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Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5779-2019

חוק המידע הפלילי ותקנת השבים, תשע"ט-2019

Published: 2019-01-16Consolidated Hebrew text as of 2026-08-24 · Last amended 2026-07-26✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-29
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Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More

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Section B: Disclosure of Information from the Police Register

Direct access to the police register§
29.

The police register, excluding information concerning the acquittal of an accused, shall be open to the bodies listed in section 10, and those bodies shall be entitled to transfer information from that register among themselves, all to the extent necessary for the performance of their functions; the provisions pursuant to section 10 shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to access to and transfer of such information.

Disclosure of information on pending files§
30.
(a)The Police shall disclose information on pending files to the bodies and office holders to whom it is entitled to disclose information from the criminal register pursuant to the provisions of this Law, at the time of disclosing the information from the criminal register.
(b)The bodies listed in section 11(b) to (d) may disclose information on pending files to the bodies and office holders to whom they are entitled to disclose information from the criminal register as referred to in that section, all in accordance with the rules prescribed pursuant to section 11(e), with the necessary modifications.
(c)Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Police shall not disclose information on a pending file in which an indictment has not yet been filed, to bodies and office holders as referred to in sections 11(f), 12 and the Second Schedule or another statutory provision, where the information is required for the purpose of granting or revoking a right, if the period prescribed by the Minister, in consultation with the Minister of Public Security and with the approval of the Constitution Committee, has elapsed from the date on which the file was opened.
Disclosure of information on closed files or on files in which proceedings were stayed§
31.

The Police shall disclose information on a closed file and on a file in which proceedings were stayed to the bodies and office holders listed in the Sixth Schedule.

Prohibition on disclosure of information relating to acquittal§
32.

Information concerning the acquittal of an accused shall not be disclosed; however, the Police may, at the request of a body listed in section 10, disclose such information to it for the purpose of investigating an offence listed in the First Schedule to the Criminal Procedure Law (Enforcement Powers – Body Search and Taking of Identification Measures), 5756-1996, for the purpose of preventing or thwarting the commission of such an offence, and for the purpose of safeguarding State security in connection with such an offence; with respect to the General Security Service, information concerning an acquittal shall also be disclosed for the purpose of making a decision concerning security suitability for a position or post classified at a security classification pursuant to section 7(b)(3) of the General Security Service Law, 5762-2002.

Cancellation of police registration details§
33.
(a)The Head of the Investigation and Intelligence Division of the Police or a police officer of the rank of Deputy Commissioner and above whom he has authorised for that purpose may cancel a police registration detail concerning a closed file, in accordance with criteria to be prescribed by the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Public Security, with the approval of the Constitution Committee; however, the cancellation of a police registration detail as aforesaid concerning a file in which proceedings were stayed shall require the consent of the Attorney General or a person he has authorised for the purpose of stayed proceedings.
(b)The criteria referred to in subsection (a) shall be prescribed having regard, inter alia, to the following:
(1)the time that has elapsed from the date of the incident that is the subject of the investigation (in this section – the incident), and with respect to a file in which proceedings were stayed – the time that has elapsed from the date on which the proceedings were stayed;
(2)the age of the person to whom the registration relates on the date of the incident, his personal circumstances, the existence of additional criminal information concerning him, and the nature and gravity of the offences attributed to him.
(c)Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), a police registration detail concerning a closed file, in respect of an offence that is not a felony, shall be cancelled upon the expiry of seven years from the date of the incident, and with respect to minors – upon the expiry of five years from the date of the incident, unless otherwise prescribed in the criteria prescribed pursuant to subsection (a).

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Chapter V: Use of Criminal Information

Prohibition on inclusion in the criminal register or the police register of information concerning an offence committed by a minor under the age of 12§

34.

Criminal information concerning an offence committed by a minor while under the age of 12 shall not be included in the criminal register or the police register, and such criminal information shall not be disclosed.

