You found a place you like and the agent says three other people are also asking about it. The owner is not going to pick the friendliest message. They will pick whoever sends back, fast, a clean set of papers that says this person pays on time and someone reliable stands behind them. That paper pack is the whole contest, and most renters lose it by being slow or missing one sheet.
This page lists, item by item, what each kind of renter has to put in front of a landlord: an ordinary Israeli tenant, a guarantor backing that tenant, a foreigner or new arrival with no Israeli ID, and a company renting for staff. It is built as a side-by-side requirement grid so you can see at a glance which column is yours and what belongs in your folder. For how the search and signing happen step by step, see the parent guide on how to rent an apartment in Israel, and to start browsing units go to the apartments for rent hub.
The short version: who hands over what
Every renter is really answering two landlord questions. Who are you (identity), and can you pay (money plus a backstop if you cannot). An Israeli tenant answers with an ID and pay slips. A foreigner answers identity with a passport and answers “can you pay” with a bigger upfront money offer, because the usual backstop, an Israeli guarantor, is missing. A company answers “who are you” with registry papers and “who may promise this” with a board decision.
Nothing here is paid to a government office for the application itself. The one small fee worth paying before you sign is for an ownership check on the landlord (about NIS 17 online), covered on the verify the landlord owns the apartment page. Do not hand money or signed checks to anyone until that comes back clean. Scam-proofing your application is its own topic on how to avoid rental scams.
Figure 1: each document ranked by how many landlords demand it
This is our own scoring, not an official table. We read the wording of landlord and lawyer guides (“landlords typically ask for”, “most landlords require”, “often asked to provide”) and turned that into a rough require-rate band for a standard 12-month residential lease. Treat it as a packing priority list: fill the top rows first, because a folder missing a near-universal item gets skipped.
How we set each band. “Near-universal” means the sources describe it as standard or assumed for nearly every signing. “Very common” means frequently asked but sometimes waived for a strong applicant. “Situational” means it depends on the unit, the landlord, or your profile.
| Document | Estimated require-rate | Why it sits here |
|---|---|---|
| ID copy: Teudat Zehut, or passport for a foreigner | Near-universal (about 95 to 100%) | Identity is the first thing every guide says a landlord asks for; no landlord signs to an unidentified person. |
| Israeli bank account plus checkbook | Near-universal (about 90 to 100%) | Described as “usually necessary” because the rent backstop is built from checks; without it you cannot produce the next row. |
| Post-dated rent checks (commonly 12 for a year) plus one undated security check | Near-universal (about 90 to 100%) | Stated as “most landlords require” this stack; it is the default payment-and-security method. Details on post-dated rent checks. |
| Proof of income: 3 recent pay slips, or an accountant letter if self-employed | Very common (about 75 to 90%) | “Often asked to provide proof of income.” Strong, stable applicants are sometimes waved through on less. |
| Security within the legal cap (cash, bank guarantee, or checks) | Very common (about 75 to 95%) | Almost always taken in some form; the amount is capped by law. See the rental security deposit rules. |
| Bank statements (3 to 6 months) | Very common (about 60 to 80%) | Requested to confirm the pay slips reflect real, steady money in the account. |
| Guarantor(s): ID plus pay slips, then signatures | Common but negotiable (about 50 to 75%) | Often two are asked for, frequently dropped to one or replaced by extra cash, especially for foreigners. See guarantors (arevim) in Israeli leases. |
| References from 2 to 3 past landlords | Situational (about 30 to 50%) | Recommended in guides and used by careful owners, but plenty skip it. First-time renters simply will not have them. |
Basis shown: bands are our reading of source language for a standard residential lease, anchored to the shared rental fact bank (two-guarantor and promissory-note norm; 12 post-dated checks plus 1 security check; checkbook about 3 days after ordering). They are estimates to help you pack, not measured statistics, and any single landlord can ask for more or less.
Figure 2: the four-column requirement matrix
Same documents, sorted by who you are. Find your column and that is your folder. “Yes” means normally expected; “Swap” means a foreigner substitutes something else; “n/a” means it does not apply to that renter type.
