By Adv. Shlomit Asraf Schneider·Head of Family Law and Real Estate·Updated 04.11.2026Summary: In Israel, a paternity test is carried out only under an order of the Family Court. Even if everyone involved agrees, a licensed laboratory will not run the test without a court order. The order is requested as part of a paternity claim, filed with the court in the area where the child lives. The results go only to the court, not to the parties and not to their lawyers. People living abroad can also be tested, through an Israeli diplomatic mission and under a Ministry of Foreign Affairs procedure, and the laboratory fee is paid directly to the laboratory. This guide covers the process, what makes up the cost, and the special cases.
What Is a Paternity Claim and Why Does It Matter?
A paternity claim is a claim for a declaratory judgment. Its purpose is to establish whether a particular man is the father of a minor. At the end of the process, the court issues a judgment declaring whether he is the father or not.
The judgment has major consequences. If the man is found to be the father, he must pay child support. He can also ask for parenting time with the child and take part in decisions about the child’s life, such as education and place of residence. The child, in turn, gains rights in the father’s estate.
The claim can be filed by either of the child’s parents, by the child through a guardian appointed by the court, or by the child personally after reaching adulthood. In other words, a father who wants to be recognized can also start the process. It is not only for mothers seeking child support.
Why You Cannot Simply Book a Test
Many people assume they can book an appointment at a lab and settle the matter. That is not how it works in Israel.
Under Ministry of Health Medical Administration Circular 38/2010, a paternity test, and any other test of family relationships, is performed under an order of the Family Court. An order from an authorized religious court is also possible, in matters within its jurisdiction. The rules are based on the Genetic Information Law, 5761-2000 (Chok Meida Geneti). The Ministry of Health stresses that without an order the test cannot be performed, even if all parties agree.
Consent of the Person Being Tested
The court will not order a genetic test without the consent of the person being tested. This is a basic principle of the law.
When the Person Being Tested Is a Minor
When a minor is to be tested, an order will be given only if the person responsible for the minor has consented. If the minor is over 16, the minor’s own consent is also required.
The court also will not order a test on a minor before hearing the minor’s views, in line with the minor’s age and maturity. The exception is where hearing the minor would harm the minor’s best interests.
There is one more exception, for a minor who is a parent. In that case the court may order the test without the consent of the person responsible for the minor, if the minor has consented.
Where to File and What to Attach
The claim is filed with the Family Court for the district where the child lives, or where the couple last lived together. The Rabbinical Court has no jurisdiction in this matter. The Sharia Court has limited jurisdiction in claims between Muslims, but recognition that is also meant to apply before state bodies, such as for child support and National Insurance (Bituach Leumi), requires going to the Family Court.
The application has two parts: a request for an order for a genetic test of family relationships, and a request for a declaratory judgment of paternity. There is a dedicated form for this on the Israeli Judiciary website.
The statement of claim must include:
- A signed affidavit, certified by a lawyer, supporting the facts of the claim.
- A certified birth certificate.
- A birth notice, if the child was born in Israel and is not yet listed in the Population Registry.
- A marriage, divorce, widowhood or death certificate, depending on the circumstances.
- Proof of payment of the court fee, or a request for a fee exemption on grounds of financial hardship.
Stages of the Process
- The claim is filed with the Family Court.
- A copy of the statement of claim and every other document is sent to the Family Relations Unit at the Ministry of Justice.
- The Unit reviews the application and files a response with the court, setting out the position of the Attorney General.
- The other side files a statement of defense.
- A hearing is scheduled and held behind closed doors.
- If there is no legal obstacle, the court issues an order for a genetic test.
- The people being tested go to a licensed laboratory, and the results are sent to the court.
- The court gives judgment.
Before filing, you can contact the Family Relations Unit at the Ministry of Justice with questions about how to file and which documents are needed.
What Happens If Someone Refuses to Be Tested?
The father and the mother have the right to refuse. But refusal has consequences.
If the refusal is unreasonable, the court may treat it as decisive evidence that the man is the child’s father. Case law also includes decisions in which the court ordered a test despite the father’s objection. Each case is examined on its own circumstances and on the child’s best interests.
Refusing is therefore a strategic decision that calls for legal advice before you make it.
