Afik HanahalTabu (Land Registry)
In short
The Tabu is the "population registry" of land. It records who owns each parcel and whether there is a mortgage, attachment or caveat on it. A deal is truly complete when rights are transferred to the buyer in the Tabu.
The professional explanation
Land Registry offices operate under the Land Law, 1969, within the Ministry of Justice. In settled land, the registration is conclusive evidence of its content (section 125).
An extract can be produced online and shows block and parcel, area, owners and their shares, leases, mortgages, caveats, attachments and orders. A "historical" extract shows earlier entries too.
Not all land in Israel is registered in the Tabu: much Israel Land Authority land is managed by the ILA or housing companies, and some land has not yet been settled. This is one of the first checks in any transaction.
Example from the field
A buyer paid a deposit on a "Tabu-registered plot" and only later discovered it was registered to three heirs, one of whom had not signed. A current extract before the memorandum would have prevented it.
Why it matters in a deal
- A same-day extract is a precondition to any signature.
- Liens, attachments and notes must be removed or handled in the contract.
- The deal ends only at registration; until then the buyer is protected by a caveat.