Driving in Israel: the rules and local habits every visitor should know

Yes: tourists can drive in Israel with a valid foreign licence for up to one year from their date of entry.

• English-language licences (US, UK, Canada, Australia and EU licences with Latin characters) are accepted by rental companies. Eldan, for example, requires a licence in English with a photo.
• Other languages: if your licence is not in English, bring an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued in your home country. Eldan requires a non-English licence to come with an international licence.
• Licence history: rental companies usually require 1-2 years of licence, and more for large or premium cars.
• Olim (new immigrants): you can drive on your foreign licence for one year from your entry and have five years from your aliyah date to convert it. If you held your licence for five consecutive years before aliyah, conversion requires an eye exam but no driving test; otherwise a short conversion test applies. The Ministry of Transport's conversion service is on gov.il.
• Residents and long-stay students: the one-year limit applies to you too; check your status with the licensing office.

Carry your licence, passport and rental papers in the car at all times.

Default speed limits are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h on intercity roads without a central divider, 90 km/h with a divider, 100 km/h on motorways and 110 km/h on toll roads such as Highway 6, unless signs say otherwise.

• Speed cameras: fixed and mobile cameras are everywhere, including average-speed sections. Tickets go to the rental company, which assigns them to you with a handling fee, sometimes months later.
• Headlights: must be on during the winter months on intercity roads; many drivers keep them on all year outside towns.
• Seat belts: compulsory for every occupant, front and rear.
• Phones: only hands-free. Holding a phone while driving is fined.
• Children: under-13s may not sit in the front, and young children need a suitable child seat; order one with the rental.
• Alcohol: Israel's legal limit is low, and lower still for new and young drivers. The simple rule: do not drink and drive.
• Red lights: there is no general right-turn-on-red like in much of the US; turn only on green or on a green arrow.
• Accidents: call the police (100) if anyone is injured, take photos, exchange details and call your rental company's emergency number immediately.

Road signs in Israel are generally in Hebrew, English and Arabic, and Waze, an Israeli app, is what almost every local driver uses.

• Transliterations: English signs are usually transliterations of Hebrew names, so you will see Yerushalayim alongside Jerusalem, and spellings vary (Akko/Acre, Tzfat/Safed, Kiryat/Qiryat).
• Road numbers: use them to navigate. Route 1 links Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Route 2 runs along the coast, Highway 6 is the north-south toll road, Route 90 runs from the north down the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea to Eilat.
• Waze: shows traffic, police, speed cameras and Shabbat road closures reported by users. Set it to English. You can choose to avoid toll roads.
• Security: Waze and Google Maps can route you through areas you should avoid, such as Area A. Check the route before you drive in the West Bank.
• Data: get a local eSIM or a roaming plan; offline maps are a useful backup in the desert.

Israeli roundabouts follow the international rule: traffic already on the roundabout has priority, and you enter when there is a gap.

• Roundabouts: very common in towns and suburbs. Signal when exiting and watch for drivers cutting across lanes in multi-lane roundabouts.
• Driving style: assertive. Expect short following distances, frequent lane changes and honking the moment a light turns green. Stay calm and predictable.
• Merging: on motorway on-ramps, merging is competitive; use the full acceleration lane.
• Buses and taxis: dedicated public transport lanes are marked on the road and on signs; private cars may not use them during posted hours.
• Pedestrians: at zebra crossings, pedestrians have priority. Many walk out confidently; slow down near crossings, especially in religious neighbourhoods and near schools.
• Breakdowns: rental cars carry a reflective vest; wear it if you must stop on the shoulder of an intercity road, and call the rental company's roadside assistance.

Israel has a few toll roads, none with cash booths except the Carmel Tunnels; cameras read your plate and the rental company passes the charge to you with a handling fee.

• Highway 6 (Kvish 6): the Cross-Israel Highway, from the Galilee in the north to the Beersheba area in the south. Charged by number of segments; the 2026 casual rate is about 24-34 ₪ per trip, depending on segments.
• Highway 6 North: the Yokneam-Somech section, run by a separate operator.
• Carmel Tunnels (Haifa): about 12 ₪ per segment for a private car from July 2026; cash accepted at the booths.
• Route 1 Fast Lane: a tolled lane into Tel Aviv from Shapirim, with a free park-and-ride and shuttle buses.
• New fast lanes: additional fast lanes on Route 2 and the Ayalon were planned from 2026, with prices fixed weekly according to congestion.

How it works in a rental car: Eldan bills toll trips at the operator's non-subscriber rate plus a handling fee from its price list, and one international brand's Israeli terms list a 50 ₪ service fee per unpaid toll or ticket. Charges reach your card after the rental.

In Israel, the colour of the curb tells you whether you can park: blue and white is paid, red and white is forbidden, and unpainted grey is free unless signs say otherwise.

• Blue and white: paid parking during posted hours. In Tel Aviv, these spaces are paid for non-residents from 9:00 to 17:00 and reserved for residents with a zone sticker from 17:00 to 9:00, unless signs say otherwise.
• Red and white: no parking at any time.
• Red and yellow: reserved for buses or other specific vehicles; do not park.
• Grey (unpainted): free, subject to the signs at the start of the street.
• Apps: Pango and Cellopark let you start and stop paid parking from your phone. Register the rental car's plate.
• Fines and towing: parking tickets are sent to the rental company if you do not pay them, with a handling fee added. Towing is common in Tel Aviv and central Jerusalem.

Most of Israel's public transport stops from Friday afternoon to Saturday night, so cars are busiest then, while rental branches are mostly closed.

• Rental branches: closed from Friday around midday to Saturday night in most cities; Ben Gurion airport is the main exception.
• Road closures: some streets in Haredi neighbourhoods, for example in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, are closed on Shabbat. Respect barriers and signs.
• Yom Kippur: almost nobody drives; roads are used by cyclists and pedestrians. Do not plan to drive that day; even Eldan's roadside assistance does not operate.
• Fuel: most stations are open on Shabbat on main roads; many are self-service with card payment. Rental cars use 95-octane petrol unless the car is a diesel, hybrid or electric; check the fuel cap.
• Fuel policy: return the car with the same level as at pickup. Eldan charges missing fuel at the legal full-service price plus a per-litre fee.
• Electric cars: Eldan requires EVs to be returned with at least 25% battery or charges a fee.

Israeli rental cars may not enter Palestinian Authority Area A, and your insurance does not apply there; main highways through the West Bank that Israelis use daily are allowed.

• Allowed: Route 1 from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, Route 90 through the Jordan Valley and Route 443 between Jerusalem and Modi'in are used by Israeli cars every day.
• Prohibited: Area A cities and towns such as Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho, Nablus, Jenin and Hebron's Palestinian-controlled areas. Eldan explicitly excludes Area A, and red signs at the entrances warn Israeli citizens not to enter.
• Borders: rental cars may not leave Israel. At the Egyptian (Taba) and Jordanian crossings, park and cross on foot.
• Checkpoints: normal on West Bank roads. Slow down, follow instructions and keep your passport handy.

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