Full Probate Application
Application, affidavit, notices to the beneficiaries, fees and filing, through to the issued order.
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Probate in Israel: How to Probate a Will
🕒 Updated: · By Adv. Reut Eliyahu, Notary
The Israeli probate order, handled in English by an Israeli probate lawyer, for heirs in Israel and abroad
Probate in Israel
Israeli Probate Lawyer
Tzav Kiyum Tzava'a
Grant of Probate Israel
Foreign Wills in Israel
Heirs Living Abroad
Land Registry Transfer
How do you probate a will in Israel?
To probate a will in Israel, a beneficiary applies to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs for a probate order (tzav kiyum tzava'a). The application is filed online with the death certificate, notices to all beneficiaries and the government fees, the original will is delivered within 7 days, and the Registrar publishes the application so that objections can be raised.
Without a probate order, a will has no practical effect in Israel. Banks will not release accounts, the Land Registry will not register an apartment in the heirs' names, and pension funds will not pay out. This page explains the whole Israeli probate process: who can apply, which documents are needed, what it costs in 2026, how long it takes, and what changes when the will was made abroad or the heirs live outside Israel. Eliyahu & Co. is an Israeli probate law firm based in Herzliya Pituach, next to Tel Aviv, acting for families throughout Israel and for heirs abroad, remotely and in English.
Quick Answer
Under Section 39 of the Succession Law 5725-1965, a will is carried out in Israel only after a probate order is granted. An uncontested order is typically issued within up to 3 months of filing.
- Prepare: Death certificate, original will, notices to beneficiaries
- File: Online application, with the Registrar's fees
- Deliver: The original will to the Registrar within 7 days
- Publication: Public notice, open to objections
- Order: Probate order issued, then assets are released
Who we work with: Israeli families, heirs living in the US, UK, Canada and Europe, executors of foreign estates with assets in Israel, and foreign attorneys who need an Israeli counterpart.
Up to 3 months
Uncontested probate order,
from filing
from filing
7 days
To deliver the original will
after online filing
after online filing
0%
Inheritance tax in Israel,
abolished in 1981
abolished in 1981
No travel
Handled in Israel through
a Power of Attorney
a Power of Attorney
The Probate Order
What is a probate order in Israel?
A probate order, in Hebrew tzav kiyum tzava'a, is the Israeli equivalent of a grant of probate. It confirms that a will is valid and may be carried out. It is issued by the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, part of the Administrator General at the Ministry of Justice. If an objection is filed, the file is transferred to the Family Court, which decides it.
The most common mistake families make is filing for the wrong order. A probate order is needed when the deceased left a will. A succession order (tzav yerusha) is needed when there is no will, and the estate then passes to the heirs under the Succession Law. The two are separate applications with different forms, different documents and a different list of people who must be notified. When a will covers only part of the estate, the rest passes by law and both orders may be needed for the same estate.
| Probate Order (Tzav Kiyum Tzava'a) | Succession Order (Tzav Yerusha) | |
|---|---|---|
| When it is needed | The deceased left a will | There is no will |
| Who inherits | The beneficiaries named in the will | The heirs under the Succession Law |
| Who applies | A beneficiary named in the will | A person with an interest in the estate |
| Original document | The original will must reach the Registrar | Not applicable |
| Issued by | Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, or the Family Court if there is an objection | |
If there is no will, see our guide to the succession order in Israel. For an overview of every inheritance matter we handle, see the Israeli inheritance lawyer page.
A foreign grant of probate does not replace the Israeli order. Heirs in the US, UK or Canada who already hold a local grant of probate still need an Israeli probate order before Israeli banks or the Land Registry will act. The foreign grant is not wasted: a certified copy of it can support the Israeli application.
Our Services
What an Israeli Probate Lawyer Handles for You
From the first review of the will to the moment the apartment is registered in the heirs' names, every stage is handled personally by Adv. Reut Eliyahu.
Foreign Wills & Heirs Abroad
Wills signed abroad and deceased persons who lived abroad: apostilles, translations and the foreign legal opinion.
Foreign legal opinions →Missing or Defective Wills
Only a copy of the will survives, or it has a formal defect: we prepare the additional application and the evidence.
Objections & Contested Probate
Defending a will, or objecting to one, before the Registrar and in the Family Court.
