Foreign driver's license in Israel

Is it possible to drive in Israel with a driving license from another country?

Does having foreign driver’s license in Israel allow you to drive? Our law office specializes in immigration and entry into Israel. We help visitors and immigrants to Israel with questions about Israeli laws and legal problems, including inquiries with the Ministry of the Interior. This article by Joshua Pex will explain how to drive in Israel with a foreign driver’s license, and how to convert it to an Israeli driving license.

Driving with a foreign driver’s license in Israel:

The Ministry of Transport allows the holder of a valid driver’s license (assuming he had a driving license for at least 5 years) from a foreign country to drive within Israel for 12 months after entering Israel. The law allows tourists or foreign workers to drive without worrying about converting their driver’s license.

Visitors who enter and leave Israel can drive with a foreign license for an additional year, provided they spend a period of time abroad after their previous visit to Israel. For example if a tourist visits Israel twice without waiting three consecutive months between visits, said tourist cannot drive with a foreign driver’s license in Israel. Immigrants and Israeli citizens returning from a long stay abroad, can use a foreign driver’s license. But if they return abroad for a visit during the immigration or return process, they can only continue to drive in Israel with the foreign license if they have been abroad for at least year.

In any case, the foreign driver’s license must be valid according to Israeli law – suitable for the type of vehicle used by the visitor and properly issued in the country of origin.

Who must convert a foreign driver’s license to an Israeli driving license?

Anyone who intends to stay in Israel over a year or alternatively, a tourist who often leaves and reenters Israel, is required to convert their foreign driver’s license if they wish to drive in Israel. Immigrants, temporary residents, or foreign workers can continue to driver with a foreign driver’s license in Israel for a year and convert at the time convenient for them. In any case, if a year has passed and the foreign license has not been converted (or the license holder does not meet the criteria for conversion below), the license holder will not be permitted to drive in Israel, even if the foreign license is still valid. If they want to drive, they must must apply for a driver’s license, just like any driver who needs a new license – required to take driving lessons, and pass both a theoretical test and a driving exam.

Asylum seekers are not entitled to receive a driver’s license in Israel, as only residents can pass a driver’s test.

Time period you’re allowed to convert your foreign driver’s license:

A tourist or Israeli citizen who returns to Israel may convert their foreign driver’s license up to one year from the date of their entry into Israel. As with the use of a foreign driving license to drive in Israel, traveling abroad does not “reset the clock” and allow one an extra year for the license to be converted. In addition, an Israeli citizen who was issued a license abroad can only convert it to an Israeli license if he stays abroad for at least six consecutive months before returning to Israel .

A new immigrant can convert a foreign driver’s license to an Israeli driver’s license for three years from his immigration to Israel. As can be understood, a foreign license can be converted to an Israeli driving license even after the holder cannot use it to drive in Israel.

The validity of a converted license for a tourist is 6 months or the end of the visa, whichever is sooner. The validity of a converted license for an immigrant or returning resident is 10 years.

The driver’s license of a foreign worker is valid for five years or the end of the visa, whichever ends sooner. If a previous driver’s license was issued to the foreign worker, an employer or representative of the employer may arrive at the Licensing Office, with a power of attorney and the employee’s passport, and renew the license for five years.

Required documents in order to convert a foreign driver’s license in Israel:

To convert the foreign license, it is necessary to present the foreign driver’s license (If you have a license in a language other than English, you must include a Hebrew or English translation), a valid form of ID, an immigration certificate (if the license holder is an immigrant) and a visa valid for at least three months. The license holder must arrive at a photocopy station authorized by the Ministry of Transport, present the documents at the station, and to receive a license application (“green”) form. The completed form, and the documents listed above should be brought to the Conversion Department at the Licensing Office. After receipt of the application, a date for the control test will be determined.

What is a control test?

A practical driving exam that takes about 15 minutes. The candidate is required to show control of the vehicle and that they are familiar with Israel’s traffic laws. The test cost (as of 2018) is NIS 68. The test can be repeated once, but anyone who fails twice will be required to pass a theoretical and practical driving exam.

Contact our law office, which has branches in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for legal information and assistance. The office assists with issues of immigration to Israel, and appeals to the Ministry of the Interior.