The Legality of eSignatures in Israel

Documents that can be signed electronically

Since the amendment to the law in 2018, electronic signatures have been acceptable to sign most documents in Israel. The only exception to this stated in the law is handwritten wills, which are required to be signed manually. However, some documents can need to be signed with a specific type of signature or have further requirements. The use cases below usually don’t impose requirements on the application of electronic signatures.

• Chattel paper
• Lending
• Healthcare
• Procurement
• Life sciences
• Education
• Insurance
• Consumer transactions
• Documents to be recorded
• NDAs
• Software licensing
• Corporate resolutions
• High tech

Electronic signature guidance

The below use cases have specific extra requirements for using “simple” electronic signatures and therefore might need Secure Electronic Signatures or Certified Electronic Signatures. While there are no restrictions on the use of e-signatures in these documents, caution should be taken to ensure legal validity due to the sensitivity of the documents.

• Real estate
• Some government filings
• Documents that are required to be notarised 
• Certain banking documents

Types of e-signature permitted in Israel

The Electronic Signature Law in Israel defines an e-signature as electronic data or a symbol that is attached to or associated with an electronic message. There are three types of e-signature recognised in Israel:

• Simple – a signature that does not meet the requirements for higher levels of e-signature, e.g., typing your name would be classed as a simple e-signature.
• Secure – a secure electronic signature is unique to the owner of the signing device, clearly identifies the owner of the signing device, is created using a signing device that is under the sole control of the signing device owner, and can detect any change made to the signature after signing.
• Certified – a certified signature is a secure signature that has been issued a digital certificate by a Certification Authority for the signature verification device it uses to verify it. 

Notable legality changes since 2020

None.

Publicly Accessible Links to Laws/Regulations Discussed

• Electronic Signature Law 5761-2001
• Ministry of Justice clarification document

Disclaimer

The content provided on this website is meant for general informational use only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal regulations on this topic can evolve rapidly, so E-Sign does not ensure that the information presented here is always up-to-date or accurate. If you have particular legal concerns regarding any details on this site, it is recommended that you consult with a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. 

Last Updated 9th October 2024