Inheritance disputes in Israel →Releasing Bank Accounts
Israeli banks, investment houses and pension funds, including transfers of the money abroad.
Land Registry Transfer
Registration of inherited property in the heirs' names at the Land Registry (Tabu), with the tax filings.
Israeli real estate attorney →Step by Step
The probate process in Israel, step by step
The Israeli probate procedure is set by the Succession Law 5725-1965 and the Inheritance Regulations 5758-1998. For an uncontested will, it runs through six stages.
1
Review of the will and the estate
We check what kind of will it is (handwritten, before witnesses, before an authority, or oral), whether it covers the whole estate, who the beneficiaries are and where they live, and whether anyone is likely to object. This decides which documents are needed and whether a succession order is needed as well.
2
Power of Attorney and supporting documents
Heirs abroad sign a Power of Attorney before a local notary, followed by an apostille, or at an Israeli consulate. Foreign death certificates are apostilled and translated. Every beneficiary named in the will is sent a notice of the application.
3
Online filing and fees
We file the application online with the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, with the affidavit, the documents and proof of payment of the application fee and the publication fee. Online filing carries a lower fee than a paper application.
4
Delivery of the original will
The original will must reach the Registrar's office within 7 days of the online filing. If the original cannot be found, a separate application is made to probate a copy, supported by evidence of what happened to the original.
5
Publication and the objection period
The Registrar publishes the application in the official gazette (Reshumot) and in a newspaper, so that anyone with a claim can object. The Registrar may also refer the file to the representative of the Attorney General for review.
6
Issue of the probate order
If there is no objection and the file is complete, the Registrar issues the probate order. We send it to you by email and move straight on to the banks and the Land Registry.
Need to probate a will in Israel? Let's look at your documents.
Send us the will and tell us where the heirs live. The first consultation is free, by Zoom or phone.
Israel office Sun-Thu 08:00-19:00 Israel Time · US line Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00 Pacific TimeDocuments
What documents are needed to probate a will in Israel?
Under Regulations 13-14 of the Inheritance Regulations 5758-1998, the application sets out the facts in a sworn affidavit and is filed with the documents listed below. An incomplete application is returned, and fixing it costs more time than preparing it properly the first time.
📜 The original will
Delivered to the Registrar within 7 days of online filing. A foreign will may need an apostilled certified copy and a translation.
🪪 Death certificate
Not needed when the deceased had an Israeli ID number. A foreign certificate is apostilled and translated into Hebrew.
📬 Notices to beneficiaries
Every beneficiary named in the will receives a notice of the application, with proof of sending attached.
💳 Proof of fees
Payment of the application fee and the publication fee. The amounts for 2026 are in the cost section below.
✍️ Power of Attorney
When a lawyer files for you. Signed abroad before a notary with an apostille, or at an Israeli consulate.
⚖️ Foreign legal opinion
When the deceased lived outside Israel: an opinion on the law of the country where the deceased was domiciled.
Depending on the estate, the Registrar may also ask for death certificates of beneficiaries who have died, renunciation declarations by beneficiaries who waive their share, or proof of assets in Israel. Source: Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, gov.il.
Timeline
How long does probate take in Israel?
An uncontested probate order is typically issued within up to 3 months of filing. The Registrar's own published service standard is 40 days from receipt of the original will, or 50 days when the file is referred to the representative of the Attorney General. The difference between the official figure and the real one is almost always the file itself: a missing document, an untranslated certificate or a beneficiary who was not notified sends the application back.
What slows probate down in Israel:
- An objection. The file moves to the Family Court, and the timeline is then set by the court proceedings rather than by the Registrar.
- A deceased who lived abroad. The foreign legal opinion, apostilles and translations have to be ready before filing. Prepared in advance, they do not have to delay the order.
- A missing original will. Probating a copy requires a separate application and evidence.
- Beneficiaries who cannot be located. Every beneficiary must be notified, and tracing one who has moved abroad takes time.
After the order is issued, releasing bank accounts and registering property at the Land Registry are separate steps with their own timelines. We start preparing them while the application is still pending.
Fees
How much does probate cost in Israel?
