Psychologists Law, 5737-1977

חוק הפסיכולוגים, תשל"ז-1977

Published: 1977-03-29Consolidated Hebrew text as of 2025-04-06 · Last amended 2025-04-03✓ 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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Chapter VII: Penalties

Penalties§

53.

(a)A person who does any of the following is liable to imprisonment of one year or a fine as referred to in section 61(a)(2) of the Penal Law:

(1)practises psychology in contravention of the provisions of section 2, or in contravention of a prohibition or restriction imposed on him pursuant to the provisions of this Law, or during a period in which his registration in the Register is suspended pursuant to the provisions of this Law;

(2)employs a person in activities that constitute the practice of psychology, in contravention of the provisions of section 3;

(3)administers treatment to a person by way of medication or electric shock, in contravention of the provisions of section 4;

(4)uses the title "psychologist" or an expression or abbreviation as referred to in section 5, in contravention of the provisions of that section, or uses a title, appellation or designation as referred to in section 5a, in contravention of the provisions of an Order issued thereunder;

(5)discloses information as referred to in section 7, in contravention of the provisions of that section, or discloses, without lawful authority, a matter that came to his knowledge by virtue of his office under this Law or at a session of the Registration Committee, a medical committee, the Complaints Committee or the Disciplinary Committee.

(b)A person who does any of the following is liable to imprisonment of six months or a fine as referred to in section 61(a)(1) of the Penal Law:

(1)performs an activity reserved for holders of a recognised specialisation, in contravention of the provisions of section 9(a), or administers psychotherapy treatment in contravention of the provisions of section 9(b);

(2)uses a title of recognised specialisation or an expression or abbreviation as referred to in section 10, in contravention of the provisions of that section;

(3)fails to give notice in contravention of the provisions of section 12(b) or fails to furnish the Registrar, on demand, with information pursuant to the provisions of that section;

(4)fails to provide information or a document on demand by the Registration Committee in contravention of the provisions of section 26.

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Chapter VIII: Miscellaneous

Ancillary Powers of Committees§

54.

(a)The Registration Committee under section 13, the Medical Committee under section 20, the Complaints Committee under section 35(b) or the Disciplinary Committee under section 35(c) may, if required for the performance of their functions –

(1)summon a person to appear before them to testify or to produce a thing;

(2)compel a witness to testify under oath or affirmation in accordance with the provisions applicable in a court;

(3)request from a court within whose jurisdiction the Committee sits to issue an order under section 13 of the Evidence Ordinance [New Version], 5731-1971;

(4)award travel and accommodation expenses and compensation for loss of time to witnesses summoned by virtue of this section, as to a witness summoned to testify in a court.

(b)Where a committee as aforesaid has required a person to testify or to produce a thing and he has refused to do so without justification satisfactory to the committee, a court within whose jurisdiction the committee sits may, on the application of the Director or the chairperson of the committee, compel compliance with the committee's directions in such manner as it sees fit, including by detaining the person who refused.

(c)The Minister of Justice shall prescribe rules of procedure for the implementation of this section.

(d)In this section, "court" means – in relation to the Registration Committee and the Medical Committee – an Administrative Affairs Court, and in relation to the Disciplinary Committee and the Complaints Committee – a District Court.

Status of Members of the Council and Committees§

55.

(a)The resignation of a member of the Council or of a member of any of the committees referred to in section 54 shall be in writing to the Minister of Health and shall take effect fifteen days after its delivery.

(b)The Minister of Health may remove from office a member of the Council or a member of any of the said committees if –

(1)he has been deprived of his physical or mental capacity or has been prevented for another reason from fulfilling his functions;

(2)he has been convicted of a criminal offence that carries moral turpitude;

(3)he has been declared bankrupt or a receiver of his assets has been appointed by a court;

(4)he has left the country permanently;

(5)he has been continuously absent from sessions of the Council the number of times determined in advance by that Council for this purpose, or from three sessions of such a committee.

(c)After the last session, absence from which confers the authority to remove from office, written notice shall be sent to the absentee by registered post detailing the sessions from which he was absent and setting out the full text of this section; where the member of the Council or the committee is the representative of a Minister or a body, a copy of the notice shall be sent to the Minister or body that the member represents.

(d)The Minister of Health may also remove a member of the Council from office at the request of the Minister or body that the member represents.

(e)In every case listed in paragraphs (1) to (4) of subsection (b), the Minister of Health shall not remove a member of the Council or a member of a committee from office without consulting the Minister or body that the member represents.

Commencement and Transitional Provisions§

56.

(a)This Law shall commence on the 22nd of Tevet 5738 (1 January 1978); however, sections 8, 13 to 18, Chapter IV, Chapter VI and section 54 shall commence on the date of publication of the Law in Reshumot (Official Gazette).

(b)A person who, on the eve of the publication of this Law in Reshumot (Official Gazette), was engaged in the practice of psychology, may submit, within ninety days of the date of publication, an application for registration in the Register; if he does so, he shall not engage in the practice of psychology after the date on which he was notified of the rejection of the application; if his application has not been determined by the date of commencement of this Law, he may continue to engage in the practice of psychology until the decision is given.

(c)A person who engages in the practice of psychology after having been notified that his application was rejected shall be treated, for the purposes of his punishment, as if he had engaged in the practice of psychology after the commencement of this Law without being registered in the Register.

Implementation and Regulations§

57.

(a)The Minister of Health is charged with the implementation of this Law, and may make Regulations on any matter relating to its implementation, including the fixing of fees for registration, permits and examinations.

(b)In consultation with the Council, the Minister of Health may make rules of professional ethics for psychologists.

(c)Regulations under sections 6, 50 or 54 or subsection (b), as well as the fixing of fees under subsection (a), require consultation with the Health Committee of the Knesset.