Alla Flat · Notary #224143 · Bar #49324 · 18 years of practice
Reviewed by Adv. Alla Flat · updated 2026-05-15

Notarised translation

A notarised translation is a translation of a document accompanied by a notarial certification confirming that the translation matches the source. The legal framework is the Israeli Notaries Law, 1976, which sets out two routes: the notary translates the document personally if the notary speaks both languages, or the notary certifies the declaration of a third-party translator.

When you need a notarised translation

• A foreign-issued document needs to be filed with an Israeli authority and the authority requires Hebrew.
• An Israeli document is going abroad and the receiving authority requires the destination language.
• A court, ministry, university, embassy, or bank specifically requests a translation certified by a notary, rather than a translation prepared by a freelance translator.

For many uses the notarised translation is then apostilled at the Magistrate Court, so the receiving country can rely on the notary's signature.

Languages and direction

Hebrew, Russian and English are handled in this office in both directions. Other languages can be arranged through trusted translators and certified the same way, with the translator declaration certified by the notary.

How the process works

1. Send a clear photo or scan of the source document with the destination country, the language pair, and the deadline.
2. The translation is prepared. For Hebrew, Russian, and English the notary translates personally; for other languages a translator prepares the draft and the notary certifies the translator's declaration.
3. The notary signs the certification page, which is bound together with the source and the translation. The pages are bound with the red notarial ribbon and carry the notary's certifying stamp.
4. If the destination requires it, the bound document is then submitted to the Magistrate Court for an apostille.

The deliverable is a physical document. We can hand it over in the office or send it by registered mail or courier.

What we do not do

• We do not certify a translation prepared by you or by a translator we have not vetted, without the translator declaration step.
• We do not provide an electronic-only notarised translation. Notarial work in Israel is a physical document carrying the notary's certifying stamp and signature.
• We do not translate documents whose source we cannot read clearly. Send a clean scan.

Frequently asked questions

Can a notarised translation be apostilled? Yes, at the Magistrate Court. The apostille is a separate physical certificate attached to the bound translation.

Is a translator-only certification enough? For uses inside Israel it sometimes is. For uses abroad almost always the receiving authority asks for a notarial certification on top of the translator declaration. Ask the receiving authority before paying for the wrong format.

Do I need the original document or is a copy enough? Bring or send the document that the destination authority will accept as the source. Some authorities require the original; others accept a certified copy. The notarial translation will be bound to whatever you provide as the source.

How long does it take? Depends on the length of the document and the language pair. Tell us your deadline and we will tell you whether it is realistic.

Reach out

WhatsApp is the fastest channel. Send the document, the language pair, the destination country and your deadline.