Maintenance of confidentiality§

35.
(a)A person to whom criminal information has been disclosed pursuant to this Law shall keep it confidential, shall not disclose it to another, and shall not make any use of it, except in accordance with the provisions of this Law.
(b)Notwithstanding subsection (a), a person to whom criminal information has been disclosed pursuant to this Law may bring it to the attention of the person to whom the information relates or to the attention of that person's representative as referred to in section 4(d), if the information served as the basis for his decision to grant or revoke a right in respect of the person to whom the information relates.

Criteria for weighing criminal information§

36.
(a)Where criminal information concerning a person has been disclosed for the purpose of granting or revoking a right pursuant to items 3(1) and (2), 4, 5(1) to (4), (11), (13) to (16), (19) and (20) of the First Schedule or pursuant to section 12 and the Second Schedule or another statutory provision (in this subsection – the authorising provisions), the recipient of the information shall weigh the information, having regard to the considerations listed below, subject to the provisions concerning the weighing of criminal information contained in the authorising provisions or in the statutory provisions listed therein, to the extent that such provisions exist and in accordance with internal guidelines or procedures applicable to the recipient of the information as referred to in section 5(c):
(1)the nature and gravity of the offence, including the type of offence and the social value harmed by the commission of the offence;
(2)the time that has elapsed from the date of commission of the offence;
(3)the age of the person on the date of commission of the offence;
(4)the existence of additional criminal registration details or police registration details, the number of such registration details and their nature.
(b)In addition to the provisions of subsection (a), the recipient of the information shall weigh the connection between the criminal information concerning the person and the right applied for, having regard to the following considerations:
(1)the public interest on account of which the information was disclosed;
(2)the duties and responsibilities associated with the right applied for;
(3)the concern, if any, of harm to the safety or security of a person, to public safety or security, or to property;
(4)information concerning the rehabilitation of the person and his personal circumstances, to the extent that he has established them before the recipient of the information.
(c)The provisions of subsections (a) and (b) shall apply, with the necessary modifications, also in respect of criminal information disclosed for the purpose of participation in a tender pursuant to section 14.
(d)In the absence of other criminal information concerning a person, a right shall not be withheld from him or a right held by him shall not be revoked solely on account of a pending file in which an indictment has not yet been filed, unless both of the following conditions are met:
(1)the police registration has a connection to the right;
(2)on account of the gravity of the offence, the deciding authority is of the opinion that it is not appropriate for the applicant for the right or the holder of the right to hold it until the conclusion of the investigation and trial proceedings.

Questions concerning a person's criminal past§

37.
(a)A person is not required to disclose criminal information about himself that constitutes a lapsed registration detail, an expunged registration detail, a closed file or a file in which proceedings were stayed, to a person who is not entitled to receive the information pursuant to this Law.
(b)Notwithstanding any obligation under law or contract, the person questioned shall not bear criminal or other liability by reason of his refraining from disclosing information as referred to in subsection (a) to a person who is not entitled to receive it pursuant to this Law.

Prohibition on taking criminal information into account contrary to the provisions of the Law§

38.
(a)A person who is not entitled, pursuant to law, to receive certain criminal information or criminal information generally, including information concerning a lapsed registration detail, an expunged registration detail, a closed file, a file in which proceedings were stayed, or a pending file, shall not take it into account among his considerations in making a decision, and shall also not take into account additional information relating to that criminal information.
(b)The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to what is necessary for the protection of the person to whom the information relates or his family member, of a minor or of a helpless person, for the purpose of diagnosing any of them or for the purpose of treating them.

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Chapter VI: Assistance, Oversight and Penalties

Assistance to a person authorised to receive criminal information§

39.

A person authorised to receive criminal information pursuant to this Law or another statutory provision may authorise an office holder on his behalf to receive the information (in this Chapter – an assisting party), provided that the assistance of that office holder is essential for the performance of the function for which the information is received, and after the office holder has received the approval of the Police, and the Police or the oversight commissioner as referred to in section 41 have given him guidance in that regard.

Criminal information officer§

40.
(a)A person authorised to receive information from the criminal register under the First Schedule, pursuant to section 12 and the Second Schedule or another statutory provision, and to whom the provisions of section 5(c) apply, shall authorise a criminal information officer (in this Chapter – criminal information officer).
(b)The criminal information officer shall be responsible for formulating the internal guidelines and procedures prescribed pursuant to section 5(c) with respect to the weighing and safeguarding of the information, and may for that purpose receive criminal information to the extent that the authorising party is entitled to receive.
(c)The criminal information officer shall receive guidance and training with respect to his function under this section from the Police or the oversight commissioner pursuant to section 41.

