How to import a Chinese electric car into Israel (2026)

CRAVEUO EV Export · Sources last checked 2026-10-30 · General information, not legal advice. We do not clear customs in Israel. Nothing here is a promise or a quote.

Quick answer

Israel's law limits personal import to brands that have a direct importer in Israel. If a Chinese brand has no direct importer, our understanding is that the personal route does not work, unless the minister has set other conditions, which we did not find. Purchase tax on electric cars is 48% in 2026 and VAT is 18%. Both figures come from the press, and the 2027 rate is not set.

Key facts

The legal text here comes from a consolidated copy on Hebrew Wikisource, which is not a government site. Check the official text before you rely on it.

Personal import

Section 33 of the Licensing of Services and Professions in the Automotive Industry Law, 2016 sets these conditions:

• One car per person per year, at least a year after the last one.
• For personal, family or own-business use, not for sale or rental as a trade.
• No more than 2 years from production date to registration in Israel.
• The car can be registered in the EU, the US or Canada, and meets Israeli safety and environmental rules.
• The brand is imported by a direct importer. The minister may set other conditions.
• A commitment on recalls and a statement that repair and parts are available in Israel.

Applications need an Israeli driving licence, a CoC with emissions data, proof of stability control and a km/h speedometer, production-date papers and a declaration. New cars also need a maker's certificate. You can apply yourself or through a licensed agent (Ministry of Transport page, undated).

So the question to ask first is whether your brand has a direct importer in Israel.

Commercial import

The law has three importer types:

The regulations add own-capital levels. For passenger cars, a direct importer needs NIS 1.3 million to NIS 9 million, by import volume. A micro importer needs NIS 800,000.

Some articles mention a 3,000-car rule. We did not find it in the law or in these regulations. We did not read every related regulation.

Commercial models must meet Israeli rules and be registrable in the EU, the US or Canada. A press report says the ministry still allows limited-series electric cars that do not fully meet European rules, up to 400 per model a year in 2026 (Walla, 2025-12-28). Another undated report says 10, and we did not open it or find the ministry's letter.

Charging

A third-party table lists Type 2 for AC and CCS2 for DC (World Standards). We found no legal plug standard, and we did not find whether a car with a GB/T plug can be registered. Ask which plug your car has before you order.

How an order works

1. Check whether the brand has a direct importer in Israel. Without one, our understanding is that personal import does not work.
2. If you are a company, ask an Israeli lawyer which importer type fits and what it requires.
3. Check the purchase tax on the day you plan to register. The rate after 2026 is not set.
4. Send your city, model and version through the inquiry form. We tell you whether we can supply that car before any contract.
5. If we can, get a quote from the licensed Chinese export company named in the contract. Nothing is paid before it is signed, and payment goes only to the company account on the invoice.