Who is eligible for Arnona discounts?
If you or another resident of your household fall under one of the following categories, you may be eligible for an Arnona discount, or hanacha, of up to 90%.
- Disabled
- Low Income (see below)
- Mandatory Service/Released Soldiers
- In Urgent Need
- New Immigrants
- Recipients of Avtachat Hachnasa or Alimony
- Senior Citizens
- Single Parent Families
- New & Empty Properties
Income-Based Discount
Eligibility for an income-based discount is granted based on the monthly average of income received either during October, November and December of the previous calendar year, or throughout the whole year. You may select which option works better for you on the application form. See chart below to approximate your eligibility.
Application Process
When can you apply?
Usually, discounts may be applied for starting mid-January. If the discount chart has not yet been published by the Municipality, or if you plan on applying for a discount later, you are still responsible to set up a payment plan (or pay in full) at the beginning of the year. Severe consequences may otherwise apply. See “Paying Arnona”.
Moreover, if you receive a discount but neglect to pay your dues by the end of the calendar year, policy dictates that the discount will be revoked.
If you have not registered your apartment under your name, you must do so before applying for a discount. See “Filing Under Your Name”.
Please note: As of 2023, Arnona discount applications can be submitted only until August 31, 2023.
How do you apply?
Applications may be submitted online, in person during public reception hours or left in their drop box. To apply in person, make an appointment for the “hanachot b’Arnona” department via this link.
Visa holders will only receive a discount for the part of year during which their visas are valid. Once they are renewed, they must be presented to the Arnona office so that the discount may apply for the remainder of the year.
What do you need?
The following is a list of documents needed when applying in Jerusalem. If you are not a resident of Jerusalem, please confirm your local municipality’s regulations.
- Teudat zehut or foreign passport with valid A-category visa for all family members, and a copy of each. If an Israeli child is not yet listed on a parent’s teudat zehut, bring a copy of the birth certificate.
- Arnona reduction form (no longer available at the Arnona office) or via the online form
- Arnona bill (under your name)
- Chozeh (rental contract): must include the teudat zehut (Israeli ID) numbers or foreign passport numbers of both you and your landlord; must be written according to the secular months; and must be current. If it expires before the end of the year, a signed statement of extension must be included.
- A-category visa holders are required to provide daf knisot v’yetziot from Misrad Hapnim for both parents.
- If an adult resident is a salaried worker:
- Tlushim (pay stubs) of October, November and December of the previous year, or of the entire year, if you would like it all taken into account. Tlushim must be signed by the workplace.
- If he or she earned less than a full-time salary, and/or if there were months that he or she did not work over the accounted period, present a tikufot bituach u’ma’asikim from Bituach Leumi. This document states where and for how long he or she was employed over the accounted period.
To obtain this document, you may print it out either from your online Bituach Leumi account under אישורים or from the self-service machine in the Arnona office (located in the waiting area). For the second option, you will need your Bituach Leumi number and a four-digit PIN code, also used to access the Bituach Leumi phone line. - If one received maternity leave for part of the accounted period, include a document from Bituach Leumi that details the amount paid per day of the leave, and tlushim for the rest of the period.
- If an adult resident is a self-employed worker: shumat mas for the previous calendar year
- If at least one resident over age 18 was unemployed and was not a student during October, November and December of the previous calendar year:
- Present an original letter signed by a dayan, judge or lawyer stating that this resident does not work. The letter must include the ID/passport number of the dayan/lawyer who signs it.
- If the resident has a teudat zehut or holds a permitted-to-work visa, a tikufot bituach u’ma’asikim from Bituach Leumi (see above) must be obtained and presented with the discount application. The Iriyah may also request an ishur ma’amad lo oveid from Bituach Leumi as well.
- Families with three or more children under age 18 whose parents are teudat zehut holders and the mother does not work –
- If the family receives avtachat hachnasa from Misrad Hachinuch, present a bank account statement from October, November or December of the previous calendar year in which the stipend appears. The statement must include the name and teudat zehut number of the bank account owner.
- If the family does not receive avtachat hachnasa from Misrad Hachinuch, present bank accounts from October, November and December of the previous calendar year, as well as a letter from a dayan certifying that (a) the mother does not work and (b) the reason why the family did not receive the pension.
- If a visa holder has permission to work but is not yet a Bituach Leumi member: Present a letter from a dayan stating that the applicant is not a Bituach Leumi member. Additionally, applicants must write in the comments section of the application form that they do not have Bituach Leumi and therefore are unable to provide documentation from them.
- If you do not pay your rent independently, you must bring an original letter signed by a dayan, judge or lawyer describing how the rent is paid (e.g. parents pay directly to the landlord). If your parents pay the landlord directly, this must be stated explicitly, specifying the method of payment (either “by check” – include a copy of the check – or “by cash via a messenger/shaliach”). This letter may be combined with [7a] above.
