If you own a car in Israel (or any type of moving vehicle), than once a year you need to visit a place called Test Line (in hebrew, that would be טסט ליין – no joke, that is really what it is called and how it is spelled) to get your annual inspection. It can be a little bit intimidating for first timers, so let me tell you what you can expect:

Before you show up, you should have received your new registration in the mail from the misrad rishuy (the national DMV) for the coming year. You have to pay an exorbitant fee (it was around 1300 NIS this year) at the Post Office or local bank for the privilege of driving for another year. When you show up at Test Line, bring this (it should be stamped to show that you paid) along with your drivers license and proof that your car is insured (if your name is not the one on the registration, you have to bring along a letter from the person whose name does appear saying that you have permission to take the test for them. I bet there are a few people here that make their living taking cars for tests when the real owners are too busy).

When you drive into the parking lot you will be directed to one of the lines, depending on traffic and what type of car you have. The guy will take your registry form and come back in a few minutes with your test sheet attached (at this point he will yell at you and look at you like you are an idiot if you didn’t follow his unclear instructions about which line to get into, as I did).

When it is your turn, here is what is going to happen (it is good to be familiar with it in advance because it is noisy there, they don’t speak so clearly, and if you don’t follow their instructions right away they will stop and stare at you like you are an idiot):

1. You will drive your front wheels into some device stuck in the ground that is designed to test your brakes. Put the car in neutral with the emergency brake off. At a certain point, the guy at this station will tell you to hit the brakes. Hit those brakes hard! If your brakes are good enough and you hit them hard enough, then you will pass the test (your car may move back a couple feet off the device. This is normal). I have heard stories of people who didn’t hit the brakes hard enough and ended up failing the test and had to go through it again (even though they had good brakes).
2. Next, you will drive forward a few feet so that your rear wheels are in the device. It is now time to check your emergency brake. You put the car in neutral, the guy will activate the device and at a certain point tell you to activate the emergency brake. Once again, yank it hard to make sure that you pass.
3. While the guy is doing this, he will also check your lights.  He will have you turn on your headlights, right and left signals (while he is standing in front), right and left signals (while he is standing in back) and brake lights. If you know that one of your lights is not workin, get it fixed before you show up for the test (this is a pretty easy way to fail, and chaval on the time and money if you have to take the test twice).
4. Next you move up to the second station. There is an opening underneath you with people beneath. I do not know if they do anything. If they do, you don’t have to assist them in any way. At this station, first he (there were no women testers that I saw) will test your emissions. They hook up a hose to your exhaust pipe and have you drive in neutral for a minute at 2500 RPM (if you can’t do this, they will look at you like you are an idiot, tell you to get out, sit in the driver’s seat and do it themselves)
5. Last, they check your head lights and bright lights to make sure that they are strong enough. They put a device in front of your headlights, tell you to turn them on, repeat with bright lights on.

That’s it, you are done. Whether or not you passed, you have to go into the office and pay (86 NIS for a regular car registration). Be sure to bring the test form, your Teudat Zehut and your insurance (if you forget your insurance like I did, the girl behind the counter will look at you like you are an idiot and tell you to go back to your car and get it). After you have paid, they give you a new sticker that is good for another twelve months, and you are good to go. B’hatzlacha!