Israel Overhauls Disabled Parking Permits After Widespread Misuse Found

A new inter-ministerial report on Israel's disabled parking permits reveals that about one-third of these permits were issued improperly, prompting a major overhaul. The report, obtained by Channel 13 News on Tuesday, criticizes the Licensing Authority for acting as a "rubber stamp," with external doctors approving 70% of applications in an average of just 90 seconds based solely on documents, without physical examinations. The report states the Licensing Authority lacks the expertise, tools, and manpower to assess disability levels and functional status accurately.

The Ministry of Transport estimates that around 150,000 permits issued in recent years were invalid. By the end of 2027, approximately 133,000 permits (25% of all permits) will expire and must be reapplied for under stricter criteria. The report recommends a comprehensive re-evaluation of all permits, with about 300,000 permanent permits to be gradually canceled (up to 75,000 annually), requiring holders to reapply under the new, tougher standards. Expired permits will no longer be automatically renewed.

Additional reforms include ending the practice of linking a single permit to multiple vehicles, except for parents of disabled children, and enforcing usage through a real-time dedicated app. Israel is one of the few countries allowing permits for more than one vehicle. The report also suggests banning or limiting parking on sidewalks to 15 minutes.

Responsibility for medical approval should be transferred exclusively to the National Insurance Institute and the Ministry of Defense, removing the Ministry of Transport from this process. Only those officially recognized as eligible for disability or mobility benefits after physical examination would qualify for permits. In 2025, there were about 446,000 permit holders and 655,000 vehicles linked to permits. Over the past decade, vehicles linked to permits increased by 320%, growing 15 times faster than the disabled population. The report attributes this surge to the Licensing Authority's expanded use of permit approvals, which were intended for exceptional cases but became the standard method, mostly approved without physical checks or proper oversight of doctors' work.