Register a bequest of land

You must ascertain that the deceased was the owner of the right to the land by obtaining an online registration extract at a reduced cost or obtaining a signed registration extract at the bureau office where the land is registered.

• An original inheritance or probate order confirmed by the registrar for inheritance affairs or an authorized religious court.
• You may submit a copy that is faithful to the original as long as it has been approved by the registrar for inheritance affairs or an authorized religious court. Alternatively, you may submit a notarized copy.
• Application to register a bequest or estate division agreement
  • The application must be signed by at least one of the heirs or an interested party, and authenticated by an attorney or registrar.
  • If an estate manager has been appointed, the application must contain his or her signature and authenticated by an attorney or registrar.
  • Applications authenticated by a consul will not be accepted.
  • If the registration of the land bequest is wanted for a different plot of land that is registered to the deceased and managed in the same bureau office, we recommend listing all the properties on the same land bequest registration application.
• When the applicant wishes to register an estate division agreement:
  • In addition to the inheritance order or probate order, you must submit the estate division agreement signed by the heirs regarding whom there is a change between the inheritance order or probate order and the estate division agreement. The agreement must be approved by a court.
    • If the estate division agreement is not approved by a court, all the heirs who have signed the estate division agreement must sign the application to register a bequest or estate division agreement. The signatures will be authenticated by an attorney or registrar.
    • If the estate division agreement is approved by a court, only one of the heirs need sign the application to register a bequest or estate division agreement. The signatures will be authenticated by an attorney or a registrar.
    • A reference number proving payment of the fee.
    • Additional documents according to the circumstances, as the registrar shall require.
    • The applicant must submit the following:
      1. A photocopy of his or her ID.
      2. A power of attorney or authorization for the one submitting the file where a power of attorney exists.

Please note: You must verify and submit the documents for each case individually in accordance with the land ordinances and the registration procedures, and make certain that the information regarding the land and the identification information of all the parties are accurate and matching in the documents submitted for registration.
The instructions regarding the required documents apply to the main procedures, and are not to be taken as instructions or advice in cases where additional laws apply.

Examples where you must submit additional documents:

• If the application or the documents attached to it are signed by a power of attorney:
  • You must include a legally authenticated power of attorney.
• If registering an estate division agreement that includes property or something of value that is not recorded in the will:
  • You must produce all confirmations of payment of charges that are conditions of registering the transaction.
• If the applicant wishes to register an estate division agreement after the inheritance has been registered:
  • You must produce all confirmations of payment of charges that are conditions of registering the transaction.
• When the land is in a settlement procedure:
  • You must include confirmation from the settlement clerk for the requested action.
  • In cases where the property is registered in the condominium record, confirmation from the settlement clerk is not required.
• When no ID number is recorded next to the name of the deceased in the Land Registry records, or the ID information does not match what is listed in the Land Registry records, you must include:
  • Various forms of proof — original documents such as a registration certificate or title deed, bill of sale or lease, old tax receipts, proof from the legally operating authorities that they can link the deceased to the registered owner of the rights.
  • Detailed depositions of the heir and of another person. The depositions shall be prepared and authenticated as set forth in Paragraph 15 of the Evidence Ordinance (New Version), 1971. The depositions must be detailed and contain the source of the acquaintance and knowledge of the owner of the rights in the property.
  • Additional documents in accordance with circumstances, as the registrar may require.
• When the deceased has leasing rights, and the rental contract contains a clause limiting the bequest of the lease:
  • You must include, in accordance with what is stated in the contract, the landlord’s agreement, signed and authenticated in the manner in which a bill of sale is authenticated.
• When the rights of the testator is subject to a note of warning:
  • You must include the agreement of the one possessing the rights according to the note, or prove that there is no impediment to registering the inheritance.
• When the agreement of a third party is required:
  • You must include a written agreement signed and authenticated by an attorney in the manner in which bills of transaction are authenticated.

The fee may be paid in one of the following ways:

• Online, at the Government Payment Service.
• At the payment counters in the bureau offices.
• At the post office, using a payment stub that can be obtained from the bureau offices.

You can submit the required documents to the bureau office of the Israel Land Registry where the property is registered in one of the following ways:

• By post.
• By bringing the casefile to the bureau office during business hours.

Find the address of the relevant bureau office by lot number or name of residential community.

• A working casefile will be opened once the application has been received at the relevant Land Registry bureau office.
• Upon the conclusion of each stage of handling the casefile, a notification will be sent to the applicant by text message or e-mail.
• The documents will be examined, and if the application is found to be appropriate for registration, the act will be registered and documents confirming registration of the act will be sent to the applicant.
• If the documents submitted are found insufficient, the casefile will be rejected and returned to the applicant together with a rejection letter.

The Land Law, 1969
Land Ordinances (Management and Registration), 2011
Land Ordinances (Fees), 1974
Land Registration and Regulation Procedures
The Inheritance Law, 1965