Penalties for traffic offences in Tel Aviv
Penalties for committing traffic offences in Israel are set not by the police but by the State Parliament. If you don’t pay your fine within 90 days after it was issued, it will be automatically increased by 50% and will continue to rise by 5% every six months. In the case of a subpoena, the police may withdraw the offender’s driving license for 30 days under an administrative procedure.
Traffic offences and penalties
| Exceeding the speed limit within the city by 20 km/h or outside the city by 25 km/h |
$60 |
| Exceeding the speed limit within the city by 21-30 km/h or outside the city by 26-40 km/h |
$180 |
| Exceeding the speed limit within the city by 31 km/h or more, or on a suburban highway by 41 km/h or more |
Subpoena |
| Drunk driving |
$600-700 and driving ban for at least six months |
| Failure to fasten seatbelt (driver or passenger seat belt) |
$60 |
| Crossing a red traffic light |
$238 |
| Violation of traffic rules and overtaking |
$60 |
| Talking on the phone without a hands free while driving |
$120 |
| No documents |
$23 |
| Turning on fog lamps without the need |
$60 |
Speed limits
Having rented a car in Tel Aviv, you should strictly adhere to the speed limits below
- 50 km/h in built-up areas;
- 80 km/h outside built-up areas;
- 100 km/h on suburban highways
- 110 km/h on toll Highway 6.
Hidden cameras are installed on many roads. If you exceed the speed limit by less than 10km/h, no fine will be charged.
Parking
When renting a car in Tel Aviv, keep in mind that it will be difficult finding a parking space on the city’s busy streets. All the parking areas are marked with different colors:
- blue and white means that it is paid or free parking;
- red and white or red and yellow means no parking; the zone is only for public transport or for the disabled.
To use a paid parking zone, you need to buy a coupon from a vending machine or from one of the kiosks and attach it to the inside of the windshield. As a rule, you can park at white-blue zones free of charge from 18:00 PM to 7:00 AM and on Saturdays. In front of each of these zones are a panel displaying the parking cost for different times of the day. At some zones, there are machines where you can pay in cash or by credit card. The parking price can reach $4 per hour. There is also a parking space with a fixed cost of $7 to $9 for a day. However, for tourists hiring a vehicle in Tel Aviv, it is more profitable to pay for actual parking time used.
Permissible blood alcohol levels
The maximum permissible level of alcohol in the blood for driving in Tel Aviv is 0.5 ‰. An Israeli police officer may require you to take a test to determine your level of intoxication. It is advisable not to refuse taking such test because doing so is considered a serious offense and incurs more severe penalties, which include imprisonment.
Fuel cost
At local gas stations, drivers can buy diesel fuel and unleaded gasoline (91, 95 and 96). There is a limit of $50 when paying for fuel by credit card. There are no cash restrictions. To refuel a car, you need to enter the number of that car in the machine. If you experience problems, it is better you contact the staff at the filling station.
Average fuel cost in Tel Aviv
| Gasoline 95 |
$2.09 |
| Diesel fuel |
$2.04 |
Toll roads
Highway 6 is the country’s only toll road passing through Tel Aviv. To use it, you need to register in a special system and specify the number of your credit card. There are no checkpoints on the road. Tolls are calculated automatically and charged against the license plate of the vehicle, captured by the camera. The toll is deducted from the driver’s credit card. Tolls range from $1.30 to $7 depending on the length of the route.
Suzuki Alto
Kia Picanto
Mazda 3
Chevrolet Malibu 
