Standards Institution of Israel
Israel's state-owned institution for standards development, product testing, certification, and quality verification.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Standards Institution of Israel (SII) is Israel's state-owned organization responsible for developing, maintaining, and administering standards for products and services supplied in the country. Known in Hebrew as Makhon haTkanim haIsraeli and commonly referred to as Mati, it combines the functions of a standards-setting body, a testing organization, and a product and management-system certification provider. Its work supports consumer safety, industrial quality, regulatory compliance, and the ability of Israeli products to meet recognized technical requirements. SII traces its institutional origins to a materials-testing laboratory established in 1923 to assess the quality of building materials. The organization was formally established in 1945 by the Society of Engineers and Architects as a registered company. In its early period it independently developed standards, performed laboratory testing, and undertook technical surveys and studies. The institution's role was given formal legal recognition under Israel's Standards Law of 1953, which designated it as the country's supreme authority for setting Israeli standards. The institution's principal responsibilities include determining technical requirements, testing products against those requirements, certifying products and systems, and monitoring whether certified products continue to maintain the required level of quality. SII issues the Israeli Standards Mark, commonly called the Tav Teken. Use of the mark is generally voluntary, but Israeli legislation requires certification for certain categories of goods before they can be marketed. In this capacity, SII operates at the boundary between voluntary quality assurance and mandatory market regulation. Its activities extend beyond laboratory testing. SII conducts market surveys, international comparisons, and research on products and industries, using these activities to inform standards work and quality-control decisions. Its certification programs can cover products as well as organizational or management systems. These services are relevant to manufacturers, importers, public authorities, retailers, and consumers seeking evidence that goods conform to applicable Israeli requirements. The institution is headquartered in the Ramat Aviv district of Tel Aviv, near Tel Aviv University. Its organizational structure includes industry, quality and certification, and standards functions. The institution has also been represented publicly through national commemorative activity: the Israel Postal Company issued a stamp marking its centennial, reflecting the long history of standards and materials testing associated with the organization. SII remains an active component of Israel's technical and regulatory infrastructure, with its role centered on standards, conformity assessment, product safety, and industrial quality rather than on consumer-facing branded goods.
History
The institutional roots of the Standards Institution of Israel reach back to 1923, when a materials-testing laboratory was created to examine the quality of building materials. That laboratory provided an early technical foundation for systematic quality control in the developing Jewish community and, later, the State of Israel. In 1945, the Society of Engineers and Architects established the Standards Institution as a registered company. In its initial form, the organization operated with considerable independence. It developed technical standards, performed product and materials testing, and conducted surveys and studies intended to evaluate quality and market conditions. Its scope reflected the needs of a developing economy in which reliable construction materials, industrial inputs, and consumer products required technical scrutiny. The institution's legal position was strengthened in 1953. Under the Standards Law enacted that year, it was recognized as Israel's supreme authority for setting national standards. This recognition placed standards development within a formal national framework and established the basis for the institution's continuing role in technical regulation and conformity assessment. Over time, SII's functions expanded beyond the preparation of written standards. It developed product and system certification programs, laboratory capabilities, and processes for awarding the Standards Mark, or Tav Teken. The mark provides an indication that a certified product has met the applicable requirements. Although the mark is ordinarily voluntary, Israeli law makes certification a condition of sale for certain products and product categories. SII therefore performs both market-supporting and regulatory functions: businesses can use its services to demonstrate quality, while public rules can rely on certification and testing to protect safety and enforce technical requirements. SII also carries out continuing verification intended to establish that certified products maintain their required quality over time. Its wider technical work includes international market surveys and studies of products and markets. These activities connect Israeli standards work with developments outside Israel and help the institution assess technical practices, product performance, and comparative market requirements. The organization is headquartered in the Ramat Aviv district of Tel Aviv, close to Tel Aviv University. Its published administrative structure includes an Industry Division, a Quality and Certification Division, and a standardization function. The institution's long institutional history has also been recognized in public commemorative culture: the Israel Postal Company issued a stamp in connection with the centennial of the standards institution. SII continues to operate as Israel's national standards and conformity-assessment body, serving government, industry, importers, and consumers through standards development, testing, certification, and quality oversight.
- 1953
Legal recognition under the Standards Law
[1]The Standards Law formally recognized the institution as Israel's supreme authority for setting national standards.
- 1945
Standards Institution established
[1]The Society of Engineers and Architects established the Standards Institution as a registered company with responsibilities for standards, testing, surveys, and technical studies.
- 1923
Materials-testing laboratory established
[1]A laboratory was created to examine the quality of building materials, forming the earliest institutional predecessor of the Standards Institution of Israel.
Standards Mark certification developed
[1]SII established product-certification processes using the Standards Mark, or Tav Teken, for products that meet applicable Israeli requirements.
Centennial commemorated by postal stamp
[1]The Israel Postal Company issued a commemorative stamp marking the centennial of the standards institution.
Products and positioning
A national standards and conformity-assessment authority that combines technical standardization, laboratory testing, certification, and quality oversight for the Israeli market.
Standards development
Israeli Standards
SII develops and maintains technical standards for products and services supplied in Israel. These standards establish requirements that can be used by manufacturers, importers, regulators, and other market participants to assess safety, quality, performance, and conformity.
Product certification
Standards Mark (Tav Teken)
The Standards Mark is SII's principal product-certification designation. It indicates that a product has been evaluated against relevant Israeli requirements. Certification is generally voluntary, although Israeli law requires it for specified products before they may be sold.
Conformity assessment
Product and System Certification
SII operates certification programs for products and systems. These services allow organizations to demonstrate conformity with applicable technical or quality requirements and support procurement, market access, regulatory compliance, and ongoing quality assurance.
Testing services · 1923
Laboratory Testing
The institution performs quality and compliance testing, building on its historical role in materials testing. Testing is used to evaluate whether products and materials satisfy relevant standards and to support certification and regulatory decisions.
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