Oversight commissioner§

41.
(a)The Minister shall authorise an oversight commissioner from among the employees of his Ministry, who shall examine the internal guidelines and procedures prescribed pursuant to section 5(c) in a right-granting body to which the provisions of that section apply, the use of criminal information in such a body and the safeguarding thereof, the manner in which discretion is exercised with respect to criminal information, and shall provide training to assisting parties and criminal information officers (in this Chapter – the oversight commissioner).
(b)A person shall not be authorised as oversight commissioner unless all of the following conditions are met in respect of him:
(1)he has not been convicted of an offence which, by reason of its nature, gravity or circumstances, renders him, in the opinion of the Minister, unfit to serve as oversight commissioner;
(2)he holds a licence to practise law and has at least five years of experience in the criminal field.
(c)For the purpose of performing his function, the oversight commissioner may require any person concerned to provide him with any information or document that may ensure the implementation of this Law, and to receive information from the criminal register relating to the matter under inquiry; in this subsection, "document" – including a printout, as defined in the Computers Law, 5755-1995.
(d)Where the oversight commissioner has conducted an inquiry, whether on his own initiative or pursuant to a complaint submitted to him, and has found the complaint to be justified, he may issue instructions for the rectification of the deficiencies.
(e)The oversight commissioner may, after giving a written warning to the body authorised to receive criminal information, order restrictions on the receipt of criminal information by that body, if the body did not cooperate with the oversight commissioner's demand to provide information or a document or did not comply with an instruction for the rectification of deficiencies pursuant to subsections (c) and (d).
(f)The means of submitting a complaint to the oversight commissioner shall be published on the website of the Ministry of Justice.

Penalties§

42.
(a)A person who demanded, directly or indirectly, criminal information concerning a person, contrary to the provisions of section 3(b), is liable to one year's imprisonment; if he did so for the purpose of employment or for the purpose of making a decision concerning the person to whom the information relates, he is liable to two years' imprisonment.
(b)A body, employer or trader who took criminal information into account among his considerations in making a decision where he is not entitled to receive it, or who took into account additional information relating to criminal information as aforesaid, contrary to the provisions of section 38, is liable to one year's imprisonment.
(c)A person who discloses criminal information that was disclosed to him pursuant to this Law or makes use of it, otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of this Law, contrary to the provisions of section 35(a), is liable to one year's imprisonment, and if he did so through negligence, he is liable to six months' imprisonment.

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Chapter VII: Miscellaneous Provisions and Legislative Amendments

Implementation and regulations§

43.
(a)The Minister of Justice and the Minister of Public Security are charged with the implementation of this Law, and they may make Regulations for its implementation, including prescribing provisions on the matters listed below, all unless other provisions concerning the power to prescribe Regulations are prescribed in this Law:
(1)fees for an application to inspect or receive information from a register pursuant to the Law;
(2)the means of inspecting criminal information and of giving notice of the disclosure of information or the correction of an error in a registration as referred to in sections 4 to 7.
(b)The Minister of Justice may, in consultation with the Minister of Public Security and with the approval of the Constitution Committee, prescribe in Regulations –
(1)misdemeanours in respect of which criminal registration details or police registration details shall not be registered;
(2)criminal registration details or police registration details concerning which information shall not be disclosed;
(3)exceptions to the disclosure of criminal information;
(4)offences or types of offences in respect of which a conviction shall not interrupt the limitation period or the expungement period;
(5)special provisions with respect to limitation and expungement periods in connection with criminal information relating to corporations.

Amendment of the Third to Sixth Schedules§

44.

The Minister, in consultation with the Minister of Public Security and with the approval of the Constitution Committee, may, by Order, amend the Third to Sixth Schedules, in whole or in part.

Amendment of the Military Justice Law – No. 77§

45.

