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Debt Collection

How can a creditor find out what assets a debtor has in Israel?

Once a creditor opens an enforcement file, the Execution Office can compel the debtor to disclose their assets through an investigation of means (chakirat yecholet), and the creditor can request searches against public registries. The Execution Law 5727-1967 lets the Registrar summon the debtor for examination, order production of bank, salary, and property details, and impose sanctions for non-disclosure or for hiding assets. Creditors can also search the Land Registry, the Companies Registry, and the vehicle registry directly. Until a judgment or an enforceable instrument exists, however, these powers are limited.

Asset discovery in Israel is driven mainly by the Execution Office rather than by pre-action disclosure. After registering a judgment, or an instrument that is enforceable without a judgment such as a cheque, promissory note, or mortgage, the creditor can ask the Registrar of Execution to summon the debtor to a means examination. There the debtor must answer, under warning, about income, accounts, property, and expected receipts. The Registrar can order the debtor to file a sworn asset declaration and can attach whatever is found. A debtor who fails to attend or who conceals assets faces sanctions, including a stay-of-exit order and, for fraudulent concealment, criminal exposure. The enforcement system as a whole is described in the Israeli Execution Office guide.

For a foreign creditor the sequence matters: obtain an Israeli judgment or domesticate a foreign one first, then use the enforcement tools rather than trying to investigate privately. Public registries are searchable for a modest fee and reveal real estate, registered companies and directorships, and vehicles, and licensed Israeli lawyers can run these checks quickly. Bank accounts are not publicly searchable, but the Execution Office can compel disclosure or issue a broad attachment across banks to locate funds. Acting promptly helps, because a debtor who senses collection often moves liquid assets. Once an asset is identified, the next step is freezing it, as explained in Asset Attachment Orders in Israel.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Execution Law 5727-1967, including the investigation of means (chakirat yecholet) procedure
  • Competent authority: Execution Office (Hotzaa LaPoal) under the Enforcement and Collection Authority (Rashut HaachifaVehaGviya)
  • Public searches: the Land Registry (Tabu), Registrar of Companies, and the vehicle registry are searchable for a small fee
  • Bank accounts: not publicly searchable; disclosure is compelled through the Execution Office or a multi-bank attachment order
  • Debtor's duty: a summoned debtor must disclose assets and may be ordered to file a sworn declaration
  • Sanctions: non-attendance or concealment can trigger a stay-of-exit order and criminal liability for fraud

From the full guide: Israeli Execution Office (Hotzaa LaPoal): Enforcement Guide

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Get a Free Consultation with Adv. Eli ShimonyPrepared under the direction of Adv. Eli Shimony, Eli Shimony Law Office · Editorial policy

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