How to (attempt to) obtain an Israeli Driver's License

Having lived in Israel for one year, it became time for me to get an Israeli driver’s license. Yes, I’ve already been driving for a year in Israel. Yes, we only have four months until my assignment in Israel is complete. But, the law is the law—and Israeli law says that my American license is no longer valid in Israel after one year.

The process for getting a driver’s license in Israel is a bit more complex than in the States, and is in many ways a microcosm of life here. The following is a summary & timeline of the process for converting a foreign driver’s license in Israel.

Step 1: Go to your local Ministry of Transport office to get temporary id. Bring your passport. No cost.

Tips based on my experience:

·        Go early, and don’t forget to grab a number as soon as you enter the office (I was #307 by 8:30 am)

·        Don’t let the office worker try to tell you that you need to go to the office in Holon first; stand your ground in asking for a temporary id

·        Don’t worry if they “rename” you; Both my temporary id and my national parks pass have my name listed as James Baumer (James is my middle name)

Step 2: Go to a registered photo shop to get your picture taken and to pick up the Tofes Yarok (“Green Form”). Ideally, get your eyes tested. Bring your passport and newly-acquired temporary id. Cost: 40 shekels.

Tips based on my experience:

·        Choose a shop that both takes your photo AND administers the required eye test. I biked to the Dizengoff Center in central Tel Aviv and found a photo/eye shop on the first floor

·        If the shopkeeper tells you you’re in the right place, but to “wait – it will take some time”, be sure that you’ve established your place in “line”--otherwise, others will wander in and get ahead of you and the shopkeeper will let you fend for yourself

·        You should leave the shop with the Green Form in hand. On it will be your picture, your eye test results (on the back), and blank space for the medical exam (next step)

Step 3: See your doctor for a medical exam. Bring the Green Form. Cost: 450 shekels (private insurance) or ~100 shekels (local).

Tips based on my experience:

·        Call your doctor’s cell phone – he/she will likely see you the same day

·        Make sure the Dr. fills out and stamps the Green Form

Step 4: Go to the regional Ministry of Transport office for your area. Bring your completed Green Form (eye & medical exam results), passport, foreign driver’s license, temporary id, and photocopies of all of the above. Cost: none. 

Tips based on my experience:

·        If you live in the Tel Aviv area, the regional office is in Holon. Verify the days/hours before going. For example, Holon office is open several days a week, but only open for foreign license conversions on Sundays and Wednesdays from 7:30am to 12:30pm

·        Go early! Expect to wait in a line outside the building first—given this, you may want to bring water and a hat depending on the weather

·        Once inside the building, you’ll wait in line only to be told which line to wait in next, depending on your business need. Be sure to tell the office worker that you need a foreign license conversion. Unless something has changed, they “should” tell you to take a number to wait in line #8

·        If they tell you to wait in any line other than 8, clarify your purpose and ask again. Then, ask again. Ask the person behind you to translate, if necessary

·        Upon your number finally being called and perhaps being told that you’re in the wrong line for a foreign conversion, explain that you had simply gone where you were told. The worker may scribble something in Hebrew on a paper and tell you to take it to the front of a different line

·        Don’t be surprised if those waiting in the correct line are upset if you successfully interrupt the worker at the new line and are allowed to “budge” ahead the rest of the line. Those who had been waiting in the correct line may approach you and/or approach the worker to make both of you aware of their thoughts on the matter

·        You’ll leave the regional office with some additional information on your Green Form—essentially a referral to a driving instructor

Step 5: Take the Green form to your Driving Instructor’s office. Bring your Green Form. Cost: none (yet).

Tips based on my experience:

·        Call ahead to make sure your driving instructor will be there to accept the form

·        Choose an instructor that lives near you. You’ll go there at least twice. Mine was at xxx.

·        The instructor will work with the Ministry of Transportation to schedule your driving test, and will give you a form to take to the post office, at which you’ll pay a small fee

·        You’ll need to take at least one lesson (otherwise the instructor doesn’t make any money). Try to schedule it the hour prior to your actual driving test

Step 6: Take form to local Post Office to pay fee. Cost: 68 shekels

Tips based on my experience:

·        In Israel, the Post Office is more multi-faceted than the typical American office. You’ll be visiting the Post Office twice during your foreign license conversion – once now, and then again later

·        Take a number upon arrival, and be patient. Keep your receipt

Step 7: Take a driving lesson, then driving test. Cost: 520 shekels. Bring proof that you paid the 68 shekel fee from the Post Office.

Tips based on my experience:

·        I biked to my instructor’s office, and then drove his car during the “lesson” and then to the Ministry of Transport office for the official test. You must use the instructor’s car for the lesson and test since it is specially equipped with an extra brake AND accelerator on the passenger’s side

·        Even if your instructor doesn’t speak fluent English, he/she should be able to say enough key words. But if not, here is a crash course in driving-lesson-Hebrew: left (“smola”), right (“yamina”), yes (“ken”), no (“lo”)

·        When taking the 3^rd (left) exit on an Israeli roundabout, you are apparently supposed to turn on your left signal as you approach the roundabout. Prior to my lesson, my method would have been to circle the roundabout, then use my right turn signal prior to taking the 3^rd exit

·        Be sure to request an English speaking tester. And be aware that he/she may test your “chutzpah”. For example, when asked to “go around this line of cars and pass them”, don’t ask a clarifying question about whether or not to go into the left lane. Simply do it. Otherwise, the tester may respond like this: “No, pass them on their heads. What do you think? That’s it!”

·        The best approach, in fact, would be not to ask any questions at all—even when you’re not clear on the command. Otherwise, for example, you might get an answer like this: “if I have to tell you everything I’ll take away your license!”

Step 8: Get your driving test results. Cost: None.

Tips based on my experience:

·        Don’t expect to be told whether or not you passed or failed the test. You’ll find out your result by phone later that day. My theory was that they don’t want to give you the chance to argue with the tester. When I consulted with my co-worker on this theory, he gasped: “arguing is fine…they don’t want you to kill them!”

·        Your instructor may tell you that they’ll have both your results and your papers ready for you the afternoon of your driving-test-day. This is probably not true. Call first! That way, when they tell you to come back the next day, and then again the day after that, you won’t have wasted multiple trips

·        Eventually, you’ll get a paper from the driving instructor that verifies that you’ve passed your test

Step 9: Pay a fee at the post office. Bring: the paper your driver instructor gave you from step 8. Cost: 25 shekels (for 6 month foreigner’s license)

Tips based on my experience:

·        You don’t have to be present. Let’s say, for example, that you need to get back to work after having taken 3 days off for steps 1-8…you’re in luck…your spouse can take care of this step

·        You’ll get a paper temporary license and be told that a permanent license will be mailed. This may or may not be true for foreigners. I’ve been told by others that have gone before me that the paper is all that I’ll get, and that additional payment is required every 6 months. Since we only have four months to go, I guess I’ll never know…

After completing the process over a two week period, all I can say is “whew”. Three half-days off of work to transport paperwork between six separate locations (three of which were visited twice) sure seemed like overkill. I must say, though, that I did come away with a newfound appreciation for life in the States. It also helped me understand why at work, I’m often times the only one frustrated by what I deem as unnecessary bureaucracy. Now I get it: I’m spoiled! As one of my Israeli co-workers put it: “After I went to the US for a temporary relocation, I realized that I had been suffering in Israel!”. Well said.