Certified translation of a will and inheritance order
When an heir lives abroad, or when the estate includes assets outside Israel, a will, an inheritance order and a probate order are required in English. Banks, authorities and courts abroad ask for a translation that a notary certifies as correct and faithful to the original.
When a certified translation of a will and inheritance order is needed
A certified translation of a will and inheritance order is needed to collect an inheritance abroad, such as bank accounts, securities and assets outside Israel, when relying on an Israeli order before a foreign court or authority, and when heirs living abroad need to show their entitlement to the estate.
- Collecting an inheritance abroad: bank accounts, securities and assets outside Israel.
- Submitting an Israeli inheritance order or probate order to a court or authority in another country.
- Heirs living abroad who need to show their entitlement to the estate.
- A will made in Hebrew that is required in proceedings outside Israel.
What is translated
The will is translated in full: the recitals, the provisions, the signatures and the witnesses' attestation. The order is translated with its stamps and remarks. In a will the legal wording must be precise: heir, beneficiary, administrator of the estate and revocation of earlier wills are terms with legal meaning, and a mistake can change how a provision is read.
Inheritance order or probate order
An inheritance order is granted when there is no will and the estate passes under the law. A probate order is granted when there is a will. Both are usually granted by the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs, and in some cases, for example when there is an objection, by the Family Court. A body abroad usually asks for the order, and sometimes also for the will itself and the death certificate.
How it works
Send a scan or a clear photograph by WhatsApp or email and receive a quote based on the word count. After translation and checking the names against the passports, the notary certifies and binds the certificate together with the copy of the document and the translation, and if the destination country is party to the Hague Convention, an apostille is added where required.
Send the document
Send a scan or a clear photograph by WhatsApp or email, and receive a quote based on the word count.
We translate and check the names
The translation must be faithful to the original document, and it is important to check the spelling of names against the passports, so that it matches the other documents.
The notary certifies and signs
The notarial certificate is signed and bound together with the copy of the document and the translation.
Apostille, if required
If the destination country is party to the Hague Convention, an apostille is added where required (please confirm this with the body requesting the document).
An example from our work
A real translation done at the office. All identifying details have been redacted.
Inheritance order: a digital apostille from gov.il, or a certified translation
Israel's Ministry of Justice also issues a digital apostille for a digitally issued inheritance order, ordered directly on gov.il without a notary. When the body abroad needs the order in English, or does not accept an electronic document, a certified translation is prepared and an apostille is added to the notarial certificate.
More on digital apostilles on the page Digital notarial certification and digital apostille. To make a will before a notary, see Notarial will.
What it costs
The fee is based on the number of words in the translation and on the notarial tariff fixed by regulation, so it is the same at every notary in Israel. You can calculate the exact amount with the certified translation fee calculator.
The translation fee is based on the number of words in the translation, under the notarial tariff fixed by regulation, and it is the same at every notary in Israel. For an exact calculation by word count, see the certified translation fee calculator, and for the full tariff, the fees page.
The office translates from Hebrew into English and from English into Hebrew.
Questions and answers
Must the whole will be translated, or only the provisions?
Usually the whole will, including the witnesses' attestation and the signatures. A partial translation may not be accepted, because the body abroad needs to see that the will was made in due form.
How long does it take?
A will or an order of a few pages is usually ready within one business day. If an apostille is needed on the notarial certificate, it is obtained at a court, usually within one business day by courier.
Is an apostille needed?
It depends on the destination country. In countries that are party to the Hague Convention, usually yes. It is best to confirm this with the body requesting the document.
See also: Certified translation of a death certificate | Certified translation of judgments and agreements
Certified translation of other documents: Birth certificate | Marriage and divorce certificates | Population Registry extract | Death certificate | Land Registry extract | Academic certificates and transcripts | Driving licence | Police clearance certificate | Documents for foreign citizenship | Bank documents and statements | Judgments and agreements | Company documents | Medical documents | Professional documents
Contact us
The office is at 17 Tzahal Street, Ness Ziona, in an area with easy access and parking on site. Notarial services are provided at the office, outside the office, or remotely where the law allows.
- Phone and WhatsApp052-5927592
- Email[email protected]
- Address17 Tzahal Street, Ness Ziona, parking nearby
- Opening hoursSun-Thu 09:00-19:00, Fri 09:00-12:30
Getting here
17 Tzahal Street, Ness Ziona. Parking near the office, with service on the ground floor. The office is a short drive from Rehovot, Rishon LeZion and Yavne.
Get directions in Google MapsNot sure which certificate you need? Let's start with a conversation
Tell us which authority the document is intended for and for what purpose, and we will tell you exactly which notarial certificate you need, whether an apostille is required and in what order, and how much it will cost under the regulations.