The cost of probate in Israel has two parts: government fees paid to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, and the lawyer's fee. There is no inheritance tax or estate tax in Israel, which was abolished in 1981, so the estate itself is not taxed on the death.
| Government fees (2026) | Online filing | Paper filing |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | NIS 507 | NIS 597 |
| Publication fee | NIS 66 | NIS 66 |
| Total | NIS 573 | NIS 663 |
Fees are updated by the Ministry of Justice every January. Source: Kol Zchut (Hebrew), checked September 2026.
Our fee for a probate application is a flat fee, agreed in writing before any work begins. It is not a percentage of the estate, and we do not bill by the hour. You know the full figure before you decide, and it does not grow because the file took longer than expected. Estates with a foreign will, a deceased who lived abroad, several heirs in different countries or an objection are quoted according to their scope, but always as a flat fee for the work described.
For heirs abroad there are usually some additional costs, which we list in the quote: the local notary and apostille, notarized translations into Hebrew, and, when the deceased was domiciled outside Israel, the foreign legal opinion.
Cross-Border Estates
Probate in Israel for a foreign will or heirs abroad
Many of the probate files we handle have a foreign element: a parent who lived in New York or London and left an apartment in Israel, a will signed in Toronto, or children who all live abroad. A foreign will can be probated in Israel, and the heirs do not need to travel for it.
Four provisions of the Succession Law decide most of these cases. Under Section 136, the Israeli authorities have jurisdiction over the estate of a person who was domiciled in Israel or who left property in Israel, so an apartment or a bank account in Israel is enough, wherever the deceased lived. Under Section 137, succession is generally governed by the law of the country where the deceased was domiciled at the time of death. That is why the Registrar asks for a foreign legal opinion on that country's law when the deceased lived abroad. Under Section 140, a will is valid in form if it meets the formal requirements of Israeli law or of one of several foreign laws connected to the testator, such as the law of the place where it was signed or of the testator's domicile. And under Section 39, the Israeli order is still required even when the will has already been admitted to probate abroad.
Documents from the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada are accepted in Israel with an apostille, because all four countries are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. A Power of Attorney can be signed before a local notary and apostilled, or signed at an Israeli consulate. For heirs in the UK, the English grant of probate and for heirs in Canada the provincial grant or certificate of appointment are useful supporting documents, but neither releases an Israeli bank account or registers an Israeli apartment on its own.
Heirs in the US and other countries may have their own reporting obligations at home on an inheritance received from Israel. That is a question of US or local law, so we coordinate with your accountant or attorney there. Read more about foreign legal opinions, or, for Southern California, our page for Israeli lawyer in Los Angeles clients.
From Our Practice
Probate in Israel for US estates: two cases from our practice
Names and identifying details are left out to protect our clients' privacy.
🇺🇸 The original will stayed in the American court
The situation: The deceased died in the United States, and his will had already been submitted for probate there. The original will was therefore held in the American proceedings and could not be sent to Israel.
What we did: We filed the Israeli probate application and arranged for it to proceed without delivering the original will to the Registrar.
The result: The heirs received the Israeli probate order without the original will being delivered to the Registrar.
📋 Divorced abroad, still "married" in Israel
The situation: The deceased and all the heirs lived in the United States. The Israeli Population Registry still listed the deceased as married, although he had in fact divorced.
Why it was a real obstacle: The Population Registry does not change the details of a person who has already died. So the usual route, asking the registry to correct the record, was closed, while the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs works from the registry data and would have treated a spouse who no longer existed as part of the estate.
What we did: We resolved it through the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs itself, with an application built for this situation, proving the divorce so that the probate proceedings would reflect his true status, and we dealt with everything that followed from it.
The result: The probate application went ahead on the basis of the deceased's real status.
Why probate for a family abroad is not a standard application
A probate application for someone who lived and died in Israel is usually routine. When the deceased spent many years abroad, or the heirs live abroad, it rarely is. The Israeli records about a person who has not lived here for decades are often out of date, and the Registrar works from those records.
- Population Registry details that no longer match reality. A marriage, a divorce or a child born abroad was never reported to Israel, and after a death the registry can no longer be updated in the ordinary way.
- Heirs who live abroad. The facts about the deceased often have to be proven through affidavits and declarations by relatives, signed abroad and prepared in the form the Registrar will accept.
- Documents held in another country. An original will already filed with a foreign court, or civil records that exist only abroad, need a different route than a standard filing.
