Electronic notarial certification in Israel
An electronic notarial certificate is a digitally signed file rather than a stamped sheet of paper. You receive it by email and forward it to the recipient in any country, without couriering an original — which is what makes it useful for people dealing with authorities abroad from Israel.
How the recipient verifies the document
Each electronic certificate carries a verification link to the Ministry of Justice system. Anyone holding the document opens the link and sees that the certificate is genuine and has not been altered since signing. That is the practical advantage over a scanned paper document, which the receiving authority has no way to check.
What still requires your presence
Identification. The notary must confirm who you are in person; after that the signature itself may be handwritten or digital. This is a legal requirement, not an office policy, and no notary in Israel may waive it.
Electronic apostille
An electronic apostille is available for countries that joined the corresponding programme of the Hague Convention — more than fifty at present. Some institutions still insist on paper, so it is worth confirming what your recipient accepts before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
Is electronic certification more expensive than paper?
No, the notarial fee is the same. But if you need the same certificate both on paper and as a file, that counts as two separate certificates and each is charged separately.
Which documents can be certified electronically?
Agreements, powers of attorney, wills, corporate and banking documents, declarations and translations — the same range as on paper.
Will an electronic certificate be accepted everywhere?
Not yet. Acceptance depends on the receiving authority. Where the recipient is not ready for a digital file, we issue the certificate on paper instead, or both.
Do I have to come to the office twice?
No. One visit for identification is enough; the file is then sent to you by email.
Can the document be certified in a language other than Hebrew?
Yes. We work in Hebrew, English, Russian and Ukrainian, and a notarial translation can be certified where the notary commands both languages.
Talk to us
Offices in Tel Aviv, 125 Menachem Begin Rd (Kiryat HaMemshala), floor E2, and in Ashdod, 6 HaGdud HaIvri St, Top Sea Mall, 20th floor, office 9. Sunday to Thursday, 09:00–18:00, by appointment. Phone 08-8648090, WhatsApp 058-764-8090, yoffe.law@gmail.com.
