FAQ – Important Topics in Israeli Inheritance Law

This Israeli Inheritance Law FAQ addresses many issues about inheritance with links to longer articles on the topic.

The Israeli Ministry of Justice oversees everything related to inheritance in Israel. 

What is an apostille stamp and how can I get one?

An apostille stamp is a common method of verifying international documents and is often required when presenting an official document from one country to the authorities in another country. The apostille is stamped by the relevant government Ministry or Magistrate Court in Jerusalem. For more information on apostille stamps, please see our article: Apostille Stamp — Verification of Foreign Documents in Israel and Israeli Documents Abroad. 

How do I apply for a succession order?

According to Israeli law on succession (link in Hebrew only), in the case of inheritance when the deceased party did not have an Israeli will, the distribution of the inheritance to the heirs must begin with an application for a succession order. The application must be signed and notarized and accompanied by multiple documents (including an original death certificate, proof of payment to the registrar, and notices to all heirs). Moreover, the application and accompanying documents must be submitted in four complete sets. For more information on applications for a succession order, please see our article: Application for a Succession Order in Israel. 

How do I apply for a will probate order?

In the case of inheritance when the deceased party left a written will, in order to execute it for the purposes of dividing the estate, it is necessary to issue a probate order. A probate order is an official certification by the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs that the will is valid. The application must be accompanied by an original death certificate and the original will. For more information on applications for a probate order, please see our article: Inheritance Order and a Probate Order. 

How do I submit an objection to a succession order or will probate order?

According to Israeli law, anyone may submit an objection to a succession order or a probate order prior to the assets of the deceased being allocated. The objection requires paying a fee and must be submitted up to fourteen days from the date the application is published along with an affidavit detailing facts that support the objection. For more information on submitting an objection to a succession or will probate order, please see our article: Submitting an Objection to a Succession Order in Israel. 

How do I make a will and get it approved?

Anyone 18 years or older can write a final will and testament; that person is called the testator. Israel recognizes three types of wills: a handwritten will which is written out by hand in its entirety by the testator, a will in the presence of witnesses which need not be handwritten but must be signed in the presence of two witnesses who are also signatories, and a will in the presence of an authority. Errors in a will can render it invalid. For more information on how to make a will, please see our article: How to Write a Final Will and Testament in Israel. 

How do I deposit a will?

In order to deposit your will, you must personally go to the office of the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs in the district in which you reside. Make sure to bring your original will, your identity card, and a certificate of payment of the requisite fee. The will and its contents will then be preserved and recorded in the National Registry. For more information on how to deposit a will, please see our article: How to Deposit a Will. 

How do I check if a will was registered in Israel?

While a testator is alive, no one else may check if their will is registered at the offices of the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs. After the testator is deceased, you may inquire if a will is registered by submitting the testator’s death certificate and an application specifying your relationship to the deceased. For more information on how to check if a will was registered, please see our article: How to Check If a Will Was Registered. 

How do I submit an application to amend a will?

If you have chosen to deposit your will at the office of the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs and wish to make amendments to the will, you must follow a set of specific procedures which depend on the type of amendment. An amendment due to mistakes in paperwork (such as a misspelled name or an incorrect ID number) does not involve an additional fee; however, a change to the content of the will (such as adding or removing an heir) does incur a fee and requires submitting an application for an amendment prepared as an affidavit and may involve other supporting paperwork. For more information on how to submit an application to amend a will, please see our article: How to Submit an Application to Amend a Will. 

How can I file a request to delay the execution of a will?

If you wish to delay the execution of a succession order or will probate order through the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, you must submit a prepared affidavit that includes, among other things, reasons justifying delaying the execution of the will. Additionally, a fee must be paid for delaying the execution of the will and the application should be accompanied by a confirmation of payment. For more information on how to file a request to delay the execution of a will, please see our article: How to File a Request to Delay Execution of a Will. 

How can I apply to annul a will in Israel?

An application to annul a succession or will probate order in Israel may be processed through the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs. In order to do so, you must file a prepared affidavit accompanied by payment confirmation. For more information on how to apply to annul a will, please see our article: How to Apply to Annul a Succession or Will Probate Order. 

How do I apply for a will when the deceased person did not live in Israel?

In order to obtain a will probate order when the testator’s residence was not in Israel, make sure to include: two supporting documents proving payment of the required fees, a notarized application for a will probate order, an original death certificate, an original will, notices to all heirs, and possibly other supporting documents depending on the circumstances. The application and accompanying documents must be submitted in four complete sets: the original and three photocopies. For more information on how to apply for a will when the deceased person did not live in Israel, please see our article: Applying for a Will When the Deceased Did Not Live in Israel. 

How do I appoint an estate administrator in Israel?

The application to appoint a permanent estate administrator should be submitted as a separate application alongside an application for a succession order or a will probate order. If the estate administrator is explicitly named in the will or if all the potential heirs are in agreement on the identity of the estate administrator then the application should be submitted to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs. Otherwise, the application should instead be submitted to the family court. For more information on how to appoint an estate administrator, please see our article: Appointing an Estate Administrator. 

Where do I get the court file number for estate files?

Once the estate file has been transferred from the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs to the court, you can inquire about the court file number. Simply contact the secretary at the court to which the file has been transferred, and the secretary can provide you with the court file number that has been assigned to your case. For more information on how to get the court file number for an estate file, please see our article: Israel Court File Number for Estate Files. 

How do I extend the appointment of an estate manager?

The only way to extend the validity of the appointment of an estate manager is to turn to a family court in Israel. Submit a request to the family court, and the family court will make a decision on the matter. Do not contact the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs. For more information on how to extend the appointment of an estate manager, please see our article: How to Extend the Appointment of an Estate Manager. 