Concern About Mamzerut and Civil Paternity
The court tends not to order a test if there is a concern that the result could lead to the child being declared a mamzer under Jewish religious law (halacha). Mamzerut (being a mamzer) is a status in Jewish religious law for a child born of certain relationships that religious law forbids. This concern arises mainly when the mother was married to another man at the time of the pregnancy. The same caution applies where there is a risk of serious social harm to a child of another religion.
In such cases it is possible to claim civil paternity. Civil paternity is recognized by state bodies, such as National Insurance, and obliges the man to pay child support. It does not determine the child’s status under religious law and does not rely on a genetic test. The court decides based on other evidence, which it chooses according to the child’s best interests.
A regular claim can also become a civil paternity claim partway through, if such a concern arises. In exceptional cases the court may also dismiss it.
How the Test Is Done and What the Result Means
The sample is taken from the inside of the cheek. There is no blood and no pain, even for young children. According to the Ministry of Health, genetic markers are tested at no fewer than 15 independent chromosomal sites (STR). To improve accuracy, the mother is tested too, not only the father and the child.
There are two possible results:
- Exclusion. If the child has markers that the alleged father does not have, he cannot be the father. This is a definite exclusion.
- Full match. If all the markers are found in the man, the probability of paternity is very high. Courts treat this as evidence close to certainty.
One thing surprises many people: the laboratory does not give the result to the people tested or to their lawyers. Under the Genetic Information Law, results are delivered only to the court that issued the order. You receive the result through the court.
Paternity Testing Abroad
Not everyone lives in Israel. Sometimes the father, the mother or the child is abroad, and the question is how to carry out the test.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs runs a special procedure for genetic testing to prove family relationships outside Israel. It is open to Israeli citizens and to foreign nationals. The process works like this:
- Obtain an order from the Family Court (or from an authorized religious court) for the test. Without an order, the procedure does not apply.
- Fill out the online form for genetic testing to prove family relationships under the overseas procedure, and scan the documents.
- Attach an identity document for each person being tested, an Israeli ID card or a passport. The document and its number must match those in the order.
- Provide the phone numbers of the people being tested abroad.
- Attach a receipt for the payment to the laboratory.
- Contact the Consul General at the Israeli mission in the country where the person being tested is staying.
The sample is taken at the mission and sent for testing, so there may be an extra charge for shipping. The mission itself sets the appointment for the test. It does so after the order has reached it from the State Attorney’s Office through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after proof of payment to the laboratory has been presented, and after the phone numbers have been provided. This means the order does not necessarily pass through your hands. Check with your lawyer and with the mission how long it takes to arrive.
Please note: this route takes place within a legal proceeding. There is no way to use it without a claim and a court order.
How Long Does It Take?
There is no fixed timeframe, because it depends on the court’s caseload, the other side’s response and the laboratory. What can be said is that the overseas procedure has extra steps: the order has to reach the mission through the State Attorney’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, payment to the laboratory has to be proven, and the appointment is set only after all of this is done. As a result, a case with a person being tested abroad tends to take longer than one handled entirely in Israel.
As a rough estimate, law firm websites report that results from abroad reach the court about a month after the test, and that the whole process usually takes several months. These are market figures, not a commitment, and every case is different.
How Much Does It Cost? The Components
There is no single price for every case. The cost is made up of several components, and it is worth knowing them before you start.
- Court fee. A fee is paid on the claim. People in financial hardship can ask for an exemption. Check the current amount in the fee table on the Israeli Judiciary website.
- Legal fees and affidavit certification. The affidavit must be certified by a lawyer, and signing before a lawyer involves a fee. Legal fees for representation in the proceeding are set in an agreement with the firm.
- The laboratory. According to the Ministry of Health, the cost is borne by those requesting the test, and it depends on the number of people tested and the type of sample. The rates are set in the Ministry of Health price list. You get a price quote from the laboratory after contacting it and sending it a copy of the order.
- Abroad: laboratory payment and shipping. Under the overseas procedure, payment is made to the relevant laboratory, and after the test at the mission there may be an extra charge for shipping the samples.
- Travel and time. If the person being tested has to travel to the mission, there is also the cost of getting there and making arrangements.
