After a long period marked by shortages and confusion among Israeli travelers, the service for issuing international driving licenses in Israel is undergoing a significant change. This month, a new tender issued by the Transport Ministry came into effect, expanding the nationwide deployment of issuing stations and substantially increasing their number.
As part of the move, 58 issuing stations will now operate, compared to just 43 last year. The companies that won the tender, Marmanet and the Halperin Optics chain, have already begun operating branches across the country, with particular emphasis on peripheral areas and localities that previously lacked an organized service.
The new tender follows a period of about a year during which many travelers struggled to find a location to issue an international driving license, after the previous concessionaire’s contract expired and the number of stations was reduced. For many, this became a real obstacle, one that at times even led to giving up on issuing the license altogether.
A wide deployment from north to south
According to the tender’s terms, the new stations are spread across 54 cities and local councils, including localities that were not previously included on the service map. Among them are branches in Safed, Kiryat Shmona, Ofakim, Netivot, Dimona, Mitzpe Ramon, Beit She’an, Sderot, Yokneam, Kiryat Malakhi, Rahat, and Shoham. Major cities are also receiving reinforcement, with Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheba each operating at least two branches.
One of the key announcements for travelers is the opening of a branch near Ben Gurion Airport. Starting this month, it is possible to issue an international driving license at the Halperin Optics branch in Airport City, just minutes away from the airport. This comes after the postal counter that previously operated at Ben Gurion Airport and offered a similar service was closed more than a decade ago, and according to the new tender’s terms, it is not expected to reopen in the coming years.
Ongoing confusion regarding the need for a license
Alongside the expansion of the service, confusion persists regarding whether an international driving license is actually required for every trip abroad. Since 2007, Israeli driving licenses have been issued in an international format and include English text, but the Transport Ministry does not publish a clear list of countries in which they are recognized without an additional document.
In practice, the requirement varies from country to country and sometimes even depends on the policies of car rental companies or local enforcement authorities. As a result, many travelers prefer to issue an international license “just in case,” even in situations where it may not be required at all.
Due to the gradual transition between old and new stations, travelers are advised to verify in advance by phone that the desired branch is operating on the day of arrival, especially in the near term. The updated list of stations is available on the Paapm Paapm website and is updated on an ongoing basis.