1875 | 15 April 1953 | 1914 | 1932 | |
| Jón Þorláksson | 3 March 1877 | 20 March 1935 | 30 December 1932 | 20 March 1935 | Independence Party |
| Pétur Halldórsson | 26 April 1887 | 26 November 1940 | 20 March 1935 | 1940 | Independence Party |
| Bjarni Benediktsson | 30 April 1908 | 10 July 1970 | 1940 | 10 February 1947 | Independence Party |
| Gunnar Thoroddsen | 29 December 1910 | 27 September 1983 | 10 February 1947 | 19 November 1959 | Independence Party |
| Geir Hallgrímsson (co-mayor with Auður Auðuns) |
16 December 1925 | 1 September 1990 | 19 November 1959 | 6 October 1960 | Independence Party |
| Auður Auðuns (co-mayor with Geir Hallgrímsson) |
18 February 1911 | 19 October 1999 | Independence Party | ||
| Geir Hallgrímsson | 16 December 1925 | 1 September 1990 | 6 October 1960 | 1 December 1972 | Independence Party |
| Birgir Ísleifur Gunnarsson | 19 July 1936 | 1 December 1972 | May 1978 | Independence Party | |
| Egill Skúli Ingibergsson | 1926 | May 1978 | 27 May 1982 | Independent | |
| Davíð Oddsson | 17 January 1948 | 27 May 1982 | 16 July 1991 | Independence Party | |
| Markús Örn Antonsson | 25 May 1943 | 16 July 1991 | 17 March 1994 | Independence Party | |
| Árni Sigfússon | 30 July 1956 | 17 March 1994 | 13 June 1994 | Independence Party | |
| Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir | 31 December 1954 | 13 June 1994 | 1 February 2003 | The Reykjavík Alliance | |
| Þórólfur Árnason | 1 February 2003 | 30 November 2004 | Independent | ||
| Steinunn Valdís Óskarsdóttir | 7 April 1965 | 30 November 2004 | 13 June 2006 | Social Democratic Alliance | |
| Vilhjálmur Þ. Vilhjálmsson | 26 April 1946 | 13 June 2006 | 16 October 2007 | Independence Party | |
| Dagur B. Eggertsson | 19 June 1972 | 16 October 2007 | 24 January 2008 | Social Democratic Party | |
| Ólafur F. Magnússon | 3 August 1952 | 24 January 2008 | 21 August 2008 | Liberal Party | |
| Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir | 12 October 1966 | 21 August 2008 | 15 June 2010 | Independence Party | |
| Jón Gnarr | 2 January 1967 | 15 June 2010 | Best Party |