Buying a used car in Curaçao without getting scammed: a practical guide
2026-09-06 · Practical life Cars
Before you pay a single cent
Buying a used car in Curaçao is simple on paper, but there are several points where things can get complicated if you don't check them before handing over the money. This guide assumes you've already seen the full procedure page -- here we focus on the practical side, not the official paperwork.
1. Ask to see the current inspection card (keur)
If it's expired, the re-inspection is on you after you buy -- and if the car fails for something you didn't see coming, the cost of fixing it is on you too. Ask for the date of the last inspection before you negotiate the price.
2. Verify the seller is actually the registered owner
Ask to see the seller's cédula, license, or passport and compare it to the name on the car's registration card. If they don't match, ask why -- it could be a car from an unresolved family inheritance, or the seller simply isn't who they say they are.
3. Confirm there's no overdue road tax
The road tax (motorrijtuigenbelasting) is due every January 31. If the seller didn't pay it, that overdue amount can become your problem once the car is in your name. Ask for this in writing before closing the purchase.
4. Do the transfer the SAME day, not "later"
Until the "Tegenaangifteformulier" (pink form) is completed at Belastingdienst, the car legally remains in the seller's name. Any traffic fine that happens during that period keeps going to them -- which creates problems for both of you if it drags on. Do it the same day you pay.
5. As a foreigner, here's what you actually need
We already confirmed directly with the official Belastingdienst page that a passport alone is enough as identification, both to register a new car and to receive the transfer of a used one -- you don't need a cédula or permanent residency for this. You will, however, need mandatory liability insurance (WA) before you can pick up the plates.
6. Get an insurance quote BEFORE buying, not after
The total cost of owning a car isn't just the purchase price: add the mandatory WA insurance and the annual road tax (from XCG 296 to XCG 419 depending on the model). Get an insurance quote before settling on a specific car -- the model and year change the insurance price more than people assume.
Based on the official process verified on gobiernu.cw and belastingdienst.cw. See the full procedure with all the exact costs at Buying and registering a car in Curaçao.
← Back to the procedures guide