We handle these files on a regular basis, as a matter of routine, and we have done so many times. Because we already know what the Registrar will ask for in each situation, we file it together with the application from the start. That matters: an application that is returned with a request for further details goes through another round, and the family loses weeks for nothing. For the heirs, it stays simple. They sign where we tell them, and we take care of the rest.
What both cases have in common: the obstacle was not in the will itself, but in paperwork held in another country or an Israeli record that no longer matched reality. The location of the original will and the Population Registry details are among the first things we check in every file.
An estate in Israel with a complication abroad?
Tell us where the will is and where the family lives. We will tell you what the Israeli side needs, in writing, after a free first consultation.
Objections
Objecting to a probate in Israel
The public notice of a probate application gives 14 days from publication to object. Under the Registrar's own guidance, an objection can in practice be lodged at any point until the order is issued. The objection is filed with the Registrar with an affidavit and a fee, under Sections 67 and 67A of the Succession Law and Regulation 19 of the Inheritance Regulations, and the file is then transferred to the Family Court.
The usual grounds are a formal defect in the will, a lack of capacity when it was made, or undue influence, duress or fraud under Section 30. Once the order has been issued, the route is no longer an objection but an application to amend or cancel the order under Section 72. We act both for beneficiaries defending a will and for family members contesting one. See our guide to contesting a will or probate in Israel.
After the Order
How to execute probate in Israel after the order
The probate order is where the practical work begins. With the order in hand, the beneficiaries can release Israeli bank accounts and investments, claim pension and insurance funds, and register inherited real estate in their names at the Land Registry (Tabu) or the Israel Land Authority.
Registering an apartment requires filings with the Israel Tax Authority and the local municipality before the Land Registry will record the change. When several heirs inherit one property, they often sign an agreement on how to divide it or sell it. Where the estate has debts, needs to sell assets before distribution, or the heirs cannot cooperate, the court can appoint an estate administrator under Section 78 of the Succession Law.
A situation we see often: the probate order was obtained years ago, but the apartment is still registered in the name of the deceased. It cannot be sold or mortgaged until the registration is completed, and the longer it waits, the more documents need to be updated. We handle the whole path from the will to registered title under one roof. Read more about registering property rights in Israel and dissolving co-ownership between heirs.
About the Attorney
Adv. Reut Eliyahu - Israeli Probate Lawyer & Notary
Adv. Reut Eliyahu
Founding Attorney & Notary · Eliyahu & Co. Law Office
Adv. Reut Eliyahu founded Eliyahu & Co. in Herzliya Pituach and has been a member of the Israel Bar Association since 2007 (License No. 47439), with 19+ years in practice. She holds LL.B and MBA degrees and is a licensed Israeli notary and a registered arbitrator. Inheritance is one of the firm's main practice areas, with a particular focus on estates where the heirs, the will or the deceased are outside Israel.
Every probate file is handled by her personally, from the first review of the will to the release of the assets. As a notary, she can also certify translations and signatures for the file in-house. About Adv. Eliyahu →
⚖️ Israel Bar License No. 47439
🎓 LL.B + MBA
🏛️ Notary
⚖️ Registered Arbitrator
🌍 EN / HE / ES
💻 Remote Service
Client Reviews
What Clients Say About the Firm
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Google Business Profile
Families who trusted us with an estate, and came back
Each review on the firm's Google Business Profile comes from a client who worked directly with Adv. Reut Eliyahu, in Israel or from abroad.
★★★★★Google Business Profile
Since 2007Member of the Israel Bar Association
PersonalEvery file handled by Adv. Reut Eliyahu
EN · HE · ESLanguages of service
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FAQ
Probate in Israel - Frequently Asked Questions
How long does probate take in Israel?
An uncontested probate order is typically issued within up to 3 months of filing. The Registrar of Inheritance Affairs publishes a service standard of 40 days from receipt of the original will, or 50 days when the file is referred to the representative of the Attorney General. Delays usually come from an incomplete file: a missing document, an untranslated foreign certificate or a beneficiary who was not notified. If someone objects, the file is transferred to the Family Court and the timeline depends on the court proceedings.
How do you probate a will in Israel?
A beneficiary named in the will applies to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs for a probate order (tzav kiyum tzava'a). The application is filed online with a sworn affidavit, the death certificate, proof that every beneficiary was notified and proof of payment of the fees. The original will must reach the Registrar within 7 days of filing. The Registrar then publishes the application so that objections can be raised, and if there is no objection, issues the order.
