Aruba Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify an Aruban Business

TL;DR. Aruba’s official company registry is the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Aruba (Kamer van Koophandel en Nijverheid, KvK Aruba), accessible at kvkaruba.com. Basic name lookups are available; certified extracts involve AWG-denominated fees (~USD 5–28 equivalent). Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with Dutch-influenced company law, a functional registry, and an offshore-finance-friendly regulatory environment. It is not on the FATF grey list as of May 2026.

What is the official Aruba business registry?

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Aruba (Kamer van Koophandel en Nijverheid Aruba, KvK Aruba) is the government-mandated authority responsible for maintaining the Trade Register (Handelsregister) of Aruba. The KvK Aruba operates under the Trade Register Ordinance (Landsverordening Handelsregister) and is the Aruban equivalent of the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK.nl), though legally distinct as Aruba is a separate constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Aruba became an autonomous constituent country (land) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands on 1 January 1986, following its separation from the Netherlands Antilles. Aruba has its own constitution, parliament, and legal system, heavily influenced by Dutch civil law. Company law in Aruba is governed primarily by Book 2 of the Aruban Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek van Aruba), with company types closely mirroring Dutch and Netherlands Antilles structures.

The registry covers: naamloze vennootschap (NV, equivalent to a public limited company), besloten vennootschap (BV, equivalent to a private limited company), eenmanszaak (sole trader), vennootschap onder firma (VOF, general partnership), commanditaire vennootschap (CV, limited partnership), and foundations (stichting) and associations (vereniging). Aruba also has an established offshore financial services sector, including the Exempt NV (EVN) and the Active NV structures, which attract international holding companies and investment vehicles.

The KvK Aruba office is located in Oranjestad, the capital. The website at kvkaruba.com provides basic access to the trade register, though the depth of online search functionality is more limited than in the European Netherlands.

What can you search?

The KvK Aruba trade register supports lookup by:

• Company name (full or partial)
• KvK number (trade register number)
• Business owner name

Search results typically include: registered company name, trade names, KvK registration number, legal form, registered address in Aruba, date of registration, and basic status information. Director and shareholder details are part of the trade register but may require a certified extract for complete information.

For compliance-grade due diligence, a certified extract (uittreksel) from the KvK Aruba is the standard document: it provides the official snapshot of the entity’s registered particulars as of a specific date and carries the KvK Aruba seal.

How much does it cost?

The Aruban florin (AWG) is pegged to the USD at AWG 1.79 = USD 1.00. This peg has been maintained since 1986 and provides exchange rate stability for USD-based buyers. AWG 50 is approximately USD 27.93. Verify fees directly with the KvK Aruba at the time of request, as the fee schedule is set under the Trade Register Fees Ordinance.

Do you need a local account or ID?

No. The KvK Aruba public trade register is accessible without creating a local account or presenting an Aruban identity document. For certified extracts and formal record requests, in-person visits or formal written requests to the KvK Aruba office in Oranjestad are the standard route. Foreign buyers typically engage a local law firm or corporate service provider to handle extract requests on their behalf.

Is the website in English?

Partially. The official language of Aruba is Papiamento and Dutch, and the KvK Aruba website and official documents are primarily in Dutch and Papiamento (a creole language based on Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch). English is widely spoken in Aruba’s business community given its material tourism and international financial services sectors, but formal registry documents are issued in Dutch. For foreign compliance buyers, engaging a bilingual local agent to interpret and translate extracts is the most practical approach.

What’s the turnaround time?

Basic online name lookups return results promptly. Certified extracts requested at the KvK Aruba office in Oranjestad are generally available within 1–3 business days. Requests with complex corporate histories or involving older records may take longer. A local agent can often expedite extract retrieval through their ongoing relationship with the KvK Aruba office.

Is there an API?

No public API is available from the KvK Aruba as of May 2026. Unlike KVK.nl in the European Netherlands, which has a documented API for developers, the Aruban chamber operates a smaller-scale registry without programmatic access. Compliance platforms requiring systematic Aruban entity lookups should engage a local data partner or corporate service provider.

What you legally cannot do

Aruba’s data protection framework is governed by the Personal Data Protection Ordinance (Landsverordening Bescherming Persoonsgegevens, LBP), which is broadly aligned with Dutch data protection law. The KvK Aruba terms of use and the LBP prohibit:

• Automated bulk scraping or harvesting of KvK Aruba trade register records for commercial redistribution without authorisation
• Using personal data from registry records (director names, addresses) for unsolicited marketing or profiling
• Misrepresenting uncertified online lookups as certified official extracts for legal or regulatory submissions

Aruba’s AML/CFT framework is governed by the State Ordinance on the Reporting of Unusual Transactions (MOT Ordinance) and supervised by the Aruba Financial Intelligence Unit (MOT) and the Central Bank of Aruba (CBA). The CBA supervises banks, insurance companies, and trust companies; Centrale Bank van Aruba (cbaruba.org) is the prudential regulator.

