Company registration in Curacao

Curaçao is a popular jurisdiction for registering legal entities and doing business. This is especially true for companies in the gambling business: online casinos, bookmakers, etc. However, companies operating in other areas can also register here. This jurisdiction is particularly of interest to organizations that wish to do business in South or Central America and have a connection with the Netherlands, whose crown territory this island is.
The law firm Lawtter Solutions offers clients company registration services in Curaçao. We provide a turnkey registration procedure and provide all the necessary services for starting a business.

Order a service


8 400 EUR*

Cost of service

5-7 days

Time required for registration

0%, 2%, 22%

Income tax

Without personal visit

Type of company registration

Advantages

Advantages of Curaçao for Doing Business

Curaçao offers several significant advantages for doing offshore business. The main ones are the following:

01

Political stability

Curaçao is a democratic state that is politically and economically stable. Any shocks are sporadic here.
02

E-Zone was canceled in 2019

This simplified the registration procedure and allowed companies to obtain tax benefits more easily. Since 2019, offshore companies in Curaçao are not required to undergo any additional procedures.
03

Classic offshore

Curaçao is considered a traditional offshore jurisdiction. Therefore, there is great interest in registering and buying shelf companies in Curaçao in order to obtain more favorable tax conditions.
04

Possibility of remote registration

In order to open a company on the island, it is not necessary to visit the state's territory. This can be done online.
05

Nominee service

In Curaçao, you can use a nominee service, which will allow you to maintain anonymity.
06

Closed register of beneficiaries

The jurisdiction's beneficiary register is closed. Access to data can only be obtained with a court decision.
07

Absence of exchange controls

There are no exchange controls in Curaçao. This significantly simplifies the conduct of foreign economic activity.
08

You can change the form of ownership

It is possible to change the form of ownership if necessary. Companies in Curaçao can change their ownership at any time.
09

Developed legal system and legislation

Curaçao reliably protects the rights of shareholders and investors. It has a developed judicial system, and legislation is adapted to offshore organizations.
10

Treaties for the avoidance of double taxation

Curaçao has such treaties with a number of countries, including the Netherlands and Norway.
11

Tax information exchange agreements

Another essential feature of Curaçao for offshore business is the availability of agreements on the exchange of tax information. Thanks to this, the state is on the white list of the world's largest jurisdictions.

Registration of a company in Curaçao is possible in several organizational and legal forms. The main ones are the following:

Private Limited Liability Company (NABV/BV)

In such companies, shareholders do not bear full responsibility for the company’s obligations. Liability is limited to the authorized capital. Shares are distributed only among the founders of the company. However, in Curaçao, there are no requirements for authorized capital for organizations of this type.

 

Public Limited Liability Company (NV)

In such legal entities, shareholders are also liable within the authorized capital. In such companies, a minimum amount of authorized capital is provided; it is $35,000, and at least 20% must be contributed upon registration. In public companies, shares can be distributed without any restrictions.

 

Limited Partnerships

This is a type of partnership that must have at least 1 general partner and 1 limited partner. The general partner bears full responsibility for the obligations of the Limited Partnership. The others are responsible only for their share in the partnership. Information about the Limited Partnership and the general partner is entered into the Commercial Register; information about limited partners is not entered there.

 

General Partnerships

In a General Partnership, all partners are general partners. Accordingly, they bear unlimited liability for the obligations of the partnership. Information about the partnership and partners is entered into the Commercial Register.

Director

An offshore B.V. company in Curaçao must have at least one director. For companies like N.V., a manager is appointed instead of the director. Both the director and manager must be residents of Curaçao. This is a mandatory requirement. Companies do not have the right to appoint a director who is included in the sanctions lists. A person who has reached the age of 18 can be appointed to the post of director.

 

Shareholder

Any type of company must have at least 1 shareholder. In this case, there are no residency requirements. Shareholders can be individuals and legal entities that are not on the sanctions lists. Shareholders may be persons over 18 years of age.

 

Address

The company must have a legal address and office in Curaçao and be registered with the Curaçao Chamber of Commerce.

 

Company Name

The name must be unique. Private limited liability companies have the ending N.A.B.V/B.V., and public limited liability companies end with N.V.

 

Authorized Capital

Curaçao’s legislation does not establish a minimum authorized capital for B.V. companies. For companies in the N.V. legal form, the minimum requirement for authorized capital is $35,000. Moreover, at least 20% of the amount must be contributed upon legal entity registration.

 

Local Account

Companies that are registered in Curaçao are not required to open a local bank account. You can operate a company with a bank account opened in any country.

 

Registration Agent

According to the Curaçao legislation, a company is required to have a local registered agent.

 

Reporting

All companies are required to prepare and submit reports.

Before you register or buy an offshore company in Curaçao, you need to know about the peculiarities of taxation in the jurisdiction. It is different for residents and non-residents.

Income Tax

For non-residents of the island, the tax rate on income earned outside of Curaçao is 0%. Companies that are tax residents of Curaçao are required to pay income tax at a rate of 22%.

 

Corporate Tax

Corporation tax in Curaçao must be paid by both residents and non-residents. The rate for non-residents is 2%. For residents, it varies from 2 to 30%, depending on the type of activity.

 

Value-Added Tax (VAT)

Only tax residents of Curaçao pay value-added tax. The VAT rate varies from 6% to 9%, depending on the type of activity.

 

Tax on Dividends

There is no tax on interest, dividends, or royalties in Curaçao.

Annual Report

Curaçao has a territorial tax system. This principle implies the formation of taxable profit only received from the territory or from companies registered in the territory or services provided in the territory. The reporting period in the jurisdiction is equal to the calendar year. The report must be prepared and submitted by June 30 of the year following the reporting year.

 


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