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Is an electronic signature legally valid for contracts in Israel?

Yes for most commercial contracts. The Electronic Signature Law 5761-2001 provides that where a statute requires a signature, an electronic signature can satisfy it, and Israeli contract law imposes no general form requirement to begin with. The Law grades signatures by reliability, with a certified electronic signature backed by a licensed Certifying Authority carrying the strongest evidentiary weight. A plain click-to-accept or a scanned signature remains admissible; the issue is proof rather than validity. A narrow set of documents, including wills and Land Registry filings, still calls for wet ink or notarisation.

Two rules work together. The Contracts (General Part) Law 5733-1973 makes agreements binding on offer and acceptance without prescribed form, so an emailed confirmation can create a contract whether or not anyone signs anything. Where a different statute does demand a signature, the Electronic Signature Law 5761-2001 allows an electronic one to satisfy that demand. The Law then grades reliability. A secure electronic signature must be uniquely linked to its holder, remain under their sole control, and reveal any later tampering. Adding a certificate from a Certifying Authority licensed by the Ministry of Justice produces a certified signature, which the Law treats as presumptively authentic.

For a foreign company contracting with an Israeli counterparty, ordinary e-signature platforms are normally sufficient and are used daily in Israeli commercial practice. The real risk is evidential: if the other side denies signing, the burden of proving the signature falls on whoever relies on it, and a certified signature shifts that burden. Reserve wet ink for the exceptions. Wills, land transactions and Land Registry powers of attorney are not safely executed electronically, and Section 8 of the Land Law 5729-1969 requires a written document for land. Filings to the Companies Registrar and the Tax Authority generally need an approved Israeli certified signature card, as our guide to commercial contracts in Israel explains.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Electronic Signature Law 5761-2001; Contracts (General Part) Law 5733-1973 for form-free contracting
  • Competent authority: Registrar of Certifying Authorities at the Ministry of Justice (Misrad HaMishpatim), which licenses issuers of certified signatures
  • Tiers: electronic signature; secure electronic signature (unique, under sole control, tamper-evident); certified electronic signature backed by a licensed certificate
  • Evidentiary effect: a certified signature is presumed genuine, shifting the burden onto the party disputing it
  • Excluded in practice: wills, land transactions and Land Registry powers of attorney, plus any document requiring notarisation or an apostille
  • Certificate cost: approximately NIS 300–500 per year (2026) for an Israeli certified signature card used for Registrar and Tax Authority filings

From the full guide: Commercial Contracts in Israel: Legal Framework, Key Clauses & Drafting Tips

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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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