For cross-border due diligence principles, see the Global Business Due Diligence Guide.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• AWG is pegged to USD. The Aruban florin (AWG, sometimes written Afl.) is fixed at AWG 1.79 = USD 1.00. No exchange rate risk in USD-AWG transactions. Budget in USD using this conversion.
• Kingdom of the Netherlands context. Aruba is a constituent country (land) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, alongside the Netherlands, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. It has its own legal system and government, but Dutch nationality applies and the Kingdom’s international obligations (including EU-related AML/CFT standards via MONEYVAL, and tax information exchange agreements) cover Aruba. Counterparties incorporated in Aruba have Dutch nationality in international law.
• NV vs. EVN. The Naamloze Vennootschap (NV) is the standard public limited company for operating businesses. The Exempt NV (EVN) is an offshore structure designed for non-resident owners, exempt from Aruban profit and dividend taxes under the Tax Ordinance on Profit Tax (LV Winstbelasting). Knowing the structure type tells you whether your counterparty is an operating company or an offshore holding vehicle.
• UBO regime in place. Aruba implemented beneficial ownership registration requirements under the State Ordinance on Identification of Services (LID), with registered agents and trust offices (supervised by the CBA) required to maintain and report UBO data. The Aruban UBO register is not publicly searchable; competent authorities have access. Request UBO declarations from the counterparty or their licensed trust company.
• FATF status: not grey-listed. Aruba is not on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring as of May 2026. As a Kingdom of the Netherlands territory, Aruba’s AML/CFT framework is assessed through FATF evaluations of the Kingdom, supplemented by its own CFATF participation. See fatf-gafi.org for current status.
• Central Bank of Aruba (CBA) for financial services. If your counterparty holds a banking, insurance, or trust licence in Aruba, check the CBA register at cbaruba.org. The CBA publishes lists of licensed institutions.
• Engage a local trust company. Aruba’s trust sector is well-developed relative to the island’s size. Trust companies licensed by the CBA are experienced in providing registered agent services, certified extracts, and due diligence packages for offshore NV and EVN structures. This is the most efficient route for foreign compliance buyers.

Alternatives if you cannot access the KvK Aruba directly

• OpenCorporates: May index some Aruba KvK data; coverage is limited and lags official records. Use for indicative name checks only.
• Local trust companies and law firms: Licensed trust offices in Oranjestad (listed on the CBA register) are the primary intermediary for KvK extract requests and due diligence inquiries on Aruban entities.

Local data suppliers

No major independent commercial credit bureau operates specifically in Aruba as of May 2026. The Central Bank of Aruba (CBA) maintains supervisory data on licensed financial institutions. For trade credit risk on Aruban operating companies, the most practical approach is to engage a Caribbean-focused law firm or a global trade credit insurer with regional coverage. The Aruba Chamber of Commerce can provide trade references for member businesses.

FAQ

Can a foreign company access the Aruba KvK registry directly?

Yes. The KvK Aruba trade register is accessible online for basic name searches without registration. Certified extracts (uittreksels) require formal requests to the KvK office in Oranjestad. Foreign buyers typically work through a local trust company or law firm for extract requests.

What is an Exempt NV (EVN) in Aruba?

The Exempt NV (Vrijgestelde NV, or EVN) is an offshore holding and investment vehicle registered under Aruban company law. It is exempt from Aruban profit tax and dividend withholding tax on non-Aruban income. EVNs cannot conduct business within Aruba and must maintain their economic substance outside Aruba. They are commonly used for international holding, royalty management, and investment fund structures.

Does Aruba have a public beneficial ownership registry?

No. Aruba’s beneficial ownership register is maintained by licensed registered agents and trust companies (supervised by the Central Bank of Aruba) and is not publicly searchable. Competent authorities have access. For UBO verification in a compliance context, request declarations from the counterparty or their licensed Aruban trust company.

What is Papiamento and does it affect registry documents?

Papiamento (also spelled Papiamentu in some territories) is the predominant language in Aruba and is co-official with Dutch. Official government documents, including KvK extracts, are issued in Dutch. Papiamento is primarily a spoken and informal written language. For foreign compliance buyers, translations of Dutch-language documents are readily available from bilingual local agents.

Is Aruba on the FATF grey list?

No. Aruba is not on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring as of May 2026. As part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba’s AML/CFT framework benefits from Kingdom-level international commitments, including tax information exchange agreements with over 40 jurisdictions. Verify current FATF status at fatf-gafi.org.

Last verified: May 2026. Sources: Chamber of Commerce and Industry Aruba (kvkaruba.com); Central Bank of Aruba (cbaruba.org); Kingdom of the Netherlands constitutional structure (government.nl); FATF country page for the Netherlands (fatf-gafi.org). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.