Aruba vs Cayman Islands for aircraft
Everything we track for both registers, side by side. Rows neither register has published show a gap rather than an estimate.
Is Aruba or the Cayman Islands cheaper for aircraft registration?Link to this section
The registration fee is the certificate charge the Department of Civil Aviation sets for The Registry of Aruba in its aviation fee decree and the Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry sets under the Air Navigation (Fees) Regulations. Neither charges an annual registration fee; Aruba's charge recurs on renewal of the certificate and Cayman bills airworthiness yearly. WhichFlagToFly dates the Aruba and Cayman fee rows.
| Register | Registration fees | Annual registration fee |
|---|---|---|
| Aruba | Aruba's statutory registration fee is Afl. 1,000 (about US$ 559) for a foreign-based aircraft; the registry's own service fees are quoted on weight.Retributie- en legesbesluit Directie Luchtvaart 2005 (Landsbesluit, houdende algemene maatregelen, van 17 oktober 2005, regelende de heffing en inning van retributies en leges door de Directie Luchtvaart, AB 2005 no. 65), Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 21 October 2013, published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.aw (index page https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/0418-retributies-en-leges), articles 1 to 3, read together with The Registry of Aruba, 'FAQ | Aircraft Registration in Aruba' (Documents / Registration / FAQ), question 3, 'What is the cost to register an aircraft in Aruba?'cuatro.sim-cdn.nl · art. 2, onder FRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | There is no annual fee: Afl. 1,000 (about US$ 559) falls due only when a foreign-based aircraft's certificate is renewed, at most every three years.Retributie- en legesbesluit Directie Luchtvaart 2005 (Landsbesluit, houdende algemene maatregelen, van 17 oktober 2005, regelende de heffing en inning van retributies en leges door de Directie Luchtvaart, AB 2005 no. 65), Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 21 October 2013, published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.aw (index page https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/0418-retributies-en-leges), article 2, under F, read together with Regeling inschrijving en inschrijvingskenmerk (ministeriele regeling ter uitvoering van artikel 6 van de Luchtvaartverordening, AB 1991 no. GT 36), Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 4 October 2024, incorporating AB 1993 no. 47, AB 1997 nos. 9 and 10, AB 2014 no. 15, AB 2018 no. 28, AB 2019 no. 33, AB 2021 no. 142 and AB 2023 no. 53, published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.aw (index page https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/0907-luchtvaart), article 5cuatro.sim-cdn.nl · art. 2, onder FRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Cayman Islands | Registration and its certificate cost CI$500, plus a first airworthiness certificate priced by weight and surveyor time at CI$250 an hour.The Air Navigation (Fees) Regulations, 2010 (Cayman Islands), made under the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2007, S.I. 2007 No. 3468, Supplement No. 17 published with Gazette No. 22 dated 25 October 2010, CAACI's published copywww.caacayman.com · regs. 9(1), 9(4)Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | There is no annual registration fee; the recurring charge is the Certificate of Airworthiness renewal, from CI$1,000 a year.The Air Navigation (Fees) Regulations, 2010 (Cayman Islands), made under the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2007, S.I. 2007 No. 3468, Supplement No. 17 published with Gazette No. 22 dated 25 October 2010, CAACI's published copywww.caacayman.com · reg. 11(1)Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
Is Aruba or the Cayman Islands an EASA register?Link to this section
An EASA register is one where EU aviation safety law applies directly; neither is. The Registry of Aruba applies the AUA-OPS rules and accepts EASA type certificates, running Article 83bis agreements as a core route. The Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry works under the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order and the OTARs, its Article 83bis agreements needing UK entrustment. See the EASA rows.
| Register | EASA status | Article 83bis agreements |
|---|---|---|
| Aruba | Aruba is not an EASA member; the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) accepts FAA, Transport Canada, EASA and Brazilian type certificates.The Registry of Aruba, 'Type Certificate (TC)' (Documents / Airworthiness / Type Certificate)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Article 83 bis agreements let a foreign air operator certificate (AOC) holder operate an Aruban-registered aircraft commercially.The Registry of Aruba, 'ICAO 83bis Agreement' (Documents / Flight OPS / ICAO 83bis Agreement)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Cayman Islands | Not an EASA state: it runs UK Overseas Territories rules and accepts EASA, FAA and Canadian approvals. Only commercial EU flights need EASA clearance.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Legislation (Air Navigation Order)www.caacayman.comRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Article 83bis agreements are available and Cayman has at least one, with Saudi Arabia, covering three commercial operators; each new one needs separate UK government permission first.Air Safety Support International Ltd, Policy Statement 40, 'The Use of Article 83bis Agreements in the Overseas Territories', Issue 5.00, 8 December 2022www.airsafety.aero · para. 1Retrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2018-07-16Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
How does import VAT differ between Aruba and the Cayman Islands for an aircraft?Link to this section
Import VAT is the tax charged on an aircraft entering a customs territory, and neither levies VAT. Aruba collects a combined turnover tax at the border through the Departamento di Impuesto, its registry stating that registered aircraft are exempt from import duty. The Cayman Islands charge customs import duty under the Customs Tariff Act, exempting commercial importation. See the import VAT rows.
