Frequently Asked Questions: Real Estate and Civil Law in Israel

Generally 60 days from the day you received the statement of claim, or 15 days in a small claim. If the deadline is close, send us the statement of claim today.

Do not ignore it. Have it reviewed. Sometimes a reasoned reply at this stage prevents a lawsuit.

Generally 60 days from the day the judgment was rendered or served on you. A decision that is not a judgment is challenged by an application for leave to appeal, which has a shorter deadline.

The plaintiff can ask for a default judgment, meaning a judgment given without your side being heard. If the deadline has passed, contact us right away: sometimes it is possible to request an extension or to have the judgment set aside.

That depends on the court, the number of witnesses and the interim motions. An early settlement can shorten the proceedings considerably.

Under section 5 of the Limitation Law, 5718-1958, a claim that does not concern land is generally time-barred after seven years, and a claim concerning land after fifteen years. The period runs from the day the cause of action arose (section 6), but when the facts were hidden from the plaintiff for reasons beyond their control, it starts only on the day they became known to them (section 8). If a long time has passed since the events, check the exact deadline without delay.

No. An appeal does not by itself stay the enforcement of the judgment, and the winning party may move to enforce it. A party who wants to put enforcement on hold until the appeal is decided must file a motion for a stay of execution, and the court weighs the chances of the appeal and the balance of convenience between the parties. In a money judgment, a stay is granted only in exceptional cases, for example where there is a real risk that the money will not be repaid if the appeal succeeds.

Before you sign anything, including a memorandum of understanding. A signed memorandum of understanding can be as binding as a contract.

The seller pays land appreciation tax and the buyer pays purchase tax. Both taxes have exemptions and reductions, and we check them before signing.

The fee is agreed in advance in a written fee agreement, based on the scope and complexity of the transaction. In the first conversation you will receive a clear, detailed quote.

A caveat is registered at the Land Registry in the buyer's favor. It prevents the seller from selling the apartment to someone else or encumbering it without your consent. It is registered immediately after signing.

From signing to handover usually takes a few months, depending on the payment schedule. Registration at the Land Registry comes after all the taxes have been paid.

Under the Sale (Apartments) Law, 5733-1973, you are entitled to monthly compensation with no need to prove damage, based on the rent for a comparable apartment. For contracts signed from July 7, 2022: no compensation for the first month, the rent from the second to the fourth month, 1.25 times from the fifth to the tenth month and 1.5 times from the eleventh month. For older contracts: 1.5 times for the first eight months and 1.25 times after that, when the delay exceeds 60 days.

Notify the developer in writing within the inspection period, document the defects and get an engineer's opinion. You need to give the developer a reasonable opportunity to repair them. If it does not, you can sue for the cost of the repairs.

The project's lawyer represents the developer. A lawyer acting for you reviews the contract and the specification, makes sure your payments are secured by a guarantee and negotiates the clauses that limit the developer's liability.

Minor defects usually do not justify refusing the apartment. They are recorded in the handover report. It is different when the apartment is not fit to live in, and you should get advice before refusing.

A bank guarantee that secures the money you paid the developer if the apartment is not delivered, for example because the developer collapses financially. Make sure you receive a guarantee for every payment.

In many projects the developer pays them, under an agreement signed in advance. The lawyer must represent only the apartment owners, even when the developer is paying.

With strengthening and adding floors, the existing building stays, and safe rooms and extra floors are added to it. In pinui binui, one or more buildings are demolished and a new project is built in their place under a zoning plan.

Not always. The law sets a special majority for each type of project and allows action against an owner who refuses without reasonable grounds. Find out what majority your project requires.

In pinui binui, the developer usually pays rent for the construction period under the agreement. The amount of rent, the security for it and the length of the period are set in negotiations.

The betterment levy is 50% of the increase in the value of the land resulting from a plan, relief or nonconforming use. It is usually paid when the property is sold or when a building permit is obtained. You can appeal the assessment or request a deciding appraiser within 45 days.

Yes. While the plan is on deposit, anyone who considers themselves harmed by it may file an objection with the committee.

A deciding appraiser resolves disputes over value, meaning the amount. An appeal to the appeals committee is the right route when the dispute is legal, for example whether any levy is owed at all or whether an exemption applies.

In some cases, yes, for example by paying the undisputed amount and posting security. Check this with the local planning and building committee before you file the application.

When a property has several owners who cannot agree on what to do with it, any one of them may ask the court to end the co-ownership. The court orders a physical division of the property, and if that is not possible, a sale of the property and division of the proceeds.

The claim is heard under a faster procedure than an ordinary claim. How long it takes depends on the tenant's arguments and the court's caseload.

