Getting Your First Israeli Driving Licence - Hotzaat Rishyon Nehiga Rishon - הוצאת רישיון נהיגה ראשון

Getting Your First Israeli Driving Licence - Hotzaat Rishyon Nehiga Rishon - הוצאת רישיון נהיגה ראשון

​If you already hold a valid national driving licence from another country, you can convert it, see our guide here. You may drive on your foreign licence for one year from the date you entered Israel. An international permit on its own cannot be converted. If you have never held a licence anywhere, the six steps below apply to you, at any age.

Age Eligibility

There is no single minimum age. For a private car, class B, four ages apply (Misrad HaTachbura - משרד התחבורה - Ministry of Transport table): theory test at 15½, lessons from 16, practical test at 16½, licence at 16 years and 9 months. You can take the theory test more than a year before you may hold the licence.

The Six Steps

  1. Apply online - Complete the application and health declaration on Obtaining a Driver’s License. You will receive a copy by email and SMS - this is the “green form”.

  2. Photograph and eye test at any authorised photo station. Bring your identity card or passport. The photograph is free; the eye test is paid for at the station. If you are under 16, one parent must come with you.

  3. Theory test - The test consists of thirty multiple-choice questions from a published bank of 1,200; you need 26 correct. The result is immediate, and you may re-sit from the next day. Study resources include recognizing road signs, driving theory study course (Hebrew), sample tests (English).) 

  4. Driving lessons - A minimum of 28 lessons for a private car. The minimum is a floor, not a target - your instructor decides when you are ready. Lesson prices are not regulated, and this is your largest cost.

  5. Internal test, then the practical test - You will have fees for the internal test with your driving school, the practical test, plus an amount set by law to your instructor for use of their car. Make sure to clarify these fees before the actual test.

  6. Your licence - The result comes within 24 hours and a paper temporary licence within 72. Pay the licence fee - which varies based on the length of validity - and the plastic physical card license is sent to your registered address.


  • If you are under 24 years old the license card is held until you complete the six-month accompanied-driving programme: 50 hours in total, 20 urban, 15 non-urban, 15 at night, then file the free completion declaration. Your accompanying driver needs an Israeli licence held for five years and to be 24 or over, or held three years and be 30 or over. From 24 there is no accompaniment requirement.

  • You can take the theory test in your own language

  • The test is available in Hebrew, Arabic, English, Amharic, French, Spanish and Russian, and Olim in Israel under three years whose language is not listed may take it orally 

Getting help

The Ministry’s information line is 1-222-5678 in Israel, +972-3-9695678 from abroad, Sunday to Thursday 07:00–20:00 - it answers in Hebrew and Arabic only, so arrange a Hebrew speaker before you call. Contact Shivat Zion if you need help at any step.

Fees  

Fees are usually updated in April of every year, so please check the links before you begin the process.