How much does it cost to translate a death certificate?

A standard death certificate runs at a flat per-document rate for the translation. If notarization is required, the notary's fee is fixed by regulation, ₪251 plus VAT for the first 100 words of translation (2026 tariff). Use the quote form for an exact figure.

Does the Registrar of Inheritance require a notarized translation of a foreign death certificate?

Generally yes. A succession or probate application involving a death certificate written in another language is typically filed with a notarized Hebrew translation, and the foreign certificate usually needs an apostille from the country that issued it. Practice can vary between registrar districts, so we recommend confirming with the office handling the file.

How long does a death certificate translation take?

Certified translations are typically delivered within 1 to 2 business days. Notarized translations take 2 to 4 business days including the notary's certification, with same-day rush available when a probate filing or benefit deadline demands it.

What does Bituach Leumi require to translate a death certificate from abroad?

Claims involving a death that occurred abroad generally require a Hebrew translation of the foreign death certificate, and an apostille on the original is usually expected. Whether notarization is required can depend on the branch and the claim, so we recommend confirming with Bituach Leumi before you submit.

The deceased's name is spelled differently across documents. What happens in the translation?

Name transliteration is a common reason estate files are returned. We match the spelling of the deceased's name in the translation to the identity and estate documents the family will file, and note any variant the certificate itself uses, so the authority sees one consistent identity.

Do you translate old or handwritten death certificates?

Yes. Soviet-era, Romanian, Moroccan, and other historical certificates, including handwritten entries, stamps, and registry annotations, are translated in full, with illegible passages marked as such, which authorities accept as standard practice.

Death Certificate

The document that opens, and closes, an estate.

A death certificate translation is required to settle an estate across a language line: probate at Israel's Registrar of Inheritance, survivor benefits at Bituach Leumi, and claims to foreign pension funds and insurers. Israeli authorities require a notarized Hebrew translation; foreign institutions usually accept a certified translation.

A death certificate is the document that opens almost every estate process, so it has to be translated cleanly and promptly, often while a family is grieving and a deadline is running. We translate certificates for probate at the Registrar of Inheritance (Rasham HaYerusha) and family court, survivor and dependent benefits at Bituach Leumi, claims to foreign pension funds and insurers, and burial or repatriation. The recurring problems are concrete: a transliterated name that does not match the deceased's other documents, a missing apostille on a foreign certificate, a cause-of-death or registry entry rendered loosely, or the wrong certification level. We translate the full certificate, including stamps and registry annotations, and deliver it at the level the receiving authority actually requires.

Notarized or certified?

For an estate handled in Israel, plan for a notarized Hebrew translation of the full certificate, including stamps and registry annotations, with an apostille obtained on a foreign original first. For claims abroad, a certified translation often suffices, with notarization plus apostille only where the institution says so explicitly. Estates run to deadlines, so we confirm the required level with the receiving authority before you pay for more than the file needs, and offer rush handling when probate or a benefit claim is time sensitive.

Notarized translation Certified translation

Requirements by authority: Death Certificate

Receiving authority	Typical translation requirement
Registrar of Inheritance / Family Court (Israel)	A succession or probate application generally requires the death certificate filed with a notarized Hebrew translation. A foreign certificate usually needs an apostille from the issuing country before it is submitted.
Bituach Leumi (survivor and dependent benefits)	Claims for survivor's pension or dependent benefits involving a death abroad typically require a Hebrew translation of the foreign death certificate. We recommend confirming whether the specific branch requires notarization.
Foreign pension funds, insurers, and banks	Institutions abroad releasing pensions, life insurance, or account balances usually accept a certified translation into their working language, sometimes with notarization or an apostille on the notarial certificate. The institution's own rules govern.
Burial society and repatriation authorities	Transferring remains for burial across a border typically requires a translated death certificate alongside transport and consular documents. Requirements vary by country and carrier, so timing and exact format should be confirmed early.
Apostille on the original (foreign death certificates)	A death certificate issued abroad usually needs an apostille from the issuing country before an Israeli authority will rely on it. The translation is prepared after the apostille so the apostille itself is translated too.

Requirements vary between authorities and change over time. We verify the current requirement with the receiving authority before work begins.

Certified or notarized death certificate translation, matched to the receiving authority, since 1999.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to translate a death certificate?: A standard death certificate runs at a flat per-document rate for the translation. If notarization is required, the notary's fee is fixed by regulation, ₪251 plus VAT for the first 100 words of translation (2026 tariff). Use the quote form for an exact figure.
Does the Registrar of Inheritance require a notarized translation of a foreign death certificate?: Generally yes. A succession or probate application involving a death certificate written in another language is typically filed with a notarized Hebrew translation, and the foreign certificate usually needs an apostille from the country that issued it. Practice can vary between registrar districts, so we recommend confirming with the office handling the file.
How long does a death certificate translation take?: Certified translations are typically delivered within 1 to 2 business days. Notarized translations take 2 to 4 business days including the notary's certification, with same-day rush available when a probate filing or benefit deadline demands it.
What does Bituach Leumi require to translate a death certificate from abroad?: Claims involving a death that occurred abroad generally require a Hebrew translation of the foreign death certificate, and an apostille on the original is usually expected. Whether notarization is required can depend on the branch and the claim, so we recommend confirming with Bituach Leumi before you submit.
The deceased's name is spelled differently across documents. What happens in the translation?: Name transliteration is a common reason estate files are returned. We match the spelling of the deceased's name in the translation to the identity and estate documents the family will file, and note any variant the certificate itself uses, so the authority sees one consistent identity.
Do you translate old or handwritten death certificates?: Yes. Soviet-era, Romanian, Moroccan, and other historical certificates, including handwritten entries, stamps, and registry annotations, are translated in full, with illegible passages marked as such, which authorities accept as standard practice.

Translating Wills and Estate Documents Across Jurisdictions Hebrew → English English → Hebrew Russian → Hebrew

Receiving authority

Typical translation requirement

Registrar of Inheritance / Family Court (Israel)

A succession or probate application generally requires the death certificate filed with a notarized Hebrew translation. A foreign certificate usually needs an apostille from the issuing country before it is submitted.

Bituach Leumi (survivor and dependent benefits)

Claims for survivor's pension or dependent benefits involving a death abroad typically require a Hebrew translation of the foreign death certificate. We recommend confirming whether the specific branch requires notarization.

Foreign pension funds, insurers, and banks

Institutions abroad releasing pensions, life insurance, or account balances usually accept a certified translation into their working language, sometimes with notarization or an apostille on the notarial certificate. The institution's own rules govern.

Burial society and repatriation authorities

Transferring remains for burial across a border typically requires a translated death certificate alongside transport and consular documents. Requirements vary by country and carrier, so timing and exact format should be confirmed early.

Apostille on the original (foreign death certificates)

A death certificate issued abroad usually needs an apostille from the issuing country before an Israeli authority will rely on it. The translation is prepared after the apostille so the apostille itself is translated too.