For a general indication: law firm websites report about 3,000 to 4,500 NIS for the laboratory test. This is market information, not an official rate, and it varies with the number of people tested and the laboratory. You will get the binding amount in the price quote.
A practical tip: ask the laboratory for a written price quote before you pay, and check in advance whether you qualify for a court fee exemption.
What Changes After the Judgment
If the man is found to be the father, duties and rights begin. He must pay child support. He can ask for parenting time and share parental responsibility. The child becomes one of his heirs. You may also want to read our guide to parenting time arrangements.
On registration, the High Court of Justice ruled in HCJ 6483/05 that the Population Registry official may require a valid Family Court order before registering paternity.
Home Tests and Online Tests
Today you can find test kits offered online, including from laboratories abroad. They are not part of the official route described here. The Ministry of Health states that a paternity test is performed only under a court order, so a test of this kind does not replace the court process.
It is important to distinguish between two things that sound similar. The “overseas procedure” is an official Ministry of Foreign Affairs route, carried out at an Israeli mission under an order of an Israeli court. “Ordering a kit from abroad” is a private purchase. Even if the kit is sent to a recognized laboratory in the United States or Europe, it does not go through the official route, and you cannot rely on the court accepting it as evidence.
Before ordering one, and especially before trying to submit it as evidence, consult a lawyer. The safe way is to start with a claim and a court order.
When the Person to Be Tested Has Died
Sometimes the person who needs to be tested has passed away. A test can also be done from a biological sample of the deceased, for example a pathology sample kept from medical treatment or taken during an autopsy.
In exceptional cases, an order to open a grave to take a sample is requested from the court and from the relevant district health office. This is a complex route, and it requires close legal guidance.
Appeal
A Family Court judgment can be appealed to the District Court within 45 days of the date the judgment was given. The clock is running, so do not wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a paternity test be done without a court?
Not through the official route. According to the Ministry of Health, a paternity test is performed only under an order of the Family Court or of an authorized religious court, and this applies even if all parties agree.
Who can file a paternity claim?
Either of the child’s parents, the child through a guardian appointed by the court, and the child personally after reaching adulthood.
Which court do you file with?
The Family Court in the area where the child lives, or where the couple last lived together. The Rabbinical Court has no jurisdiction in this matter.
Can you refuse the test?
Yes, but an unreasonable refusal can work against the person refusing. The court may treat it as decisive evidence that the man is the father.
Who receives the test results?
Only the court that issued the order. The laboratory does not give results to the people tested, to their lawyers or to anyone else on their behalf.
How accurate is the test?
An exclusion rules out the family relationship with certainty. A full match is treated by the courts as evidence close to certainty, and according to the Ministry of Health the probability of error is very low.
Can you be tested when the father or the child is abroad?
Yes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has an overseas procedure. You need an Israeli court order, an online form, identity documents, a receipt for the laboratory payment, and contact with the Israeli mission in that country.
How much does a paternity test cost?
The cost depends on the number of people tested and the type of sample, according to the Ministry of Health price list, and a price quote is given after contacting the laboratory with a copy of the order. On top of that there is a court fee and legal fees. Abroad, there may also be a charge for shipping the samples.
What is civil paternity?
Recognition of the father by state bodies, without a genetic test and without any effect on the child’s status under Jewish religious law. It is relevant where there is a concern about mamzerut or serious social harm.
Can you be tested after age 18?
Yes. An adult can file a claim personally. In adulthood too, a court order and the consent of the people being tested are required.
Can a test be done if the father has died?
Yes, from a biological sample that was kept. In exceptional cases, an order to open a grave is required.
Next Step
A paternity case affects the child, child support and the family’s status. A mistake at the start, such as choosing the wrong type of claim or wording the affidavit poorly, is hard to fix later.
If you are considering a claim, or a claim has been filed against you and you want to understand your options, you are welcome to contact us. We handle family law cases across northern and central Israel, and you can start with a short conversation. You can also learn more about our family law services.
This article is general information, accurate as of its writing, and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is examined on its own facts; obtain individual advice from a lawyer before taking any action.
About the author
Adv. Shlomit Asraf Schneider
Head of Family Law and Real Estate
Head of the firm’s Family Law and Real Estate practice. She handles prenuptial agreements, child support, co-parenting and claims before the Family Court.
