The Ministry of Transport announced Wednesday that new vehicles bought starting January 1, 2016 will be exempt from the annual vehicle “test” for three years from the date of purchase, extending the moratorium by an additional year.
The extension is the result of a new ordinance signed by Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz. According to the previous regulation, new private vehicles were exempt from conducting the annual license test at a Vehicle Inspection Station for the first year after purchase; their owners were only forced to pass their first license test two years after taking their vehicle on the road, and return annually after that.
According to European regulations, the first license test for a new private vehicle must take place within 4 years, to be repeated again every two years.
The new regulations also extend the exemption for new private vehicles purchased through leasing and corporate fleet vehicles to two years from the date of purchase, up from one year.
Katz noted the increased prevalence of active and passive safety systems and features that alert drivers to faults reduce the concern that vehicles are not in proper condition. “The decision to extend the period of the annual license test from two years to three years will minimize the bureaucracy and save the driver time, unnecessary and expensive bureaucracy, and the cost of the annual test.”
A senior director in the Ministry of Transport, Avner Flor, said that in recent years the cars imported to Israel have advanced technologies including tire-pressure monitors, lane departure warning systems, adaptive cruise control, and advanced braking systems.
According to Flor, vehicle manufacturers in recent years extended their warranty periods for new vehicles beyond two years meaning owners have an incentive to schedule check-ups while the vehicle is under warranty so as to not void the warranty provided by the importer.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 7, 2016
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