Registered Address, Local Contact, and Virtual Office in Israel: What Do You Actually Need?

When setting up a company in Israel, you will encounter three related but distinct requirements: a registered address, a local contact person, and possibly a virtual office. Many of our clients are unsure which of these they actually need — and whether one service can fulfil multiple requirements at once. This guide explains what each one is, when each is legally required, and how they relate to each other in practice.

What Is a Registered Address in Israel?

Every company registered in Israel must have a registered address. This is a legal requirement under the Israeli Companies Law. The registered address is the official address of the company — the address to which official correspondence from the Companies Registrar, the Israel Tax Authority, and other government bodies will be sent. The address must be a physical address located in Israel; a PO Box alone is not sufficient.

If your company does not have its own office space in Israel, you will need to arrange a registered address through a service provider. This is one of the core functions of our registered office address service.

What Is a Local Contact Person?

A local contact person is an individual in Israel designated to receive legal notices and official communications on behalf of the company. For foreign company branches registered in Israel, a local contact person is a legal requirement — the branch must appoint a person resident in Israel to serve in this role.

For Israeli subsidiaries, a local contact person is not always legally mandatory — but it is strongly recommended, particularly in the early stages when the company does not yet have its own staff or office in Israel. See our local contact person service for details.

What Is a Virtual Office?

A virtual office is a professional business address service. It provides you with a real street address in Israel — typically in a recognised business district — that you can use as your company’s business address. Virtual office services usually include mail handling and sometimes a local phone number or receptionist service.

For the purposes of company registration, a virtual office address can typically serve as the registered address. This means that for many foreign-owned companies that do not have physical office space in Israel, a virtual office is a practical and cost-effective solution. See our virtual office services for Israeli companies.

Can One Service Cover All Three Needs?

In many cases, yes. Our registered address and local contact person service can typically cover both requirements in a single engagement. A virtual office address can serve as the registered address for company registration purposes. Whether one arrangement satisfies all three requirements simultaneously depends on your entity type and specific situation — we will confirm exactly what is needed for your case.

Our Recommendation

Most foreign companies registering in Israel will need at minimum a registered address service — this is a non-negotiable legal requirement from the moment of registration. If you are registering a branch of a foreign company, you will also need a local contact person. If you are registering a new Israeli subsidiary without Israeli staff or office space, we strongly recommend combining a registered address with a local contact person service. See our overview of company registration in Israel for more context.