| Item | Israeli tenant | Guarantor (arev) | Foreign renter | Company tenant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photo ID | Teudat Zehut copy | Teudat Zehut copy | Passport (replaces the ID) | ID of the signing officer |
| Proof of income | 3 pay slips, or accountant letter | Recent pay slips / job letter | Foreign pay slips or job letter, ideally in Hebrew | Recent company financials / registry extract |
| Bank statements | 3 to 6 months, Israeli account | Usually not required | Foreign bank statements accepted | Company bank details for transfers |
| Backstop for the landlord | Guarantors and/or checks and/or deposit | This person IS the backstop | Bigger deposit, rent paid ahead, bank guarantee, or a guarantee company (no Israeli arev) | Company guarantee / deposit; sometimes a director guarantee |
| Signs the promissory note (shtar chov) | Yes (as tenant) | Yes (co-signs) | Sometimes; often replaced by cash or a guarantee | Signed by the authorized signatory under a board resolution |
| Past-landlord references | 2 to 3 names if available | n/a | From previous landlords or employers | Usually n/a |
| Israeli bank account plus checkbook | Yes (for post-dated checks) | n/a (signs paper, not checks) | Open one to issue checks; needed for the standard route | Company account for payment and guarantee |
| Authority / registration papers | n/a | n/a | Power of attorney if signing from abroad | Registry extract, incorporation certificate, articles, board resolution, signatory confirmation |
Basis shown: rows are built from the verified document packs below; the foreigner “swap” column comes from sources describing passport-for-ID and a stronger money package standing in for a missing Israeli guarantor, and the corporate column from company-lease and registry sources. The shared fact bank supplies the guarantor and check norms so this page stays consistent with the rest of the silo.
What an Israeli tenant brings
Lead with identity and income, because that is what gets read first. A landlord wants to see that you are who you say and that money lands in your account every month.
- Copy of your Teudat Zehut (the Israeli ID), including the attached sappach page if a partner or children are part of the household.
- Proof of income. The last 3 pay slips (tlush maskoret) or a short employer letter. If you are self-employed, an accountant letter stating your monthly income does the same job.
- Bank statements, usually 3 to 6 months, to show the income is steady and the account is healthy.
- References: the names and numbers of 2 or 3 previous landlords, so the owner can ask whether you paid on time and left the place in good shape.
- An Israeli bank account and a checkbook, because the standard rent setup is post-dated checks. Order the checkbook early; it can take about 3 days to be ready at the branch.
One habit that protects you from day one: pay rent and deposit only by check or bank transfer and ask for a receipt every time, never cash. That paper trail is your evidence if the deposit is ever disputed, a topic covered on getting your deposit back.
What a guarantor brings
A guarantor (arev) is a person who promises to pay your rent if you do not. Many landlords ask for one or two, and they prefer a steady earner, often a parent rather than a friend, because family is less likely to walk away from the debt. The guarantor proves they can cover it and then signs.
- Copy of the guarantor’s Teudat Zehut.
- The guarantor’s recent pay slips or an employer letter, proving a job and an income, the same money test the tenant passes.
- Signature on the guarantee appendix (a nispach attached to the lease).
- Co-signature on the promissory note (shtar chov). This is the strong document: it is often set near 5 times one month of rent, commonly in the NIS 20,000 to 50,000 range, and it lets a landlord pursue the debt straight through the Execution Office against the tenant and the guarantor together.
Because the note can be enforced against them personally, good guarantors are scarce, which is exactly why a renter with weaker guarantors offers more money instead. The full mechanics and how to limit your exposure live on the guarantors (arevim) page, and the money-instead-of-a-guarantor routes are explained under guarantee options for renters without Israeli guarantors.
What a foreign renter brings instead
The whole problem for a foreigner or brand-new arrival is two missing pieces: no Teudat Zehut and no Israeli guarantor. You fill both gaps with substitutes, and the rule of thumb is simple, less local paper means more money up front.
Identity. Your passport stands in for the Israeli ID. Expect the landlord to also ask for bank statements or a job contract alongside it.
Money proof. Bring a fuller financial picture than a local tenant: foreign bank statements, pay slips, and an employer letter showing steady income. A letter in Hebrew is read far more easily than one in English.
Standing in for a guarantor. Pick one or more of these to replace the Israeli arev:
- A larger deposit, up to the legal cap.
- Paying 3 to 6 months of rent in advance.
- A bank guarantee (ervut bankait).
- Several post-dated checks handed over up front.
- A rental-guarantee company or rental-insurance product that acts as the guarantor for a fee.
The bank account hurdle. To write Israeli checks you first need an Israeli account. A new immigrant opens one with a Teudat Oleh plus Teudat Zehut, passport, proof of address (a rental contract, a utility bill, or a signed housing letter), and an Israeli phone number. The checkbook follows about 3 days after you order it.
Signing from another country. If you cannot be present, a power of attorney lets someone sign for you, and home-country documents may need to be translated and notarized. If you are renting entirely from overseas, read renting an apartment in Israel from abroad, and the guarantee substitutes are detailed on guarantee options for foreign renters.
What a company tenant brings
When a company (chevra) rents, say for relocated staff, the landlord needs proof the business is real and that the person signing is actually allowed to bind it. The pack is heavier because two layers must check out: the company exists, and this signature counts.