Yes, if it cannot be physically divided. The court can order the apartment sold and the proceeds divided among the co-owners according to their shares.

Start with a written demand. If that does not help, file a claim with the Land Registration Supervisor, who can order the situation restored to the way it was.

Yes. Under case law, an employee is entitled to hear the allegations against them and respond to them before a decision is made to dismiss them.

Sometimes, yes. Under section 11(a) of the Severance Pay Law, an employee who resigned because of a material deterioration in working conditions, or because of other circumstances in which they cannot be expected to keep working, is treated as having been dismissed. Under case law the employee usually has to warn the employer first and give them a chance to fix the problem, so it is worth checking before you resign.

As a rule, one month's salary for each year of employment, based on the last salary, for an employee who has worked for at least one year. Pension contributions can replace part of the severance pay.

Severance pay not paid within 15 days of the date it was due entitles the employee to compensation for late payment: from day 16 to day 30, linkage differentials, and after that also an addition of 20% for each month of delay. The Labor Court may reduce or cancel this compensation, for example where the employer made a genuine mistake or there is a real dispute about the debt. Claims for late-payment compensation have short deadlines, so it is advisable to check the final settlement soon after you receive it.

A pregnant employee who has worked for the same employer or at the same workplace for at least six months may be dismissed only with a permit from the Commissioner under the Employment of Women Law, and the permit is granted only where the dismissal is not connected to the pregnancy. An employee with less seniority is also protected: dismissal because of pregnancy is prohibited discrimination under the Equal Employment Opportunities Law. Dismissal is prohibited during maternity leave, and as a rule it is also prohibited to dismiss or give notice of dismissal during the 60 days after the leave ends. An employee who received a dismissal notice during these periods should have the situation checked before signing any termination documents.

Most claims become time-barred after seven years, but some rights have shorter periods, such as recreation pay and vacation pay. It is advisable to check early.

A succession order (tzav yerusha) is requested when there is no will, and the estate is divided according to the law. A probate order (tzav kiyum tzava'a) is requested when there is a will, and the estate is divided according to the will.

The law does not require one, but a will written without careful adherence to the rules is more exposed to objections. A lawyer also helps word the division so that it leaves no room for interpretation.

When there is no objection, the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs usually issues the order within a few weeks to a few months after the application is published.

Under the Succession Law, 5725-1965, the legal heirs are the spouse, the children and their descendants, the parents and their descendants, and the grandparents and their descendants. With a spouse and children, the spouse receives the household movables, including the car, and half of the rest of the estate, and the children share the other half equally. When there are no children, the division depends on the parents, the siblings and sometimes the length of the marriage.

A deal in which the landowner transfers part of the rights in the land to a developer and, in return, receives apartments or floor space in the building the developer constructs, instead of a cash payment.

Accompaniment in which the bank controls the project account: the money from buyers is deposited into the account, and the bank releases it according to the progress of construction. This protects both the buyers and the bank.

A uniform contract and a precise specification reduce disputes and make the bank accompaniment and the condominium registration at the end of the project easier.

A designated successor is the person whom the owners of a moshav farm have appointed to receive the farm after them. The appointment requires the approval of the cooperative society and of the Israel Land Authority.

Yes, but the sale requires the approval of the society and of the Israel Land Authority, and sometimes payment of permit fees (dmei heter). The conditions should be checked before a price is agreed.

Separating a residential plot from the nachala (the agricultural holding), so that it can be transferred to someone else. The split requires the approval of the Israel Land Authority and a payment.

In most cases, no. Under the Road Accident Victims Compensation Law, 5735-1975, compensation for bodily injury is paid regardless of who was at fault for the accident.

As a rule, seven years from the date of the accident. It is advisable to start early, because medical evidence and witness testimony weaken over time.

Not before it has been reviewed. A first offer does not always cover all heads of damage, and once you have signed a waiver it is difficult to go back on it.

A fundamental breach is one where it can be assumed that a reasonable person would not have entered into the contract had they foreseen it, or a breach that the contract itself defines as fundamental. After a fundamental breach, the contract may be cancelled without an extension. After a non-fundamental breach, an extension to perform must be given first.

It depends on what it says. A memorandum of understanding that includes the essential terms of the deal can be as binding as a contract, even if the parties intended to sign a detailed agreement later. That is why it is advisable to show it to a lawyer before signing.

Under the Prescription Law, 5718-1958, the general period is seven years from the day the cause of action arose, for claims that do not concern land. Claims concerning land and certain special cases have different periods, so the deadline is checked in each case.

