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I was looking though some websites and came across permit requirements on Tel Aviv Municipality site and Filming in the Tel Aviv site. These sites mention that permits may be needed for photography in the city. I am not sure if this applies only to people producing commercial works or if it also applies to general tourists.

Will I need a permit for

  • Personal or family photography?
  • Art pictures that I take as a non-professional photographer / Hobbyist and make no financial gains from it (flickr and 500px type)?
  • Art pictures that I take as a non-professional photographer / Hobbyist and make some financial gains from it (sell in 500px market)?
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    Welcome to travel.SE. Where do you intend to take pictures and is there anything special on the type of picures?
    – Karlson
    Commented Jan 29, 2014 at 20:59
  • No. I usually take pictures of things that appeals to me or I think will make an appealing picture.
    – Lord Loh.
    Commented Jan 29, 2014 at 21:01

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Generally speaking the permits are required for professional photographers and film crews that could block parts of public walkways streets and walkways for an extended period of time.

When it comes to personal photography there is no permit required, so if you do not intend to set up a large tripod and have it sit on the sidewalk for 1-2 hours while you take pictures you don't need one.

If you look at the bottom of the Tel-Aviv Government page and the application itself it becomes clearer what the permits might be required for and how they are granted. The minimum duration of the photoshoot is up to 6 hours.

Daily production for six hours or less - 90 NIS (minimal fee).

And you will need it if you intend to have control over the area you're shooting at. So if you don't need that take pictures as much as you like. Tel-Aviv is an interesting city to visit.

FURTHER

To add to this Biblical Productions has a more concise list of situations that necessitate obtaining a permit.

Additional info

The Hebrew version of the page clarifies that the permits are required if the photographs are taken for commercial purpose such as advertising. If such a shoot closes fully or partially a public space or if the shoot is of the public buildings such as town hall and so on.

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  • Oddly, this contradicts the Tel Aviv Municipality site linked in the question, where two of the categories requiring a permission are "photographers" and "commercial film crews". Since the commerical aspect is mentioned when it comes to film crews, shouldn't one assume that photographers need a permit, both for commercial and non-commercial use? I admit that sounds extremely odd that it should not be allowed to take photopgraphs in Tel Aviv without a permission, but isn't that what the web site actually says?
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented Jan 29, 2014 at 23:04
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    Some time later I will find some who can speak hebrew to look at the native language site but noone in Israel is insane enough to require permit to take family photos. Otherwise there would be too many court cases and fines myself included in that category.
    – Karlson
    Commented Jan 29, 2014 at 23:16
  • The Hebrew version of the municipality web site is missing the entire category "Global and Tourism", so there is no Hebrew text to compare with.
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented Jan 29, 2014 at 23:53
  • Yes there is. It's under doing business special permits. I'm updaing the answer.
    – Karlson
    Commented Jan 29, 2014 at 23:55
  • Officially photography in Indian airports was (is?) prohibited - security concerns etc. I thought that was the reason for restricting photography in the city - But road blocking and public inconvenience makes more sense.
    – Lord Loh.
    Commented Jan 30, 2014 at 18:19
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"Filming" with a film crew, you will need several permits, plus various paper works from your end & it could end up costing you lots of money; but with photography, I don't see anything wrong with having someone holding your lights instead of using a light-stand, as long as your light source is wireless; and is powered by its own power supply ...For example the B1 Profotos or any speed flash thats being triggered by a transceiver (Pocket Wizards) from on top of your cameras hot shoe & try not staying to long on the same location, 15-20 mins the most ...remember (the key here, is not to have any equipment on the ground!)

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    Note the OP is merely asking about personal photography, nothing fancy...
    – Mark Mayo
    Commented Sep 20, 2015 at 12:52

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