In the Military Justice Law, 5715-1955 –

(1)in section 404a –
(a)in subsection (a), instead of "the Criminal Register and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5741-1981 (in this section – the Criminal Register Law)" there shall come "the Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5779-2019 (in this section – the Criminal Information Law)";
(b)in subsection (b), instead of "in section 13, opening passage, of the Criminal Register Law or to the bodies listed in items (26) and (27) of the First Schedule to that Law" there shall come "in section 17(a) of the Criminal Information Law or to the bodies listed in items 3(3) and 5(10) of the First Schedule to that Law";
(c)in subsection (d), instead of "in section 16(a) of the Criminal Register Law" there shall come "in section 21 of the Criminal Information Law";
(2)in section 541a(d), instead of "in the Criminal Register and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5741-1981" there shall come "in the Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5779-2019".

Amendment of Traffic Ordinance – No. 128§

46.

In the Traffic Ordinance [New Version] –

(1)in section 14(2), instead of "under the Criminal Register and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5741-1981" shall come "under the Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5779-2019";
(2)in section 61a(g), instead of "to the Criminal Register and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5741-1981" shall come "to the Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5779-2019".

Amendment of Municipalities Ordinance – No. 148§

47.

In the Municipalities Ordinance, in section 170, in subsection (b1) –

(1)after paragraph (2) shall come:

"(2a) Without derogating from the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2), in a position of a type in respect of which the legal counsel of the municipality has determined that an examination of the criminal record of a candidate is required as a condition for appointment thereto, a person may not be appointed if he has been convicted of an offence which, by reason of its nature, gravity or circumstances, renders him unfit, in the opinion of the legal counsel of the municipality, to serve in such a position, if an indictment has been filed against him for such an offence, or if an investigation is being conducted against him for such an offence; the provisions of this paragraph with respect to conviction or the filing of an indictment shall apply also with respect to an engagement by the municipality with a person who is not a municipal employee for the purpose of fulfilling a role, performing work or providing a service for the municipality, being of a type in respect of which the legal counsel of the municipality has made a determination as stated in the opening passage.";

(2)in paragraph (3), after "in this section" shall come "and on the manner of transmitting information regarding the filing of an indictment or the existence of an investigation for an offence pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2a)".

Amendment of Local Councils Ordinance – No. 74§

48.

In the Local Councils Ordinance, in section 34a, after "170(b)" shall come "and (b1)(2a)".

Amendment of Hostels Supervision Law – No. 8§

49.

In the Hostels Supervision Law, 5725-1965, after section 7 shall come:

"Restrictions on employment in a hostel

7a. An inspector who has received information from the criminal register for the purpose of protecting the wellbeing and safety of minors or other wards in hostels under his supervision may direct that a person who comes into direct and sustained contact with residents of the hostel shall not be employed in a hostel, if he has found that one of the following applies to that person:

(1)he has been convicted of an offence which, by reason of its nature, gravity or circumstances, renders him unfit to serve as an employee in a hostel;
(2)an indictment has been filed against him for an offence as referred to in paragraph (1);
(3)an investigation is being conducted against him for an offence as referred to in paragraph (1)."

Amendment of Law for the Extension of Validity of Emergency Regulations (Judea and Samaria – Adjudication of Offences and Legal Assistance)§

50.

In the Law for the Extension of Validity of Emergency Regulations (Judea and Samaria – Adjudication of Offences and Legal Assistance), 5728-1967, in the Regulations set out in the Schedule, as extended in force and amended from time to time by law, in regulation 4a –

(1)in sub-regulation (a), instead of "the Police may" shall come "the bodies and office holders authorised to transfer information pursuant to section 11 of the Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5779-2019 (hereinafter – the Criminal Information Law) may";
(2)instead of sub-regulation (b) shall come:

"(b) The provisions of the Criminal Information Law that apply with respect to information transmitted pursuant to sections 11 and 31 of that Law shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to information transmitted pursuant to sub-regulation (a).";

(3)in sub-regulation (c), instead of "the Criminal Register Law" shall come "the Criminal Information Law" and instead of "section 9" shall come "section 15".

Amendment of Police Ordinance – No. 35§

51.