The law does not require one, but a template from the internet is not tailored to your deal and does not cover its risks. Careful drafting before signing is usually far less costly than a dispute afterwards.

Document the breach and send a written demand to perform the contract. After a non-fundamental breach, give an extension. Once the contract has been reviewed, decide whether to seek enforcement, cancel or claim damages.

We look at what the parties actually did: how they shared profits, who invested and who worked, and what the correspondence says. The Partnerships Ordinance sets out rules that apply where the partners did not agree otherwise.

A claim by a shareholder when the company's affairs are being conducted in a way that oppresses him or her. It is filed under section 191 of the Companies Law, and the court may give directions to remove the oppression, including an order to buy the shareholder's shares.

In many cases, yes: through a demand letter, structured negotiations, mediation, or arbitration where the contract contains an arbitration clause. It is worth preparing the case as if it were going to court, because that is what gives weight in negotiations.

Document the state of the accounts and the inventory and check who has signing authority on the accounts. When there is a real concern that money or assets will be moved away, ask the court for a temporary order or an attachment.

The court may award compensation without proof of damage up to the statutory amount, whose base is NIS 50,000 and which is linked to the consumer price index, doubled when intent to harm is proven. Based on the September 2026 index, that is about NIS 84,000, and about NIS 168,000 when intent to harm is proven. This is a ceiling, not a fixed amount: the court sets the compensation according to the severity of the words, the scope of the publication and the conduct of the parties. A person who proves greater damage can claim the damage itself.

That something was published about you that may humiliate or degrade you or harm you in your work (section 1 of the Law), and that it reached a person other than you (section 2). The burden then shifts to the publisher, who must prove a defense recognized by the law, for example that the statements were true and there was a public interest in the publication. A person who merely repeated a rumor heard from others must prove that the content itself is true. To receive compensation up to the statutory ceiling, you do not need to prove damage.

Yes. A publication is something intended for a person other than the one harmed that reached that person, so a message in a group, a post or a comment online can all be a defamatory publication.

Usually that the publication be removed and that an apology or correction be published, and sometimes compensation as well. The letter also documents that the publisher was aware of the claims, which matters if the case goes to court.

Keep screenshots showing the publication, the publisher's name, the date and the responses, and save the link. Document it quickly, because publications get deleted.

A review that expresses an opinion about a service the writer received is treated differently from a review that attributes facts to the business. When a review includes false and harmful factual claims, it can be defamation. Each case is examined according to its wording.

An administrative petition is heard by the District Court sitting as a court for administrative affairs, in matters the law has assigned to it, such as tenders and planning and building. Matters outside its jurisdiction are heard by the High Court of Justice, in the Supreme Court.

Generally 45 days. A petition filed late may be dismissed, so the deadline is checked as soon as the decision is received.

File an objection with the arnona manager within 90 days of receiving the payment notice. The manager's response can be appealed to the appeals committee within 30 days, and the committee's decision can be appealed to the Administrative Affairs Court.

If the tender was not run lawfully, for example where your bid was unlawfully disqualified or the conditions discriminated, you can petition the Administrative Affairs Court. Before that, ask to inspect the tender documents and the winning bid.

As a rule, yes. Approach the authority in writing, set out your arguments and ask it to change its decision. A petition filed without a prior approach may be dismissed.

Under the Succession Law, anyone with an interest in the estate. These are usually heirs under the law, or beneficiaries under an earlier will that the new will disadvantages.

Within 14 days of the day the application for a probate order was published on the Administrator General's website and in the official gazette (Reshumot). After the 14 days, an extension must be requested. So watch for the publication and prepare the objection in advance, rather than waiting until the order is granted.

With the office of the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, which also accepts objections online through its website: a written objection with the grounds and supporting documents, an affidavit sworn before a lawyer, and a receipt for the filing fee. After filing, the Registrar transfers the case to the Family Court, where the proceedings continue.

A situation in which another person controlled the testator's will, so that the will reflects that person's wishes rather than the testator's. The courts examine, among other things, whether the testator depended on the beneficiary, whether the testator was isolated and whether the beneficiary was involved in making the will.

You can ask the court to cancel or amend the order, for example when facts come to light that were not known before. That route is harder, so it is better to act before the order is granted.

A provision in favor of a person who witnessed the will, drafted it or otherwise took part in making it is void, as is a provision in favor of that person's spouse. The exception is an oral will.

An official decision of the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs or the court that determines who the heirs of a person who died without a will are and the share of each under the Succession Law. With the order, funds are released from banks and assets are registered in the heirs' names.

A decision that gives legal effect to the deceased's will, so that the estate is distributed according to the will and not under the law. It is requested from the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, and the original will is delivered to the Registrar.

