How does an Israeli company notify the Companies Registrar of a director change?
The Companies Law 5759-1999 imposes continuous disclosure obligations on all Israeli companies with respect to board composition. Section 226 requires the company — through its authorized signatory or appointed company secretary — to submit the prescribed form to the Registrar within 14 days of a director change. The electronic form requires the director's full name, identification details (Israeli ID number for Israeli nationals; passport number and country of issue for foreign nationals), the effective date of the appointment or resignation, and the director's signed declaration accepting the role. For a resignation, the company files the notice; the resigning director may also file independently. The Registrar updates the publicly searchable company register, which is visible to banks, counterparties, and government agencies.
Israeli companies owned or managed by foreign shareholders commonly miss the 14-day deadline because there is no designated company secretary tracking the obligation. The Rasham HaChevrot monitors company records and issues administrative fines for late filings. More practically, an outdated director register blocks the issuance of company extracts and good-standing certificates required for opening corporate bank accounts, participating in government tenders, and completing regulatory approvals. Foreign investors acquiring an Israeli company should always request a company extract (*nesiyat rechev*) from the Registrar and verify that the seller's claimed directors exactly match the registered record before signing any share purchase agreement. Discrepancies indicate either a compliance failure or, in rare cases, a fraudulent misrepresentation of corporate authority.
- Governing law: Section 226, Companies Law 5759-1999
- Competent authority: Companies Registrar (Rasham HaChevrot) under the Ministry of Justice (Misrad HaMishpat)
- Deadline: 14 days from the date of the appointment, resignation, or removal
- How to file: Electronic filing via the official Rasham HaChevrot portal using the company's authorized digital signature
- Fine for late filing: NIS 500–2,000 administrative fine (2026); escalates for repeat failures
- Foreign director ID: Passport number and country of issue substitute for an Israeli national ID number
From the full guide: Directors and Corporate Governance in Israel: A Practical Guide
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