Arnona discounts in Israel: who may qualify and how to apply

Arnona is the municipal property tax that your local authority (city, local council or regional council) charges for the home you live in. National regulations allow local authorities to give discounts to certain groups, and each authority runs its own application process. The State Comptroller's 2023 report on arnona discounts describes how the rules are set nationally and applied locally.

How it works

• The groups that can get a discount, and the maximum rates, come from national regulations under the Ministry of Interior.
• Your local authority decides on your application and applies the discount to your arnona bill.
• Rules and income limits are updated from time to time, so last year's answer may not hold this year.

Groups the rules cover

The national rules include discounts for groups such as:

• older residents who receive certain allowances,
• people with certain disabilities, and families caring for them,
• new immigrants, for a period after they arrive,
• households whose income is under a limit set for their size (an income test),
• other groups listed in the regulations, such as some recipients of benefits from Bituach Leumi.

This list is a starting point, not a decision. Exact conditions, rates and documents are set by the rules for the current year and by your local authority.

How to apply

1. Find the arnona page of your local authority's website, or call its arnona department.
2. Check which discounts it offers and the documents each one needs, for example approval letters from Bituach Leumi or proof of income.
3. Submit the application with the documents, and keep the confirmation.
4. Check your next arnona bill to see that the discount was applied.
5. Ask whether the discount must be renewed, and when.

Good to know

• Some authorities apply certain discounts based on official data; many need an application. Don't assume it happens on its own.
• Ask whether discounts can be combined and whether a discount can apply to past months.
• If an application is refused, the authority's reply should say why and how to object.

How Woofi fits in

Woofi can point out that you may be eligible to check an arnona discount and shows the official next step. It never states a discount amount, because only your local authority can decide it. Woofi gives information, not advice.