Apply to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, usually about a month after the death: online when the heirs are the spouse, children or parents, and manually when they are more distant relatives. The application is published, there are 14 days for objections, and when there is no objection the order is granted.

Based on the 2026 amounts, an online application costs about NIS 507 and a manual application about NIS 597, plus about NIS 66 for publication. The fee is the same for a probate order and is updated every January.

When the application is complete and there is no objection, about 40 days on average. An incomplete application or an objection lengthens the process, and an objection transfers the case to the Family Court.

In most cases no, because the death data passes from the Population Registry to the Registrar. Death certificates of heirs who have died are attached. For a death abroad, it must first be recorded with the Ministry of Interior.

No. A power of attorney, affidavit or renunciation can be signed at an Israeli consulate or before a local notary with an apostille, and the process is handled in Israel.

The law does not require one, and a simple application can be filed independently. When there is an apartment, heirs abroad, a handwritten will or a dispute, a lawyer's guidance helps avoid delays.

Yes. An heir may renounce his or her share as long as the estate has not been distributed, and may state that the renunciation is in favor of the deceased's spouse, child or sibling.

No. A power of attorney to a lawyer in Israel, an affidavit or a renunciation can be signed at an Israeli consulate or before a local notary with an apostille, and the whole process is handled with the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs in Israel.

At an Israeli consulate or embassy, by appointment, or before a local notary with an apostille. From a country that is not a party to the Hague Convention, a chain of authentications is required.

No. Israel has no inheritance tax. When an inherited apartment is sold, capital gains tax on real estate (mas shevach) and the exemptions for inherited apartments are checked.

Not on its own. An application is also filed with the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs in Israel, with the documents from abroad attached, authenticated and translated as needed.

Under Section 137 of the Succession Law, the law of the deceased's domicile at the time of death generally applies, so an opinion on the foreign law is usually required.

Yes. The order can be verified online with an apostille certificate through the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs' service, without going to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A handwritten will is written entirely in the testator's own hand, dated and signed, without witnesses. A will before witnesses is signed in the presence of two witnesses who confirm this with their signatures. A handwritten will is more exposed to claims of forgery or ambiguity.

While both spouses are alive, either of them may revoke, but only by written notice to the other spouse. After one of them dies, the law restricts the surviving spouse's ability to revoke.

An adult who has not been declared legally incompetent. It is advisable that the witnesses not be beneficiaries under the will or the spouses of beneficiaries, because a provision in favor of a witness is void.

Every co-owner of the apartment may demand dissolution of the co-ownership. Before proceedings, we check whether your brother can buy out the others, and whether he must pay the other co-owners a reasonable fee for the period he lived in the apartment alone.

Gathers the estate's assets, pays the debts and divides the balance among the heirs according to the order. The administrator is appointed by the court and acts under its supervision.

The debts are paid out of the estate. Under the Succession Law, the heirs are not liable for the estate's debts beyond the value of what they received from it.

Under the Planning and Building Law, anyone with an interest in land, a building or any other planning matter who considers himself or herself harmed by the plan, as well as bodies listed in the law, such as the local authority.

Yes. A permit application with a variance or a nonconforming use requires publication and notice to adjoining neighbors, who may file an objection with the local committee before it decides.

You can appeal to the district appeals committee within a short period from receipt of the decision. When the plan was approved and harmed the value of your property, a compensation claim under section 197 is also examined.

Under the Severance Pay Law, one month's salary for each year of employment, based on the last salary, and proportionally for part of a year. The pension contributions and whether a section 14 arrangement applies are also checked.

In the situations the law lists, yes: for example a material deterioration in working conditions, health reasons, or resignation by a parent within a certain period after a birth. Where conditions deteriorated, it is important to warn the employer in advance.

Advance written notice of the claims, reasonable time to prepare, a genuine opportunity to present your arguments, and consideration of them before the decision.

Monetary claims in employment law are generally time-barred after seven years under the Prescription Law. Some rights, such as recuperation pay, have shorter periods.

The inspection period ranges from one to seven years depending on the type of defect, and starts when the apartment is handed over. It is followed by a three-year warranty period, during which the buyer must prove that the defect stems from the design, the workmanship or the materials.

As a rule, yes. The law requires notifying the developer and giving it a reasonable opportunity to repair. A developer that was given an opportunity and did not repair, or repaired poorly, may lose the right to repair, and monetary compensation can then be claimed.

Almost always. The report documents the defects, explains what caused them and estimates the cost of repair. Without professional evidence it is hard to prove the defect and its value.

