Updated 12.09.2026 · a copy true to the original
Certified copy of a document by an Israeli notary
Alla Flat · Notary #224143 · Bar #49324 · advocate since 2008
A notarised certified copy confirms one thing: the copy matches the original shown to me. It is needed when the original cannot be handed over and the recipient, abroad or in Israel, wants a document with a notarial seal. The fee is set by the official tariff, and the work is often done the same day.
01 / 07 · What it is
What a certified copy actually certifies
The notary compares the copy with the original and certifies that it is complete and accurate. The “true copy” seal speaks to the match in text and appearance, not to whether the original is genuine or its content correct.
That is why a certified copy is accepted in place of the original: your passport stays with you, the diploma stays on the wall, and the copy with the notarial seal goes to the university, bank or embassy.
Official source: Notaries Law 1976
02 / 07 · What to bring
What is needed for certification
- The original document. A photo, a scan or a copy of a copy will not do: comparison is possible only against the original.
- The number of copies you need. Each copy is certified separately.
- The recipient’s requirement: whether an apostille is needed and in which language the certificate should be.
If the original is digital, for example a file carrying an authority’s electronic signature, write to me first: such documents often have a simpler government route.
03 / 07 · When needed
When a certified copy is required
- Universities and qualification recognition abroad: a copy of the diploma and transcript with an apostille.
- Banks, immigration services and employers: a copy of a passport or identity card.
- Registries and tenders: copies of incorporation documents and licences.
- Family matters abroad: copies of certificates when the original must stay in Israel.
04 / 07 · Price
What a certified copy costs
The fee is set by the Ministry of Justice tariff and is the same at every notary. Amounts exclude VAT at 18%.
One-page document, one copy
- Certified copy, first page
- ₪77
- VAT 18%
- ₪14
- Total
- ~₪91
With an apostille for use abroad
- Certified copy
- ₪77
- My filing service for the Magistrate Court apostille, not part of the tariff
- ₪200
- State fee
- ₪41
- VAT 18% on services
- ₪50
- Total
- ~₪368
Each additional page and each extra copy are priced under separate lines of the regulations, so a multi-page document costs more than ₪77; I name the exact amount before work starts.
Payment only after the document is in your hands.
05 / 07 · Steps
How it works
- Photo of the document on WhatsApp. Say who wants the copy and whether an apostille is needed. I confirm that certification fits and quote the amount.
- The original. Bring the original to the meeting or send it by courier to an agreed place.
- Comparison and seal. I compare the copy with the original and add the certificate, seal and signature. This usually takes minutes.
- Apostille, if needed. Filing with the Magistrate Court, usually within one or two working days.
- Return. The original comes back at once; the certified copy is delivered in person or by courier. Payment after delivery.
06 / 07 · Questions
Frequently asked questions
- How is a notarial certified copy different from one certified by an advocate?
- An advocate can certify a copy for many Israeli purposes. For use abroad and for an apostille you need a notarial copy: the apostille is placed on the notary’s signature.
- Can you certify a copy of a passport?
- Yes. It is one of the most common requests from banks, immigration services and employers.
- Can you certify a copy from a WhatsApp photo?
- No. Comparison is possible only against the original. The photo lets me check in advance that certification fits your purpose.
- Does a certified copy need an apostille?
- If the document goes to a Hague Convention country, usually yes: a Magistrate Court apostille on the notary’s signature. Check with the recipient and I will arrange it at once.
- How much does it cost?
- ₪77 plus VAT for the first page of one copy; further pages and extra copies under the tariff. With an apostille about ₪368: the ₪41 state fee and my ₪200 filing service, which is not part of the tariff. The amount is named in advance, payment after delivery.
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07 / 07 · Basis
Legal basis
- Notaries Law 1976, the notary’s power to certify copies.
- Notary fees, Ministry of Justice, the tariff for a certified copy.
- Judicial Authority apostille service, apostille on notarial acts.
“A certified copy answers one question: does it match the original. The document itself answers the rest.”
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