What is a grant of probate in Israel called?
In Israel it is called a probate order, in Hebrew tzav kiyum tzava'a. It is issued by the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, or by the Family Court when there is an objection. Under Section 39 of the Succession Law 5725-1965, a will is carried out only after it has been probated in Israel, so a grant of probate from another country does not replace the Israeli order.
How much does probate cost in Israel?
In 2026 the government fees are NIS 507 for an online application plus NIS 66 for publication, a total of NIS 573. A paper application costs NIS 597 plus the same publication fee. The fees are updated every January. The lawyer's fee is separate. We charge a flat fee agreed in writing in advance, not a percentage of the estate and not an hourly rate, so the total is known before the work starts. Israel has no inheritance tax or estate tax.
Do I need an Israeli probate lawyer?
The law does not require a lawyer, but most families use one, and heirs abroad almost always do. The application must be filed in Hebrew, every beneficiary must be notified, foreign documents must be apostilled and translated, and a deceased who lived abroad requires a foreign legal opinion. An error sends the file back to the start. When the deceased lived abroad for many years, the Israeli records about them are often out of date, and the facts may have to be proven through affidavits and declarations by relatives. An experienced probate lawyer files what the Registrar will need together with the application, instead of waiting for it to be returned. A lawyer holding your Power of Attorney also handles the banks and the Land Registry after the order is issued.
Can a foreign will be probated in Israel?
Yes. A will signed in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada or elsewhere can be probated in Israel. Under Section 140 of the Succession Law, it is valid in form if it meets the formal requirements of Israeli law or of one of several foreign laws connected to the testator. Under Section 136, it is enough that the deceased left property in Israel. When the deceased lived abroad, Section 137 generally applies the law of the country of domicile, and the Registrar asks for a legal opinion on that law.
Do I have to travel to Israel for probate?
No. You sign a Power of Attorney before a notary where you live and add an apostille, or sign it at an Israeli consulate, and the lawyer handles the whole process in Israel. Consultations take place by Zoom or phone, and the probate order is sent to you by email. If affidavits or declarations are needed from you or from other relatives abroad, we prepare them in the form the Registrar accepts and tell you exactly where and how to sign them.
What if the deceased's details in the Israeli Population Registry are wrong?
This is common when the deceased lived abroad for many years. A marriage, a divorce or a child born outside Israel was often never reported, so the Israeli record no longer matches reality. After a death, the Population Registry does not change the details of the deceased, and the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs works from the registry data. The problem can still be solved: the true facts are proven to the Registrar within the probate proceedings, with the foreign documents and, where needed, affidavits or declarations by relatives. We handle these files regularly and know what to file with the application so that it is not returned for further details.
Can I probate a will in Israel if the original is held by a court abroad?
Yes. When the will has already been submitted for probate in another country, for example in the United States, the original is often held in those proceedings and cannot be sent to Israel. This does not prevent an Israeli probate order. The application is prepared for this situation from the start, with the foreign documents that the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs will need, so that it can proceed without delivering the original will. We have obtained Israeli probate orders for heirs in exactly this position.
How do I object to a probate in Israel?
The objection is filed with the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, with an affidavit and a fee. The public notice gives 14 days from publication, and under the Registrar's guidance an objection can be lodged until the order is issued. The file is then transferred to the Family Court. After the order is issued, the route is an application to amend or cancel it under Section 72 of the Succession Law.
What is the difference between a probate order and a succession order in Israel?
A probate order is needed when the deceased left a will, and it gives effect to the will. A succession order is needed when there is no will, and the estate then passes to the heirs defined by the Succession Law. If a will covers only part of the estate, the remaining assets pass by law and both orders may be needed.
How do you execute probate in Israel after the order?
With the probate order, the beneficiaries release Israeli bank accounts and investments, claim pension and insurance funds, and register inherited real estate in their names at the Land Registry or the Israel Land Authority, after the required filings with the Israel Tax Authority and the municipality. When the estate needs to be managed before distribution, the court can appoint an estate administrator under Section 78 of the Succession Law.
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The probate order, from the application to the release of the bank accounts and the property - handled through a Power of Attorney, without flying to Israel. Free first consultation, no obligation.
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