Under the case law, a claim for visible defects is generally time-barred seven years after receiving possession of the apartment. Correspondence with the developer and opportunities to repair do not stop the clock, so do not wait for the end of the period.

A clause that shortens the inspection and warranty periods or narrows the developer's statutory duties is not valid. The provisions of the Sale (Apartments) Law may be changed only in the buyer's favor.

When a monthly salary was not paid by the ninth day after the due date, which is the end of the month for which the salary is paid. For example, a January salary not paid by February 9.

Under the Wage Protection Law, 5% of the gross wage for the first week after the ninth day, and 10% for each additional week or part of a week. The court may reduce or cancel the amount in the circumstances the law lists, such as an honest mistake or a genuine dispute over the debt.

The deadlines are short. Where the wage was paid late, within 60 days of payment, with a possible extension to 90 days. Where the wage was not paid, within one year of the day it became late. The wage itself can be claimed for up to seven years.

Sometimes, yes. Non-payment of wages may be treated as a material deterioration in working conditions, which entitles an employee who resigned to severance pay. Under the case law, the employee usually needs to warn the employer first and give it an opportunity to fix the problem.

No. Financial difficulties do not cancel the duty to pay wages, and the wages are due in full. Where the employer becomes insolvent, there is a route for payment of part of the debt through the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi).

Yes. The company's decision is not final. You can respond to the company in writing with documents and professional opinions, file a complaint with the Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority, and file a claim in court.

Generally three years from the day the insured event occurred, under section 31 of the Insurance Contract Law. For life, illness and hospitalization, and long-term care policies purchased or renewed from late November 2020, five years. Submitting the claim to the company does not stop the clock.

As a rule, non-disclosure leads to a reduced payment, not a full rejection. A full refusal is possible where the answer was given with intent to defraud, or where a reasonable insurer would not have insured at all had it known. What exactly you were asked on the application form is also checked.

Under the Insurance Contract Law, within 30 days of the day it had the information and documents needed to clarify its liability. Where benefits were withheld without justification, the court may award special interest.

Not before it is reviewed. By signing a receipt and discharge you usually waive any further claim, and after signing it is hard to go back.

Generally 60 days from the day the statement of claim was served on you, under the Civil Procedure Regulations, 5779-2018. In a small claim, 15 days. The period runs from the day of service, not from the day the claim was filed.

The plaintiff can ask for a default judgment, and the court may rule on the basis of the statement of claim alone. If such a judgment is given, you can apply to set it aside within 30 days of the day it was served on you. Act immediately.

You can ask the court for an extension, but it is not granted automatically. File the request before the deadline passes and give reasons. Until the court decides, the original deadline still applies.

File a counterclaim, usually together with the statement of defense. The court then hears both claims in the same proceeding.

In small claims court the parties generally appear on their own, and representation by a lawyer at the hearing requires the court's permission. You can still consult a lawyer before filing the statement of defense, which is due within 15 days.

A claim for injury allowance is filed within 12 months of the injury, and filing late may harm your entitlement. A tort claim against the employer is generally subject to a seven-year limitation period from the accident.

The injury allowance is 75% of the income on which insurance contributions were paid in the three months before the injury, up to a daily ceiling, for no more than 91 days from the day after the injury.

It can be. An accident on the way from home to work and back can be recognized as a work accident, as long as you did not leave the route for a private reason. When it is also a road accident, tort compensation is paid under the Compensation for Road Accident Victims Law.

Yes, when the accident was caused by the employer's negligence. What National Insurance pays is deducted from the damages in the claim against the employer, so the claim covers the loss that remains uncovered.

A National Insurance medical committee sets the disability percentage. Permanent disability of 9% to 19.99% entitles you to a one-time grant, and disability of 20% or more to a monthly pension.

Record the noise and complain to municipal inspection or the police. The Prevention of Nuisances Law, 5721-1961, prohibits strong or unreasonable noise that disturbs a person nearby. If it does not stop, send a demand letter, and you can sue for an injunction and damages.

Building on common property generally requires the consent of the apartment owners under the Land Law and the bylaws. In a registered condominium you generally turn to the Land Registration Superintendent. While the building is ongoing, you can ask for a temporary injunction to stop it.

Not always. Under the Protection of Privacy Law, 5741-1981, photographing a person while in a private domain is an invasion of privacy. Check where the camera is aimed and what it captures, start by approaching the neighbor, and file a claim if needed.

It depends on the type of dispute. A dispute between apartment owners in a registered condominium over the common property and the bylaws is generally heard by the Land Registration Superintendent. A claim for nuisance, trespass or compensation is filed in court, and a small monetary claim can also be filed in small claims court.

