The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality became the first local authority in Israel to approve the registration of unmarried couples, including same-sex partners, in the municipal database on Thursday.
The registration ensures that domestic partners will receive all municipal services easily and without additional bureaucracy– even if they are not married– as long as they are living together.
The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality handles education, culture, social welfare, infrastructure, urban planning, and sanitation on a local level. The municipality is headed by Mayor Ron Huldai.
The change to municipal database regulations benefits registering couples who chose to live together and share a joint household, giving them the same municipal services and rights as married couples.
Registration on the municipal database offers multiple services and perks, such as discounts at the community centers, parking permits for both partners, dual memberships at country clubs, and discounts on entire properties in cases where one of the spouses is entitled to a discount– not just on 50% of the property as is the case now.
Registration on the database is subject to their application process. Open to couples defined as "cohabiting partners" through the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi), the application is simple, requiring nothing more but the applicants’ ID cards and a written declaration for managing a joint household. The written declaration of cohabitation must be signed either by a lawyer or the National Insurance Institute.
After registering in the database, the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality will issue a certificate that will be sent to the applicant’s email address. The application and subsequent certificate are free of charge.