How do I submit an application for a temporary estate manager?

An application for the appointment of a temporary estate manager may be submitted only if there is still no succession order or will probate order, otherwise only a permanent estate manager may be appointed. An application for the appointment of a temporary estate manager in Israel should be submitted to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs or to a family court. For more information on how to submit an application for a temporary estate manager, please see our article: Submitting an Application for a Temporary Estate Manager.

How can heirs make a distribution agreement on the estate?

Heirs are permitted to make an agreement among themselves to distribute the estate in a manner that is different from the distribution specified according to law or as determined in a will. In order for the distribution agreement to be valid, the agreement to distribute the estate differently than initially specified must be written down and express the particular agreement among all the heirs. For more information on how to make a distribution agreement on the estate, please see our article: Can Heirs Make a Distribution Agreement on the Estate?

Where can I get the application forms for inheritance matters?

You can download the following forms at these links:
Application for a succession order (in English, French, or Hebrew).
Application for a will probate order (in English, French, or Hebrew). 

For more links and information on inheritance law in Israel, please see our article: Where to Get Application Forms for Inheritance in Israel. 

What are the required fees, and where can I get the payment vouchers?

Many applications related to inheritance require the payment of a fee (agra) to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs. A payment voucher (shovar tashlumim) will need to be attached to the application as proof of payment. The payment can be made by credit card online, or in certain “smart payment booths,” or by bank deposit at the postal bank. For more information on how to pay the required fees and acquire the payment vouchers, please see our article: Payment Vouchers (shovrey tashlum) for the Required Fee (agra) in Israeli Inheritance Law. 

What are the government fees for Israeli inheritance issues?

Every January 1 and July 1, the payment rates are adjusted. See the current rates linked here. (The website is only in Hebrew. If you need assistance with making payments, please contact our law firm.) For more information on fees for Israeli inheritance issues, please see our article: Government Fees for Israeli Inheritance Issues. 

How do I find out the status of an inheritance case in Israel?

Details can be obtained through the online information system at the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs. Additionally, you can send an email via the appropriate email address based on the district the case is being addressed in or call the phone number in the appropriate district. (If you need assistance with these inquiries please contact our law firm). For more information on how to find out the status of an inheritance case, please see our article: How to Find Out the Status of an Inheritance Case in Israel.

How do I get copies of orders from the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs?

Everyone is entitled to receive a copy of an order after the individual who registered the will passes away. You must first pay the fee for copies of wills, and then you need to send a page showing the confirmation of payment by fax or email to the secretary of the registrar in the district in which the will was registered along with your relevant details. For more information on how to get copies of orders from the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, please see our article: Getting Copies of Orders in Israel from the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs. 

How do I get a copy of an order issued by a court in Israel?

If you seek to obtain a faithful copy of an original order given by a court, please turn to the relevant court that issued the order. If you need assistance finding the location or contact information of the relevant court, our law firm would be happy to help you. For more information on getting a copy of an order issued by a court in Israel, please see our article: Getting a Copy of an Order Issued by a Court in Israel. 

When do I need to obtain a foreign legal opinion in Israel inheritance law?

Foreign legal opinions may be required when dealing with applications for a succession order or a will probate order. For example, you would need a foreign legal opinion if the testator registered the will in Israel but the testator’s residence was outside of Israel when the testator passed away. An expert jurist from the testator’s residence must prepare a foreign legal opinion, which must be submitted among other required documents in a variety of cases. For more information on obtaining a foreign legal opinion in Israel inheritance law, please see our article: A Foreign Legal Opinion in Israel Inheritance Law. 

How can I amend a court order relating to inheritance in Israel?

If one wishes to correct a mistake in a decree issued by the district court (prior to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs commencing with its activities), one must submit an application to the family court in the place of residence where the testator passed away. One also needs to attach a copy of the will probate order that was given by the district court to the application. For more information on how to amend a court order, see our article: How to Amend a Court Order in Israel Inheritance Law. 

How can I view a file at the inheritance registrar?

Any person interested in the estate of the deceased may submit an application to view a file at the Inheritance Registrar. It is important to detail in the application the reason that the applicant wishes to view the file along with the connection between the applicant and the deceased, and a confirmation of payment must be attached to the application. For more information on how to view a file at the inheritance registrar, please see our article: How to View a File at the Israel Inheritance Registrar. 

What do I need to know about applications and affidavits?

The application for a succession order or will probate order must be filed according to the form prescribed in the regulations and prepared as an affidavit. This means that the applicant must sign the application before an attorney who verifies the applicant’s signature. For more information on applications and affidavits in Israeli inheritance law, please see our article: Applications and Affidavits in Israel Inheritance Law. 

How do I respond to a demand for more details from the Attorney General regarding inheritance issues?

In the event that you have received a letter demanding completion of details from the legal counsel of the Attorney General regarding an application you submitted to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, you should transfer the requested details exactly as requested to the representative of the legal adviser in the district addressing the application. Do not submit the details to the offices of the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs. For more information on responding to a demand from the Attorney General regarding inheritance issues, please see our article: Demand for More Details from Israeli Attorney General. 

How do I apply to extend the period for submitting an objection?

An application to extend the date for an objection may be submitted to the secretary at the registrar before the order itself is granted. An order may be issued fourteen days after the date the request is published. Make sure to include the reasons for the extension and until when the extension is requested. It is also important to include a payment confirmation for the fee “another application” (bakasha acheret). For more information on how to apply to extend the period for submitting an objection, please see our article: Application to Extend Period for Submitting an Objection. 

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