New Israeli Law Mandates Businesses Record and Share Sales Calls
A new Israeli law, approved by the Knesset in July 2026, will require businesses in specific sectors to record sales calls with consumers and provide these recordings upon request. This regulation, set to take effect on March 22, 2027, unless subject to limited extensions, aims to resolve disputes over what was said during phone transactions.
The obligation applies to deals totaling NIS 750 (approximately $200) or more. If the final price is unknown during the call, it is considered to meet the threshold. Businesses must inform consumers at the start of the call that it is being recorded and that they can request a copy.
Consumers can request a recording of a sales call within 10 business days, with the first request being free. Businesses must also provide call dates if requested. This provides consumers with a crucial tool to verify prices, benefits, commitments, or terms discussed during the sale.
Recordings must be kept for at least two years if a deal is finalized, and for at least six months if no deal is reached. Failure by a business to provide a requested recording, after the consumer follows proper procedure, could lead a civil court to consider the business as admitting the consumer's version of the conversation's content or existence.
The law covers various sectors, including certain sales following marketing outreach, loan brokerage, financial recovery services, medical rights assessments, tax refund eligibility checks, telecommunications, content services, and credit rating deals. It also applies to ongoing repair and maintenance services, with the NIS 750 threshold calculated based on the total transaction value or annual payments for ongoing services.
Parallel amendments have been made to laws governing financial institutions like banks, credit card companies, and insurance firms to ensure similar recording and disclosure rules apply to their marketing calls, especially for high-value transactions. The law allows for a potential cumulative extension of up to four months for implementation if technological preparations are not completed on time.