It may be. Section 8 of the Land Law requires a written document, and a signed memorandum of understanding that includes the essential terms of the transaction can meet that requirement even if the parties intended to sign a full contract later. That is why it is reviewed before signing, not after.

Generally not. An undertaking to make a real estate transaction requires a written document, and without one a court will generally not enforce the transaction. If the seller negotiated in bad faith, it may be possible to claim compensation for expenses and damage.

A warning note is registered under Section 126 of the Land Law in favor of a person with whom the owner has undertaken to make a transaction. It protects the buyer against a sale of the same property to someone else and against attachments registered after it, so it is registered close to signing and before most of the money is paid.

It depends on whether the delay is a fundamental breach. In a fundamental breach you can cancel immediately; in a breach that is not fundamental you first give an extension. You can also claim the agreed compensation in the contract or damages. When buying from a developer, special rules on compensation for late delivery also apply.

Generally yes. The Compensation for Road Accident Victims Law imposes no-fault liability, and a driver who caused the accident also claims for his own bodily injury from the compulsory insurance of the vehicle he was driving. The exceptions concern, for example, a person who caused the accident intentionally, drove without a license or drove without compulsory insurance.

When the driver's identity is unknown, you claim from Karnit, the road accident victims compensation fund. Karnit also pays when the driver had no insurance or when the driver's insurer is in liquidation.

Generally seven years from the day of the accident. When the victim is a minor, the period generally begins at age 18. The claim relies on medical records, so start gathering them early.

There is no fixed amount. Compensation depends on the disability percentage, age, earnings before the accident and expenses. The Law caps compensation for loss of earnings at three times the national average wage, and compensation for pain and suffering follows the formula in the regulations.

No. The Compensation Law covers bodily injury. Damage to the car is claimed from your comprehensive insurance, or from the driver at fault and that driver's third-party insurance.

The child whom the holders of the rights in a moshav farm unit chose to receive the farm after them. Because the farm unit may not be divided, only one child is appointed, and the appointment requires the approval of the settlement body and of the cooperative association.

No. Under the contracts and the Israel Land Authority procedure, the farm unit passes to one heir only. The other children can be balanced through a will or other assets, and sometimes a residential plot can be split off with the approval of the Israel Land Authority.

It depends on the documents: the contract with the authorities, the appointment and the will. Section 114 of the Succession Law provides that a person who receives an agricultural farm from an estate compensates the other heirs, but the courts have held more than once that when, under the contract, the farm unit is not part of the estate, the ordinary rules of succession do not apply to it.

First check the contract. If a spouse survived, the rights generally pass to that spouse. Otherwise the farm unit passes under a will or an inheritance order to a single heir, and the heirs need to agree who will receive it or turn to the court.

Yes, with a permit. Section 147B of the Planning and Building Law allows a variance for an additional unit in a ground-level home. In a split without added area the house must be at least 120 square meters, and each unit at least 45 square meters with a kitchen, a bathroom and a separate entrance. The section applies to applications filed by a date it sets, so check with the local committee whether it is open to new applications.

Not under section 147B, which applies only when there is no apartment above or below. In a condominium you need a permit, usually together with a variance or a plan, and the neighbors may object. A district appeals committee held that a plan to add an apartment in a building requires the consent of 60% of the apartment owners, even when the split is inside the apartment.

No, when the split was approved under section 147B. The additional unit is for rental or for housing a relative only, it cannot be transferred separately from the house, and a note to that effect is registered before the permit is issued.

Under a section 147B variance, the levy on the split is 34% of the betterment, and half of it is paid when the permit is issued. Added area and a change of use of a basement or storage room are charged under the regular rule, half the betterment. The amount is set in an assessment, which can be appealed.

It is work and use without a permit. The law allows administrative fines, orders to stop the use and to demolish, and criminal proceedings, and the problem often comes up when the property is sold or a mortgage is requested. Sometimes the split can be legalized after the fact through a permit application.

Under the Land Law, every co-owner of real estate may demand partition at any time. When there is no agreement, the court orders division, and for a single apartment that cannot be divided, usually a sale with the proceeds divided according to the shares. Your brother is usually entitled to bid and buy the apartment himself.

Under section 33 of the Land Law, a co-owner who has used the jointly owned property owes the other co-owners, in proportion to their shares, reasonable remuneration for the use. It can be claimed on its own or together with the partition claim.

The right to demand partition is broad, and the court refuses it only in exceptional circumstances. Opposition usually focuses on how to partition: division in kind instead of sale, equalization payments, or the other co-owners keeping the property and paying the applicant the value of his share. An agreement limiting partition for more than three years is reviewed under section 37 of the law.

