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What court fees does a creditor pay to file a debt claim in Israel, and can they be recovered?

A money claim in the Magistrates' or District Court carries a court fee, the agra, of 2.5% of the sum claimed. It is paid in two halves: one on filing, the balance before the first hearing. Small claims cost roughly 1% of the claim. The Courts (Fees) Regulations 5767-2007 set the rates and a statutory minimum. A claimant who wins normally recovers the fee, because Israeli courts routinely award the paid agra plus attorney's fees as part of the costs order.

The forum follows the amount. Small claims handle simple money disputes up to roughly NIS 39,000 with the parties representing themselves. The Magistrates' Court takes claims up to NIS 2.5 million, and anything above that goes to the District Court, with the same 2.5% rate applying in both. The fee is calculated on the claim as pleaded, including interest and linkage claimed up to the filing date, which means inflating a claim to create negotiating room costs real money. Splitting the payment into two stages is deliberate: a case that settles or is withdrawn before the first hearing generally attracts a refund of the second installment, and partial refunds are available in other early-exit scenarios.

Foreign creditors have a cheaper alternative in some cases. A claim founded on a check, a promissory note, or a written undertaking for a fixed sum can be filed directly with the Execution Office rather than as a lawsuit, which replaces the percentage fee with a much smaller opening fee. That route works only where the debt is liquidated and documented. Where a lawsuit is unavoidable, budget the fee alongside translation costs for exhibits, since foreign-language documents generally need certified Hebrew translations. See the practical walkthrough on suing in Israeli small claims court before choosing the forum.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Courts (Fees) Regulations 5767-2007; Courts Law [Consolidated Version] 5744-1984 for jurisdictional thresholds
  • Forum by amount: Small Claims Court up to approximately NIS 39,000 (2026); Magistrates' Court up to NIS 2.5 million; District Court above that
  • Fee rate: 2.5% of the sum claimed in the Magistrates' and District Courts, subject to a statutory minimum; approximately 1% in small claims
  • Payment structure: half on filing, the balance before the first hearing, with the second half generally refundable if the case ends beforehand
  • Recovery: a successful claimant is normally awarded the paid fee as part of the costs order, together with attorney's fees fixed at the court's discretion

From the full guide: Filing a Debt Claim in Israeli Court: Step-by-Step 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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