In the Police Ordinance [New Version], 5731-1971, in section 49k, subsection (c) – repealed.

Amendment of Criminal Procedure Law – No. 89§

52.

In the Criminal Procedure Law [Consolidated Version], 5742-1982, in section 62(b)(4), instead of "his record shall be deleted from the Police records" shall come "his record shall be removed from the police register as defined in the Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5779-2019".

Amendment of Law for the Prevention of the Employment of Sex Offenders in Certain Institutions – No. 11§

53.

In the Law for the Prevention of the Employment of Sex Offenders in Certain Institutions, 5761-2001 –

(1)in section 4(f), instead of "in sections 2, 11 and 11a of the Criminal Register and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5741-1981 (hereinafter – the Register Law)" shall come "in sections 8, 30 and 31 of the Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5779-2019 (hereinafter – the Criminal Information Law)";
(2)in section 10, wherever appearing, instead of "the Register Law" shall come "the Criminal Information Law".

Amendment of Law for Protection of the Public from the Commission of Sexual Offences – No. 6§

54.

In the Law for Protection of the Public from the Commission of Sexual Offences, 5766-2006 –

(1)in section 2, instead of the definition "Criminal Register Law" shall come:

""Criminal Information Law" – the Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5779-2019;";

(2)in section 3(b)(1), instead of "in sections 2, 11 and 11a of the Criminal Register Law" shall come "in sections 8, 30 and 31 of the Criminal Information Law";
(3)in section 14(d), instead of paragraph (1) shall come:

"(1) 17 years, in addition to the period of the sentence of imprisonment imposed upon him, if the expungement period in respect of the sexual offence for which he was convicted has elapsed under the Criminal Information Law;";

(4)in section 19(a)(2), instead of "in section 2 of the Criminal Register Law" shall come "in section 8 of the Criminal Information Law";
(5)in section 27(a), wherever appearing, instead of "the Criminal Register Law" shall come "the Criminal Information Law".

Amendment of Law on Restrictions on the Duration of Suspension of an Employee of a Public Body due to Criminal Proceedings§

55.

In the Law on Restrictions on the Duration of Suspension of an Employee of a Public Body due to Criminal Proceedings, 5778-2018, in section 5, instead of "the Criminal Register and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5741-1981" shall come "the Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5779-2019".

Repeal of Criminal Register and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law§

56.

The Criminal Register and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5741-1981 – is repealed.

Savings of validity§

57.

Regulations made under the Criminal Register and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5741-1981 (hereinafter – the existing Regulations), shall remain in force as worded on the eve of the commencement day, and shall be deemed to have been made under the provisions of this Law, all unless this Law prescribes provisions that differ from the existing Regulations, or unless authority to prescribe provisions in matters regulated by the existing Regulations has not been conferred in this Law, and for so long as the existing Regulations have not been amended or repealed under this Law.

Commencement and initial regulations§

58.
(a)This Law shall commence on the 14th day of Shevat 5782 (16 January 2022); the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Internal Security may, with the approval of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Knesset, by Order, postpone that date for a period not exceeding six months (hereinafter – the commencement day).
(b)Initial regulations under sections 2(b) in fine and 30(c) shall be brought for the approval of the Constitution Committee by the commencement day.

Continuity of the register§

59.
(a)The criminal register maintained pursuant to section 1 of the Criminal Register and Rehabilitation of Offenders Law, 5741-1981, shall continue to be in force and shall be maintained as the criminal register under this Law.
(b)Registration details as referred to in section 27(a) of this Law, which the Police recorded in a police register maintained by virtue of its authority under law prior to the commencement day, shall be deemed to be a police registration detail under this Law.

Transitional provision§

60.

The provisions of section 24 shall apply also with respect to an offence under a legislative provision listed below, committed before the repeal or replacement of that legislative provision, if its penalty is imprisonment of ten years or more and a term of actual imprisonment of five years or more was imposed:

(1)Criminal Law Ordinance (State Security, Foreign Relations and Official Secrets), 5717-1957;
(2)Official Secrets Ordinance;
(3)sections 49 to 54 and 57 of the Criminal Code Ordinance, 1936.

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