In addition, you must provide a letter from the landlord with his contact information (name, address, cell phone, email), stating via which method he receives the rent money (as above). It is recommended he include the amount being paid. - For a yeshiva or kollel student, submit an original document from the yeshiva or kollel (on the yeshiva’s official letterhead, including its mispar amuta, non-profit number). This letter must clearly delineate the student’s name, the student’s passport or teudat zehut number, days and hours of study, stipend paid for the previous October, November and December, and the name, position and ID number of the signer.
- Children over age 18 –
- Students: original certificate from school with name and ID number of child
- Employed children: tlushim of previous October, November and December
- Documentation of any other income, e.g. rent from owned apartments
- If you received sal klita (absorption stipend from Misrad Haklita) during October, November, and December of the previous year, you must bring a letter from Misrad Haklita stating as such.
- If the household receives havtachat hachnasa (pension) or any other pension from Bituach Leumi, aside from kitzvat yeladim, zikna and she’airim: present a letter from Bituach Leumi that certifies the amount of the stipend.
Income-Based Discounts on Large Apartments
An income-based discount may not be granted if you live in a very large apartment. Take this into consideration when deciding whether to rent part of a large, sub-divided apartment.
Apartments of up to 100 meters:
Eligible for a low income hanacha if other requirements are met.
Apartments over 100 meters
A discount may be obtained, however it will only be applied to 100 meters of the apartment.
Exception: families of ten or more are eligible for a hanacha based on family size. A hanacha is granted on ten meters per resident – so a family of eleven can receive a hanacha on 110 meters.
Apartments 160+ meters
No discount is granted at all.
Exception: if the family living there has 13 children or more, a hanacha may be obtained.
Parental support as income considerations, based on apartment size:
In apartments up to 120 meters, parental support given to cover rent is not counted as income.
In apartments larger than 120 meters, this dispensation does not apply. In such a case, all parental support is considered personal income.
2023 Table of Income-Based Discounts (based on income from 2022)
Working children over age 18: if only one child is working, a salary of less than 5,300 NIS is not calculated as income. If two or more children work, 50% of all children’s full salaries are calculated as part of family income.
Number of residents | 80% discount for income | 60% discount for income | 40% discount for income | 20% discount for income |
1 | up to: 2,958 NIS | 2,958 NIS — 3,402 NIS | 3,402 NIS — 3,846 NIS | 3,846 NIS — 5,300 NIS |
2 | up to: 4,438 NIS | 4,438 NIS — 5,103 NIS | 5,103 NIS — 5,769 NIS | 5,769 NIS — 7,950 NIS |
3 | up to: 5,148 NIS | 5,148 NIS — 5,920 NIS | 5,920 NIS — 6,692NIS | 6,692NIS — 9,222 NIS |
4 | up to: 5,856 NIS | 5,856 NIS — 6,735 NIS | 6,735 NIS — 7,613 NIS | 7,613 NIS — 10,492 NIS |
5 | up to: 7,446 NIS | 7,446 NIS — 8,563 NIS | 8,563 NIS — 9,680 NIS | 9,680 NIS — 13,340 NIS |
6 | up to: 9,036 NIS | 9,036 NIS — 10,391 NIS | 10,391 NIS — 11,747 NIS | 11,747 NIS — 16,188 NIS |
Number of residents | 90% discount for income | 70% discount for income | 50% discount for income | 30% discount for income |
7 | up to: 10,626 NIS | 10,626 NIS — 12,220 NIS | 12,220 NIS — 13,814 NIS | 13,814 NIS — 19,036 NIS |
8 | up to: 12,216 NIS | 12,216 NIS — 14,048 NIS | 14,048 NIS — 15,880 NIS | 15,880 NIS — 21,885 NIS |
9 | up to: 13,806 NIS | 13,806 NIS — 15,876 NIS | 15,876 NIS — 17,947 NIS | 17,947 NIS — 24,733 NIS |
10+ | 1,534 NIS per person | 1,764 NIS per person | 1,994 NIS per person | 2,748 NIS per person |
Requesting a Refund
If you have paid your arnona bill in full and then are granted a discount, you can have the difference refunded to your Israeli bank account. Complete this online form to request the refund. Processing time is about three weeks.
Dayanim
A dayan’s letter is necessary in most cases of low-income discount applications. Here are a few options to explore in Jerusalem. Options are not limited to those included here.
- Badatz Eidah Chareidis, Binyanei Zupnik, Geulah – 02-532-6180
- Beis Din Nesivos Chaim, Panim Meirot 1 (around side of building) – 02-502-3637
- Agudas Yisrael, Yeshayahu Press 2, Geulah (30 NIS fee)
Arnona Resources
Arnona Office, Jerusalem
Kikar Safra 1, 1st floor, Kikar HaIriya
www.jerusalem.muni.il
Office hours:
Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:00 am‒1:00 pm
Tuesday 3:00 pm‒6:00 pm
To schedule an appointment:
call *3552 or visit https://tor.jerusalem.muni.il
Operator:
02-629-6333 (answering service in Hebrew)
Sunday‒Thursday 8:00 am‒3:30 pm and 4:00 pm‒6:00 pm
Automated telephone service:
02-629-6000 (operates 24 hours a day, except on Shabbos and holidays)
For questions regarding your Arnona discount application, use this online form.