A major traffic reform took effect in Israel on February 8, 2026, under the Administrative Traffic Offenses Law, which moved hundreds of violations out of the criminal court system and into a new administrative track. According to attorney Hanna David, the change is not cosmetic but a structural overhaul of how traffic tickets are handled from issuance through resolution.
Instead of a courtroom, appeals now go to a digital Traffic Tribunal under the Justice Ministry, staffed by judges appointed for seven-year terms. Cases are generally handled through written submissions in the UniCourt system, and if a hearing is held it is usually by video on VCourt. For people who need help with the technology, service stations were opened in Haifa, Nof HaGalil, Netanya, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Beersheba.
The reform is being rolled out in two stages. The first, on February 8, 2026, covers offenses fined at 100 to 500 shekels, excluding speeding and urban parking, including seat belt violations, expired vehicle or driver licenses within certain time limits, some sign violations, driving into a yellow-red light, driving without lights, illegal riding on sidewalks, minor vehicle defects, unlawful cargo transport, entering a blocked intersection, and certain failure-to-yield cases. The second stage, on August 8, 2026, will add offenses fined at 750 shekels and above, including speeding. Any offense that caused injury or property damage remains in the criminal track, and in aggravating circumstances police may still issue a summons even for administrative offenses.
Drivers who receive an administrative fine can file an objection within 30 days, appeal to the tribunal within 90 days of the fine or 30 days of the objection decision, and then appeal to a magistrate’s court, with further appeal requiring leave from the district court. The fine notice must include demerit points, but the new points regulations have not yet been approved by the Knesset’s Economic Affairs Committee, so current administrative tickets are being issued without points for now. The article warns that points still apply to criminal-track offenses, and that officers may impose double fines on repeat offenders in certain cases. A separate proposal is also advancing to sharply raise penalties for eight dangerous offenses, including phone use, running a red light, and speeding, with possible vehicle impoundment for repeat cases.
