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What is a will made before an authority (tzava'a bifnei rashut) in Israel?

A will made before an authority is one of four valid will forms under the Succession Law. Under Section 22 of the Succession Law 5725-1965, the testator declares the will orally before, or files it in writing with, a judge, the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, a religious court judge, or a notary, who records and certifies it. Because a public official supervises execution, this form carries strong evidentiary weight and is difficult to challenge. It suits elderly or infirm testators well.

The Succession Law recognizes four ways to make a valid will: a handwritten (holographic) will, a will signed before two witnesses, a will made before an authority, and an oral deathbed will. Section 22 governs the third form. The testator either states the will out loud before the authority, who writes it down and reads it back, or submits a written will and confirms before the authority that it is theirs. Competent authorities include a judge, the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs (Rasham HaYerushot), a religious court judge (dayan), or a notary. The authority then certifies on the will itself that these steps were followed.

For a foreign national, the notary route is usually the most accessible, because Israeli notaries can take a will and confirm the testator's identity and intent on the spot. A will signed only before a foreign notary who is not an Israeli authority does not automatically qualify under Section 22, though it may still stand as a witnessed will if it meets the separate requirements described in our guide to Israeli will requirements. Making a will before an authority is also different from simply depositing a will with the Registrar for safekeeping, which is a storage service rather than a form of execution. The supervised process makes this will type harder for disappointed heirs to attack for lack of capacity or improper signing.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Section 22, Succession Law 5725-1965 (one of four will forms, alongside Sections 19, 20 and 23)
  • Competent authorities: a judge, the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs (Rasham HaYerushot), a religious court judge (dayan), or a notary
  • Certification: the authority records or reads back the will and certifies compliance on its face
  • Notary fee: approximately NIS 250 to certify a will for the first signatory (2026), set by the Notaries fee regulations
  • Safekeeping: depositing a will with the Registrar costs approximately NIS 100 (2026) and is separate from making a will before an authority

From the full guide: Israeli Will Requirements: How to Make a Valid Will

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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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