Questions & Answers

Personal import, as defined by law in Israel, is the import to Israel of goods by an individual and not through a dealer, provided that the goods are not intended for supply, manufacture or services, and are imported in reasonable quantity for the importer’s personal or family’s use.

Want to know more about personal imports, such as, for example, where you can import from, and how much you will pay for a personal import? Go to the Personal Import Guide.
 

The personal import of transportation products is permitted if:

• The import is undertaken by an individual and not by a dealer in the transportation products.
• The products are intended for personal use, and if the importer is a dealer – for own business use.
• The import is not intended for the purposes of supply, manufacture or provision of services in the area of motor vehicles.
• The import is of reasonable quantity and for the individual’s personal use under Section 112 of the Licensing of Services and Professions in the Vehicle Industry Law, 5776-2016.
• The import is not for the purpose of sale to another.

Furthermore, additional conditions may also apply to the transportation product that you want to import, such as a certificate from the Ministry of Transport or a certificate from an accredited laboratory.

For more information on the subject

The Ministry of Communications has defined a list of products that can be imported without any conditions. For any communications product not included in the list, a certificate from the Ministry of communications must be furnished.

List of permissible products and more information

You ordered a product from abroad and it is held up at Customs? It is possible that conditions are imposed on the import of the product or that taxes must be paid in order to clear it from customs.

More information on the customs clearance process

The Ministry of Health has defined the types of food prohibited and permissible for personal import, including their weight and quantity.

Food products permissible for personal import

Personal import of products permissible for personal import does not require furnishing of a certificate or compliance with conditions, but you may be required to complete a declaration about the nature of the goods when you receive the shipment.
In a personal import, you can import up to 15 kilograms of food products in a shipment, but no more than 5 kilograms of a specific product.

Exceptions:

• Spices: you can import up to 5 kilograms per shipment, but no more than 500 grams of one type of spice. Furthermore, saffron is limited to 20 grams only.
• Prepackaged dietary supplements: you can import up to 20 items in a shipment, but not more than 5 items of one specific type of product.
• Food products for athletes, prepackaged in powder and/or liquid form based on protein, carbohydrates and fats: you can import up to 10 kilograms per shipment.

Food products prohibited for personal import

• Products containing animal ingredients (meat, fish and raw or pasteurized milk). This, apart from canned food containing meat products, canned food containing fish products, hard cheese, boxed milk powder, and canned dairy products.
• Infant and toddler food formula (stages 1, 2 and3) and food formula specially intended for infants and toddlers.
• Products containing a dangerous drug as defined in the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance [New Version], 5733-1973.
• Products registered as a preparation according to the Pharmacists Regulations (Medical Preparations) 5746-1986.
• Products containing herbs as defined in the Pharmacists Regulations (Conditions for Opening and Managing Pharmacies and Medicine Storage Rooms) 5742-1982.

For more information on the subject, visit the Ministry of Health website

Personal import of pet food is exempt from legal requirements and does not require any special certificates, apart from food containing medication and dietary supplement type food.
You can import up to 20 kilograms of pet food as a personal import.