- Company registry extract (Nesach Chevra) from the Israel Corporations Authority, confirming the company is registered. It is issued in Hebrew; an online order usually arrives by email within 1 to 3 business days.
- Certificate of Incorporation and the Articles of Association.
- A board resolution authorizing this lease and this signature.
- An attorney or accountant confirmation naming who has authority to sign for the company.
- Company bank details for transfers and any guarantee or deposit.
One tax wrinkle catches companies out. If the landlord is not registered for VAT, a corporate tenant may have to issue a self-invoice for the rent and open a withholding-tax file, reporting the payment and the tax withheld. Flag this with your accountant before signing so the lease numbers and the tax handling line up.
Getting your copies ready for a fast market
Good apartments do not wait. In a competitive stretch a desirable unit can be gone within days, sometimes within hours, and many landlords decide over WhatsApp inside 1 to 3 days. Whoever replies first with a complete, prepared pack tends to win. Spring through mid-summer is the busiest window, so begin searching roughly 4 to 6 weeks before your move date.
The fix is to assemble everything before you ever view a place. Keep one folder of clear PDF scans on your phone, ready to send in minutes:
- ID or passport.
- 3 recent pay slips (or the accountant / employer letter).
- 3 to 6 months of bank statements.
- 2 past-landlord references with phone numbers.
- The guarantor’s ID and pay slips.
Scan now, name the files clearly, and you turn a slow stranger into the applicant the landlord picks. Bring this folder to every viewing alongside the apartment viewing checklist, and once you are accepted move on to the lease contract checklist before you sign anything.
Quick check before you send your pack
- Is your column clear (tenant, guarantor, foreigner, or company), and is every “Yes” row in that column actually in the folder?
- Are the pay slips and bank statements recent (last 3 to 6 months) and readable?
- If you need a guarantor, has that person sent you their ID and pay slips already, so you are not chasing them after a viewing?
- For a foreigner: is the money substitute decided (advance rent, bank guarantee, or a guarantee company) so you are not improvising on the spot?
- Have you run the ownership check before signing or paying anything?
- Are all files scanned, named, and sitting in one phone folder you can forward in under a minute?
A few terms, in one line each
- Teudat Zehut: the Israeli national identity card.
- Teudat Oleh: the immigrant certificate a new arrival receives.
- Arev (plural arevim): a guarantor who promises to pay if the tenant does not.
- Shtar chov: a promissory note the tenant and guarantor sign, enforceable for a set sum.
- Nesach Chevra: the official company registry extract from the Corporations Authority.
- Tlush maskoret: a monthly pay slip.
Questions renters actually ask
I am a foreigner with no Israeli guarantor. Will I be rejected?
No, but you replace the guarantor with money the landlord can rely on: a larger deposit up to the cap, several months of rent paid in advance, a bank guarantee, or a rental-guarantee company. Lead with that offer in your first message so the landlord sees the gap is already filled.
How many pay slips should I send?
Three recent ones is the normal ask. Some landlords applying a stricter, mortgage-style standard want 3 to 6 months of slips plus matching bank statements, so having six ready never hurts.
Do I need references if this is my first rental?
References from past landlords are helpful but not universal, and a first-time renter simply will not have them. Compensate with stronger income proof, a solid guarantor, or a slightly larger deposit.
Can my guarantor just verbally agree?
No. A guarantor has to provide an ID copy and pay slips and then physically sign the guarantee appendix and co-sign the promissory note. A promise on the phone carries no weight with a landlord.
How fast do I really need to be?
Fast. In a hot market many decisions land within 1 to 3 days over WhatsApp, and the best units can disappear the same day. A pre-scanned PDF folder is the single biggest edge you can give yourself.
Does the company director have to personally guarantee the lease?
Not always. The core requirement is proof the company is real and that the signer is authorized (registry extract plus a board resolution). Some landlords also ask a director to guarantee personally; treat that as a negotiation point, not a given.
Sources
- Nefesh B’Nefesh, Renting in Israel
- Nefesh B’Nefesh, Opening a Bank Account in Israel
- Dave Wolf & Co. Law Offices, renting guide
- Aharoni Law Firm, renting in Israel guide
- Easy Aliyah, renting and bank-account guides
- Sabras, renting in Israel
- Sands of Wealth, Israel rentals for foreigners
- Anglo-List, renting tips
- Ronkin List, Tel Aviv renting guide
- Israel Corporations Authority registry extract guidance, via Business Data Guide
- Israel Ministry of Justice land-registry portal for the ownership check
Next step: build the phone folder today. Scan your ID or passport, three pay slips, three to six months of bank statements, and your guarantor’s ID and pay slips, name each file clearly, then keep going with the step-by-step guide to renting in Israel.
