In short
How do you obtain a succession order in Israel?
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 siblings or more distant relatives. The application is published, there are 14 days for objections, and when there is no objection the order is granted within about 40 days on average. When there is a will, a probate order is requested the same way.
What Is a Succession Order and What Is a Probate Order?
A succession order (tzav yerusha) is an official decision that determines who the heirs of a person who died without a will are, and the share of each of them under the Succession Law, 5725-1965. A probate order (tzav kiyum tzavaa) gives legal effect to the will the deceased left, and the estate is distributed according to it. Without one of them, banks freeze the deceased's accounts, and an apartment cannot be registered in the heirs' names nor funds withdrawn from pension and provident funds.
When there is a will, you apply for a probate order, not a succession order. If, while a succession order application is being handled, it turns out that a will was deposited with the Registrar, the Registrar notifies the applicant and the beneficiaries of the will, and an application to probate the will is required.
How to Obtain a Succession Order, Step by Step
Step 1: wait about a month after the death. The Administrator General recommends applying about a month after the death, once it is recorded in the Population Registry. The death data passes from the Registry to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, so in most cases a death certificate does not need to be attached. For an Israeli who died abroad, first contact the Ministry of Interior so that the death is recorded.
Step 2: identify the heirs. The application states that there is no will and lists all the heirs under the law, including heirs who have since died (with their death certificates) and any renunciations. You can check the distribution in advance with our intestate succession calculator (in Hebrew).
Step 3: apply to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs. When the heirs are the spouse, children or parents, the application can be filed in the online system, at a reduced fee. When the heirs are siblings, nephews and nieces or cousins, the application is filed manually. It is also possible to apply to a religious court according to the deceased's religion, if all the heirs agree.
Step 4: publication and 14 days for objections. The Registrar publishes the application on the Administrator General's website and in the official gazette (Reshumot). Objections may be filed within 14 days of publication.
Step 5: the order. When the application is complete and there is no objection, the Registrar grants the order, on average within about 40 days. The Registrar sends the order digitally, directly to banks, insurance companies, the Tax Authority and the Land Registry.
How Much Does a Succession Order Cost?
The fee is the same for a succession order and a probate order, and it is updated every 1 January according to the consumer price index. An online application costs 85% of the full fee. 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. Filing an objection carries a separate fee.
The spouse, parent, child or sibling of a person who died in a hostile act or during military service is exempt from the fee.
How Long Does It Take, and What Causes Delays?
When the application is complete and there is no objection, the Registrar's average handling time is about 40 days. What lengthens the process: an incomplete application, such as an heir who was not listed or a missing document; a will that surfaces midway; and an objection. When an objection is filed, or when the Registrar decides that the application raises a legal question, the case is transferred to the Family Court, and it takes months.
Publication and Objections
Anyone who believes the application is wrong, for example because there is a later will or because the list of heirs is incorrect, may file an objection within 14 days of publication. After the 14 days, an extension must be requested. When an objection is filed, the application and the objection are transferred to the Family Court.
On objecting to the will itself, for example on grounds of forgery, undue influence or lack of capacity, see objecting to a will.
Probate Order: What Is Different
A probate application includes the will, and the original is delivered to the Registrar. Anyone holding the will of a person who has died must deliver it to the Registrar as soon as they learn of the death. The Registrar, the fee, the publication and the 14 days for objections are the same as for a succession order.
A handwritten will, an oral will or a will signed without the two witnesses the law requires often raises the question of whether it is valid. It is worth checking this before filing, because that is where most objections begin. To make a new will, see drafting a will.
An Heir Living Abroad, or a Deceased Who Lived Abroad
An heir who lives abroad does not need to fly to Israel. A power of attorney to a lawyer in Israel, an affidavit or a renunciation can be signed at an Israeli consulate or embassy, by appointment, or before a local notary with an apostille: Israel joined the Hague Convention abolishing the requirement of legalization for foreign public documents in 1978. A will cannot be signed at a consulate.
When the deceased was not a resident of Israel and left assets here, an application is filed in Israel, and an opinion on the foreign law is usually required, because under Section 137 of the Succession Law the law of the deceased's domicile at the time of death generally applies. Need the Israeli order abroad? It can be verified online with an apostille certificate, without going to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Full details on inheriting in Israel from abroad.
Renouncing an Inheritance
An heir may renounce his or her share of the estate as long as the estate has not been distributed, by written notice to the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs or to the court (Section 6 of the Succession Law). The renunciation is made by an affidavit verified before a lawyer or another authorized person, and the heir may state that the renunciation is in favor of the deceased's spouse, child or sibling.
Before renouncing, it is worth checking the consequences, for example for an apartment in the estate and for relations with the other heirs. Sometimes an orderly distribution agreement between the heirs is preferable.
After the Order: Banks, the Land Registry and an Inherited Apartment
Banks freeze the deceased's accounts until an order is granted. In a joint account with a survivorship clause, routine activity can continue. The Registrar sends the order directly to banks, insurers, the Tax Authority and the Land Registry, and banks usually ask all the heirs to come together.
An inherited apartment is registered in the heirs' names according to their shares, and when several heirs receive one apartment they become co-owners. When they cannot agree what to do with it, they can reach a distribution agreement, seek dissolution of joint ownership or, in suitable cases, ask for an estate administrator to be appointed.
When to Consult a Lawyer
The law does not require a lawyer, and a simple application by a spouse and children can be filed online independently. A lawyer's guidance helps avoid delays when the estate includes an apartment or a business, when heirs live abroad, when there is a handwritten will or a will made shortly before the death, or when an heir objects or there is a dispute over the distribution.
The firm files succession and probate applications and guides heirs from all over Israel and abroad, at one of our branches or by video call, in Hebrew or in English.
What the service includes
- Applications for a succession order or a probate order
- Identifying the heirs and the distribution under the law
- Objections and representation in the Family Court
- Heirs abroad: powers of attorney, apostilles and video meetings
- Renouncing an inheritance
- Registering an inherited apartment and realizing the estate
When to contact us
- A relative died leaving assets or accounts
- There is a will that needs to be probated
- An heir lives abroad, or the deceased died abroad
- You are considering renouncing an inheritance
- An inherited apartment needs to be registered or sold
What to bring to the meeting
- The deceased's details and date of death (a death certificate is usually not needed)
- The original will, if any
- Details of all the heirs, and death certificates of heirs who have died
- A list of the assets: apartments, accounts and funds
Succession and Probate Orders throughout Israel
The firm represents clients from all over Israel: Jerusalem and the Shfela, Be'er Sheva, Ashdod and Ashkelon, Haifa and the North, the Sharon and Gush Dan. Meetings take place at our two Modiin branches, at the WE Towers branch in Tel Aviv or by video call, and documents can be sent in advance on WhatsApp. We represent clients in the courts, the Labor Courts and before planning committees throughout Israel. How we work with clients across Israel.
Frequently asked questions
What is a succession order (tzav yerusha)?
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.
What is a probate order (tzav kiyum tzavaa)?
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.
How do you obtain a succession order in Israel?
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.
How much does a succession order cost?
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.
How long does it take to obtain a succession order?
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.
Do I need a death certificate to apply?
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.
An heir lives abroad. Do they have to come to Israel?
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.
Do I need a lawyer to apply for a succession order?
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.
Can I renounce an inheritance in favor of a sibling?
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.
