Can heirs sell estate property in Israel before a succession order is issued?

Section 1 of the Succession Law 5725-1965 provides that a person's estate passes to the heirs automatically on death. That principle is misleading in practice, because no public registry will act on it without formal proof. The Land Registry (Tabu), the Israel Land Authority, banks, and the Registrar of Companies all require either a tzav yerusha (succession order) on intestacy or a tzav kiyum tzavaa (probate order) confirming a will. The Registrar of Inheritance Affairs issues these orders after a mandatory newspaper publication and a review period. Until the order exists, the heirs hold the assets in principle but cannot register a transfer of title to a third-party buyer.

Foreign heirs often sign a binding sale contract while the order is still pending, with completion conditioned on its issue. This is common and lawful, but the buyer's lawyer typically holds the price in trust until title can actually be registered, so the sale does not truly close early. If the estate must be sold quickly, for example to pay debts or because the property is deteriorating, the Family Court can appoint an estate administrator who sells with court permission under Sections 78 to 89. Heirs abroad do not need to travel to Israel to apply, because the whole process can be handled by an Israeli attorney under power of attorney. See our guide on selling inherited property in Israel for the full sequence.

From the full guide: Selling Inherited Property in Israel as a Non-Resident

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