As a rule, no. Under the Land Law, a co-owner may transfer his share without the consent of the other co-owners, unless a right of first refusal was registered or a special rule applies, for example between heirs to an agricultural holding. In a sale as part of a partition, the co-owners are usually entitled to bid like any buyer.

It depends on the partnership agreement. A partnership for an undefined term is dissolved by notice from a partner, unless agreed otherwise. Even under an agreement for a fixed term, a partner may ask the court for dissolution on one of the grounds in section 45 of the Partnerships Ordinance. Usually the practical question is not whether you part ways, but on what terms.

A partnership is governed by the Partnerships Ordinance and the partnership agreement. In a limited company the partners are shareholders, and an exit is made by selling shares under the shareholders' agreement. A shareholder who is oppressed can file an oppression claim under section 191 of the Companies Law. In a general partnership the partners are also personally liable for the business's debts.

Section 29 of the Partnerships Ordinance requires partners to give each other true accounts and full information. You can demand to inspect the books, file a claim for an accounting, and in serious cases ask the court for dissolution. When there is a concern that money is being moved away, ask for a temporary order.

A partnership can exist without a written agreement. When there is no agreement, the rules of the Partnerships Ordinance apply, and you look at what the partners actually did: who invested, who worked and how profits were shared. On that basis you negotiate an exit agreement, and if there is no other choice you go to court.

Dissolution does not erase debts. In a general partnership the partners are personally liable to creditors for the partnership's debts, so the exit agreement sets who pays each debt and what happens to personal guarantees to a bank or a landlord. The agreement binds the partners, but not creditors who were not party to it.

Yes, under the Contracts (Remedies for Breach of Contract) Law. After a material breach you may cancel at once by notice to the breaching party. After a non-material breach you first give an extension, and cancel only if the contract was not performed within a reasonable time after it. The cancellation notice is sent within a reasonable time after learning of the breach.

Agreed damages are an amount set in the contract in advance for the case of breach, and they are paid without proof of harm. Under section 15 of the Contracts (Remedies) Law, the court may reduce them if they were set without any reasonable relation to the harm that could have been foreseen at signing.

Yes. Section 13 of the Contracts (Remedies) Law allows the court to award damages for non-pecuniary harm, in the amount it considers fit in the circumstances. Financial loss, by contrast, must be proven.

Do not ignore it. Check whether there was a breach, whether it was material, and whether an extension was given where one was required. A cancellation notice without grounds is itself a breach of the contract. Reply in writing and on time, and get advice before taking any practical step.

The law does not require the developer to make every change requested. What can be changed, until which stage and at what price is set in the contract and the changes appendix. What the specification does require is credit prices for key items, such as flooring, cabinets, sanitary ware and electrical fittings.

The credit amount is set in the specification the developer attaches to the contract. Under the amendment to the Sale (Apartments) (Specification Form) Order approved in 2015, the specification includes a credit price for the kitchen cabinets. The amount is often lower than the market price, so compare before giving it up.

The seller itself, with an invoice from it, and check that the amount is covered by a guarantee under the Sale (Assurance of Investments) Law. Paying directly to an executing contractor that is separate from the seller may leave the money unprotected if the project stalls.

That depends on what the changes agreement says. A late-stage change may require extra time, and a developer that is late may argue that the changes caused the delay. So agree in writing in advance whether the change affects the date and by how much, and record the dates of the request and of the work.

A change that departs from the building permit, such as enclosing a balcony or changing the facade or exterior walls, requires an amendment of the permit under the Planning and Building Law. Developers usually do not approve such changes during construction, and a change made without a permit is unpermitted construction.

Up to NIS 39,900, as of January 2026. The amount is updated each year by the price index. The Small Claims Court does not award more than the cap, so when the loss is higher, consider a regular claim in the Magistrates' Court.

As a rule, the parties appear in person. A lawyer represents a party at the hearing only with the court's permission, requested in advance, or when the lawyer is himself a party. Nothing prevents you from using a lawyer to prepare the statement of claim or of defense and to prepare for the hearing.

The court fee is 1% of the amount claimed, and no less than a set minimum. It is not refunded if you withdraw the claim, but the court may order the defendant to reimburse it to a plaintiff who wins.

There is no appeal as of right. You file an application for leave to appeal with the District Court; in proceedings opened from April 11, 2025, within 30 days of the day the judgment was served, or of the hearing if it was given in the parties' presence. The District Court grants leave only in suitable cases, so assess the chances before filing.

15 days from the day the summons was served on the defendant, under regulation 4(b) of the Small Claims Court (Rules of Procedure) Regulations. In proceedings opened from April 11, 2025, the court recess counts toward the deadline unless the court orders otherwise. A defendant who does not file on time may face a judgment without his version being heard.

