An inheritance order is a legal order that determines who the lawful heirs of a deceased person are when that person left no valid will. It is usually issued by the Registrar of Inheritance Matters. Note that an inheritance order does not deal with the contents of the estate and does not list its assets. It states only who the deceased’s legal heirs are and what share of the estate each of them receives, nothing more.
When is an inheritance order needed?
In general, there are several ways to divide a deceased person’s estate, and each determines whether an inheritance order is required. If the deceased left a valid will that names the heirs and directs how the entire estate is to be divided among them, then a probate order must be obtained, to give the will binding legal force and carry it out. If the deceased left no valid will, an inheritance order must be obtained. It determines who the heirs are under the statutory inheritance rules set out in the Inheritance Law, 5725-1965, chiefly the deceased’s spouse and children. If the deceased left a valid will that covers only some of the assets rather than all of them, then a probate order is needed for the assets mentioned in the will, and an inheritance order for the remaining assets not mentioned in it.
How is an inheritance order obtained?
To obtain an inheritance order, an application must be filed with the Registrar of Inheritance Matters or with the rabbinical court by one of the deceased’s heirs at law. In both cases, the order is issued subject to payment of two fees: a fee for opening the application file and a fee covering the cost of publishing notice of the application in a newspaper and in the Official Gazette. There are, however, several differences between the Registrar and the rabbinical court, as follows:
Jurisdiction over the inheritance order
Filing an application for an inheritance order with the rabbinical court by one of the heirs at law is conditional on all the other heirs at law consenting to the rabbinical court’s jurisdiction over the granting of the order. To that end, the applicant heir must have all the other heirs sign the application form. By contrast, filing the application with the Registrar is not conditional on the other heirs’ consent to the Registrar’s authority, and no such consent is needed.
How the application for an inheritance order is filed
The application documents can be submitted to the rabbinical court physically (as well as by email or fax), while to the Registrar they can be submitted both physically (including by registered mail) and online, through the Registrar’s website.
Whether a hearing is required
To obtain the inheritance order from the rabbinical court, a hearing must be held before the court in the presence of all the heirs at law. By contrast, no hearing is needed to obtain the order from the Registrar.
Applying for an inheritance order through the Registrar of Inheritance Matters
An inheritance order can be obtained from the Registrar of Inheritance Matters by submitting the application online (through the Registrar’s website) or physically at the Registrar’s office nearest the deceased’s last place of residence (at the reception desks or by registered mail), as explained below.
Online filing is permitted when the deceased’s heirs at law consist of descendants and a spouse, or descendants only, or a spouse without descendants where the deceased’s parents are still alive, or living parents where there is no spouse and no descendants. Online filing is mandatory when the application is submitted by an attorney representing one of those heirs.
The online route is preferable, since it is faster and carries a lower file-opening fee. However, if the deceased left other heirs at law, such as siblings or uncles, the application cannot be filed online and must be submitted physically.
Documents required for an inheritance order application
To apply for an inheritance order, fill out the application form and attach the following documents:
1. If the deceased held an Israeli ID, there is no need to attach the deceased’s death certificate. However, if the person died abroad, the death must first be recorded in Israel’s population registry before the application is filed. If the deceased did not hold an Israeli ID, the death certificate (original or certified true copy) must be submitted, duly authenticated. If no death certificate can be produced, an application must be filed to prove the death by other means.
2. A death certificate for any heir who has also passed away (original or certified copy).
3. Confirmation of sending notices of the application to all the other heirs by registered mail, or written confirmations signed by all the other heirs stating that they are aware the application has been filed.
4. Two payment vouchers for the fees, one for opening the application file and one for publishing the notices.
5. Affidavits of renunciation of the estate (originals), one for each heir who renounces and gives up their share of the estate.
6. A power of attorney from the heir, where the application is filed by an attorney representing them.
How the application for an inheritance order is handled
After the application is filed, online or physically, the office of the Registrar of Inheritance Matters forwards a copy to the representative of the Attorney General at the office of the Administrator General, and publishes notice of the application in a daily newspaper and in the Official Gazette, so that any interested party can file an objection within 14 days of the date of publication.
The Attorney General’s representative must respond to the application within 45 days in one of the following ways: approving it, requesting completion of missing details, or opposing it.
If the application is approved and no objections are filed, the inheritance order is issued smoothly, usually within one to three months of the filing date.
If, however, an objection is filed, whether by the Attorney General’s representative or by any other interested party, the case is transferred to the Family Court under Section 67A of the Inheritance Law. In that case, the applicant is registered as the plaintiff and the objector as the defendant. The Family Court hears the case and decides it on the parties’ arguments and the evidence they submit. If the court rejects the objection, it orders the issuance of the inheritance order as requested. If it accepts the objection, the application is denied and no inheritance order is issued.
The status of the application can be tracked through the online case-tracking system on the website of the Registrar of Inheritance Matters.
How the inheritance order is issued
Until September 2018, the Registrar issued the inheritance order in printed form and sent it to the applicant by mail.
Since September 2018, the Registrar issues the inheritance order in digital form only.
The digital order is sent to the applicant at the email address stated in the application, and it can also be retrieved from the applicant’s personal area on the government services and information website.
The digital order is also transmitted automatically to various government bodies, such as the Land Registry (Tabu), the Israel Land Authority, the Ministry of Transportation, the Tax Authority, the Corporations Authority, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as to banks and insurance companies.
Obtaining an inheritance order from the rabbinical court
As noted above, an inheritance order can also be obtained by applying to the rabbinical court nearest the deceased’s last place of residence. In that case, however, issuing the order is conditional on the signed consent of all the heirs at law to the rabbinical court’s jurisdiction, given on the application form, and on a hearing before the court in the presence of them all, their signatures notwithstanding.
In addition, the application cannot be filed with the rabbinical court online, only physically or by email or fax (for which a form requesting receipt of court documents by email or fax must be completed and submitted).
The applicant must therefore complete all the application details, have all the other heirs at law sign it, and attach the accompanying documents, chiefly the deceased’s death certificate, a power of attorney if the applicant is represented by an attorney, and two payment vouchers for the file-opening fee and for publishing the application in a newspaper and in the Official Gazette.
The rabbinical court secretariat sets a date for the first hearing when the case is opened. On that date, all the heirs at law must appear before the court, their signatures notwithstanding.
One must also wait for the response of the Registrar of Inheritance Matters to the application, which is due within 45 days of filing, provided 15 days have passed since the application was published.
After the hearing, and after the representative of the Administrator General has reviewed all the material, and provided no objection has been filed by the Registrar of Inheritance Matters or by anyone claiming a share of the estate, the rabbinical court orders the issuance of the order.
* Updated for 2026
