Israel Protection of Privacy Law compliance and requirements, so your data handling holds up when someone asks.

What it is

What is Israel's Protection of Privacy Law and what is it used for?

The Protection of Privacy Law, 5741-1981 (as amended, including Amendment No. 13) is Israel's personal data protection law. The Law defines a database as a collection of personal data processed by digital means, excluding a collection kept for personal, non-business use and a small name-address-contact collection of 100,000 or fewer people with no other personal details.

The Privacy Protection Authority, led by a Head appointed by the government, supervises the database provisions of the Law. The practical test: for any personal data you hold, could you show its purpose and basis, who was told, how it is protected and where it goes?

Current law. Protection of Privacy Law, 5741-1981. gov.il publishes an English translation headed 'Updated After Amendment 13'. The Privacy Protection Authority's guide to Amendment No. 13 states that the Knesset approved it on 5 August 2024 and that it takes effect on 14 August 2025. Confirm current wording and the authority's guidance with your legal advisers.

Who it is for

Who needs to comply with Israel's Protection of Privacy Law?

The Law reaches organisations of every size that handle personal data in Israel. Organisations usually come to Sterling for a structured programme from one of four directions:

• Companies holding databases of personal data on Israeli individuals. The Law covers collections of personal data processed by digital means, and Amendment No. 13 strengthened the Authority's enforcement tools, and the Authority's guide describes the definition of personal data as broad.
• Data brokers and direct-mailing businesses. A database whose main purpose is supplying personal data to others for business or consideration, and which covers more than 10,000 people, must be registered, and processing it unregistered is prohibited.
• Holders of special-sensitivity data on large populations. Databases with special-sensitivity data on more than 100,000 people that need no registration must still be notified to the Authority.
• Banks, insurers, hospitals and health funds. The Authority's guide says these entities must appoint a data protection officer where processing carries high privacy risk, and banks and insurers also need an information security officer.

The aim is handling of personal information that you control and can evidence. Compliance depends on how the rules are applied every day, not on a policy document alone.

Requirements

What are the main Israel Protection of Privacy Law requirements?

Strip away the vocabulary and Israel's Protection of Privacy Law asks a business to comply in six areas of personal data handling. The list below puts each one in business terms; the Law and the regulator's guidance give the full wording and exceptions.

• Databases are defined and registered where required: digital collections of personal data are identified, and registered with the Privacy Protection Authority where their purpose or size calls for it; unregistered processing is prohibited.
• Large sensitive databases are notified: where a database holds specially sensitive data on a large number of people and needs no registration, the Authority is still notified.
• People can see and correct their data: individuals may access personal data held about them, in Hebrew, Arabic or English, and ask for inaccurate, incomplete, unclear or outdated data to be corrected or deleted.
• Named officers are appointed where required: certain controllers and processors appoint data security officers, and listed categories of organisations appoint data protection officers with defined roles and qualifications.
• Security matches the database's level: each database is classed as basic, medium or high security and protected by the controls its level requires, with duties reaching managers and processors.
• The Authority supervises and can enforce: the Privacy Protection Authority supervises compliance, gives preliminary opinions on request, and, after Amendment No. 13, holds administrative enforcement tools.

Compliance route

How do you achieve Israel Protection of Privacy Law compliance?

There is no certificate at the end of this route. Compliance is something your organisation demonstrates, to the Privacy Protection Authority if a complaint or incident arises, and to customers who ask. Sterling helps you build and run the programme; interpretation of the law in contested cases remains with your legal advisers and, ultimately, the regulator and the courts.

1. 01
   Map the personal information you handle.Customers, staff, users and suppliers: what is collected, for which purpose, on which basis, where it is stored, who processes it for you and whether it leaves Israel.
2. 02
   Gap analysis: compare current practice with the Law.Each area of the Law reviewed against what actually happens, with actions, owners and dates agreed.
3. 03
   Put the controls and routines in place.Complete the formalities the Law asks for, rewrite notices and consent wording, put security measures and processor contracts in place, name who is responsible and agree a breach procedure.
4. 04
   Test the programme and review the results.Internal review of samples, a simulated incident or data-subject request, and a management review that closes findings with evidence.
5. 05
   Operate, demonstrate and keep it current.Answer requests, record incidents and report them as the Law requires, keep formalities current, review transfers, refresh training and follow the Privacy Protection Authority's guidance as it is issued.