A foreign resident does not get the single-apartment brackets and pays 8% from the first shekel up to NIS 6,055,070 and 10% above, under a temporary provision in force for purchases until 10.2.2027.

When he or she is no longer an Israeli resident for tax purposes, yes. The test is tax residency, not citizenship.

Yes, if you became an Israeli resident for the first time, or a veteran returning resident, within two years of the purchase (27 months for purchases between the end of February 2024 and the end of May 2026). The refund is not automatic: you ask the Tax Authority to amend the assessment.

An oleh who buys a residential apartment from one year before aliyah to seven years after it pays no tax up to NIS 1,978,745, 0.5% up to NIS 6,055,070 and 8% up to NIS 20,183,565, under Regulation 12A. The benefit is given once.

No. You sign a power of attorney to a lawyer in Israel at an Israeli consulate or before a local notary with an apostille, and the lawyer signs on your behalf.

Yes, but on Israel Land Authority land, transferring ownership or a lease of more than five years to a foreigner requires approval. One residential unit, when the buyer has no other apartment, is approved by the director of the Authority.

A declaration is filed with the Tax Authority within 30 days of the transaction, and the purchase tax is paid within 60 days of the transaction.

The seller. Under the Real Estate Taxation Law, capital gains tax is imposed on the seller, and the buyer pays purchase tax, which is a separate tax.

When there is an exemption, none. When there is not, an individual generally pays 25% of the real gain, meaning the profit after indexation and deduction of expenses. For a qualifying residential apartment bought before 2014, a beneficial linear calculation sometimes applies and reduces the tax.

Report within 30 days of the sale and pay within 60 days. Payment can be deferred only as long as the apartment has not been handed over to the buyer, the buyer has not paid more than 40% of the price, and no irrevocable power of attorney has been given for registration.

In writing, within 30 days of the day the assessment notice was delivered. The objection sets out the grounds and attaches documents, such as an appraiser's opinion on value or receipts for expenses. If the objection is rejected, an appeal is filed with the Appeals Committee within 30 days of the decision.

Linkage differences and interest accrue, and a fine may be imposed. Without approval from the Tax Authority the apartment also cannot be registered in the buyer's name, so late reporting delays the completion of the transaction.

The law does not require one, but the declaration to the Tax Authority is filed online, usually by a lawyer, and the sale agreement determines when you receive the money and what happens if the buyer does not pay. So it is customary for each side to have its own lawyer.

Within 30 days of signing the agreement. Both the seller and the buyer file a declaration, and the duty to report applies even when claiming an exemption from capital gains tax.

Yes. The seller asks the bank for a letter of intent with the payoff amount, and the buyer transfers part of the payments directly to the bank until the loan is repaid. After repayment the bank deletes the mortgage.

It may be. A signed memorandum that includes the essential terms of the deal, such as the property, the price and the dates, can be treated as a binding contract even if the parties meant to sign a detailed agreement later. So show it to a lawyer before signing.

The fee is set in advance in a written fee agreement, according to the scope of the work: whether there is a mortgage, whether the apartment is registered at the Land Registry, and whether an exemption or an objection must be handled. Legal fees are an allowable deduction in the capital gains tax calculation.

Yes. The duty is not written in a general statute, but under the case law of the labor courts it applies to private employers too and to all employees, regardless of length of service. The hearing must take place before the decision to dismiss, not after it.

There is no fixed number of days. The summons must be given in writing a reasonable time in advance, so that the employee can really prepare and review the documents. When the date is too close, ask in writing to postpone the hearing.

Yes. The employee has the right to be represented by a lawyer at the hearing, and may also bring a representative of the workers' committee or a family member. Tell the employer in advance who will attend.

They can sue in the Labor Court for compensation for the violation of the right to a hearing, and in some cases ask to cancel the dismissal. This compensation is separate from severance pay, advance notice and other rights due at the end of employment.

The employer must record the hearing in minutes, let the employee review them and give the employee a copy. Read them before signing, and if something was not recorded accurately, ask for a correction or write your reservation before signing.

At our two branches in Modiin, at 53 Dam HaMaccabim St. and 2 Omarim Blvd., at our Tel Aviv branch in WE Towers, 23 Menachem Begin Rd., or by video call.

In the first conversation, we establish what happened and which deadlines apply. The fee for handling the case is set in advance in a written agreement.

Everything you have: a contract, a specification, a Land Registry (Tabu) extract, an assessment, a statement of claim, correspondence and photos. You can send them in advance via WhatsApp.