Check the route before you sign. The Law creates no certificate of compliance, so treat any offer of a "Israel Protection of Privacy Law certificate" with suspicion. If a customer wants independent assurance, ISO/IEC 27701 or ISO/IEC 27001 is certifiable by an accredited certification body; confirm the body's accreditation scope directly with the accreditation body concerned.

Cost

How much does Israel Protection of Privacy Law compliance cost?

The cost of a Israel Protection of Privacy Law programme is driven by how much personal information you hold, how many systems and suppliers touch it, and how much already works. Your proposal shows each component, with what is included and what remains for your legal advisers.

Timeline

How long does Israel Protection of Privacy Law compliance take?

Timing depends on how scattered your personal information is, how quickly system owners respond and how much has to change. Your proposal sets out the phases for your scope, long enough to map the information, fix the gaps and show that requests and incidents are handled the way the procedures say.

If a customer or contract has set a date, tell us at the outset and we will say plainly what can be in place by then and what should follow.

Your engagement

What your Israel Protection of Privacy Law engagement includes

Your scope covers the full programme, from the information map to evidence that runs. Sterling does not certify, attest or validate compliance with the Law, and the Law creates no certificate of compliance; the Privacy Protection Authority supervises it, and we work alongside your legal advisers.

• Information map, gap analysis and plan

  Sources, systems, suppliers and overseas flows, with actions and owners agreed.

• Policies, notices and procedures

  Notices, consent wording, request, security and breach procedures, processor contract terms and transfer documents, drafted from Sterling's own templates with your teams.

• Effivity ISO & GRC software

  Registers, requests and incidents managed in Effivity, included with the engagement at no additional cost.

• Training for everyone

  Internal auditor training for your review team, as applicable to your standard, and preferential Sterling Academy access, including complimentary awareness training for your people as part of the engagement.

• Internal review and management review

  Sample testing, an incident exercise and findings closed with evidence.

• Formalities support

  Help preparing the formalities the Law asks for and the responsible person's role, with findings closed with evidence.

Sterling OS™ sets how we deliver. Design™ is guided support, where your team builds the programme with our consultants' direction; Drive™ is managed support, where our consultants do most of the work with your input. You choose one of the two, not both in sequence. Once the programme is operating, Sustain™ keeps reviews, training and updates on schedule, and Automate™ is Effivity, where the records live.

The Privacy Protection Authority, led by a Head appointed by the government, supervises the database provisions of the Law.

Often combined with

Standards organisations pair with Protection of Privacy Law (Israel)

• ADGM Data Protection Regulations 2021ADGM data protection compliance for entities under the 2021 Regulations: lawful bases, DPO, impact assessments, 72-hour breach notice and transfers, all-inclusive proposal.
• APEC CBPRAPEC CBPR certification and requirements explained: Global CBPR and PRP, Accountability Agent review, annual renewal and how Sterling prepares your team.
• APPI (Japan)APPI compliance for Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information: the requirements, PPC breach reporting, cross-border rules and an all-inclusive programme.
• Bahrain PDPLBahrain PDPL compliance and requirements explained: consent, notification to the Authority, transfers abroad, 72-hour breach reporting, rights, cost and timing.
• CCPA / CPRACCPA compliance and requirements under the CPRA: notices, consumer rights, opt-outs, risk assessments, cybersecurity audits and ADMT, in an all-inclusive programme.
• Cyber and Data Protection Act (Zimbabwe)Zimbabwe's Cyber and Data Protection Act [Chapter 12:07]: POTRAZ licensing, lawful processing, security and transfers, built into a programme.