| Register | Import VAT and customs |
|---|---|
| Aruba | Aruba has no VAT; a combined 7 percent turnover tax applies at import, and the registry states that registered aircraft are exempt from import duty.Departamento di Impuesto (Tax Department of Aruba), 'BBO na frontera' (Zakelijk / Overzicht zakelijke belastingen / BBO / BBO na frontera), published in Papiamentowww.impuesto.awRetrieved 2026-08-27Effective 2023-08-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Cayman Islands | The Cayman Islands has no VAT; import duty of 22 percent applies to a non-commercial aircraft imported into the Islands, executive jets included, but not to aircraft used exclusively on international voyages.Cayman Islands Customs Tariff Act (2026 Revision), Supplement No. 3 published with Legislation Gazette No. 5 of 3 February 2026, revised as at 31 December 2025legislation.gov.ky · Schedule 1, heading 88.02Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
Which register is faster, Aruba or the Cayman Islands?Link to this section
Time to registration is the interval between a complete file and the Certificate of Registration. The Registry of Aruba publishes a turnaround in hours once the documents and a satisfactory inspection are in. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands describes a phased process of due diligence, technical approvals and survey, running in weeks. Compare the timeline rows.
| Register | Time to registration | Private and AOC operations |
|---|---|---|
| Aruba | Registration takes 24 to 48 hours once documents are complete and the inspection is satisfactory.The Registry of Aruba, 'FAQ | Aircraft Registration in Aruba' (Documents / Registration / FAQ), question 2, 'What is the timeline for the aircraft to be registered in Aruba?'theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Private aircraft fly under AUA-OPS 2; commercial work needs an Aruba AOC or an Article 83 bis agreement.The Registry of Aruba, 'Registration Framework' (Documents / Registration / Registration Framework)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Cayman Islands | Registration normally takes 3 to 6 weeks: about 2 to 3 days of due diligence, then documents and a two-day survey.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Aircraft Registration Process (page last modified 2025-06-06)www.caacayman.com · Summary of the Registration Process (Phases 1 and 2)Retrieved 2026-09-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Private aircraft register under Overseas Territories Aviation Requirements (OTAR) Part 125; flying for hire or reward needs an Air Operator Certificate under OTAR Part 121 or 135.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Aircraft Registration Process (page last modified 2025-06-06)www.caacayman.comRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
How should an owner choose between Aruba and the Cayman Islands?Link to this section
Aruba or the Cayman Islands is settled by the operating plan: whether the aircraft flies privately or for hire, whose Air Operator Certificate it flies under, and where it will be imported and based. Those are facts about the owner, and a specialist can read both registries against them.
At a glance
The dimensions owners decide on, taken from the rows below. Follow a label to the row it came from and its source.
| Dimension | Aruba | Cayman Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Red Ensign Group | No | Yes |
| Registration mark prefix | P4 | VP-C |
Line by line
| Item | AWArubaThe Registry of Aruba | KYCayman IslandsCayman Islands Aircraft Registry |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | ||
| EASA status | Aruba is not an EASA member; the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) accepts FAA, Transport Canada, EASA and Brazilian type certificates.The Registry of Aruba, 'Type Certificate (TC)' (Documents / Airworthiness / Type Certificate)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Not an EASA state: it runs UK Overseas Territories rules and accepts EASA, FAA and Canadian approvals. Only commercial EU flights need EASA clearance.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Legislation (Air Navigation Order)www.caacayman.comRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Article 83bis agreements | Article 83 bis agreements let a foreign air operator certificate (AOC) holder operate an Aruban-registered aircraft commercially.The Registry of Aruba, 'ICAO 83bis Agreement' (Documents / Flight OPS / ICAO 83bis Agreement)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Article 83bis agreements are available and Cayman has at least one, with Saudi Arabia, covering three commercial operators; each new one needs separate UK government permission first.Air Safety Support International Ltd, Policy Statement 40, 'The Use of Article 83bis Agreements in the Overseas Territories', Issue 5.00, 8 December 2022www.airsafety.aero · para. 1Retrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2018-07-16Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Private and AOC operations | Private aircraft fly under AUA-OPS 2; commercial work needs an Aruba AOC or an Article 83 bis agreement.The Registry of Aruba, 'Registration Framework' (Documents / Registration / Registration Framework)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Private aircraft register under Overseas Territories Aviation Requirements (OTAR) Part 125; flying for hire or reward needs an Air Operator Certificate under OTAR Part 121 or 135.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Aircraft Registration Process (page last modified 2025-06-06)www.caacayman.comRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| CAMO requirements | Continuing airworthiness rests on the operator; contracting an approved CAMO is optional for private aircraft.The Registry of Aruba, 'Continuing Airworthiness (CAMO)' (Documents / Airworthiness / Continuing Airworthiness)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Continuing airworthiness runs on Overseas Territories Aviation Requirements (OTAR) Part 39 rather than an EASA-style continuing airworthiness management organization (CAMO), with a named Technical Coordinator for private aircraft.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Airworthiness: Continuing Airworthinesswww.caacayman.comRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Import VAT and customs | Aruba has no VAT; a combined 7 percent turnover tax applies at import, and the registry states that registered aircraft are exempt from import duty.Departamento di Impuesto (Tax Department of Aruba), 'BBO na frontera' (Zakelijk / Overzicht zakelijke belastingen / BBO / BBO na frontera), published in Papiamentowww.impuesto.awRetrieved 2026-08-27Effective 2023-08-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The Cayman Islands has no VAT; import duty of 22 percent applies to a non-commercial aircraft imported into the Islands, executive jets included, but not to aircraft used exclusively on international voyages.Cayman Islands Customs Tariff Act (2026 Revision), Supplement No. 3 published with Legislation Gazette No. 5 of 3 February 2026, revised as at 31 December 2025legislation.gov.ky · Schedule 1, heading 88.02Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Cape Town Convention and IDERA | The Cape Town Convention applies to Aruba, and a filed IDERA obliges the DCA to deregister within five working days.UNIDROIT, 'States Parties' status chart for the Cape Town Convention (Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment), Netherlands entry and footnote 3www.unidroit.org · Convention status chart, footnote 3Retrieved 2026-08-27Effective 2010-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The Cape Town Convention has applied to the Cayman Islands since 1 November 2015; irrevocable de-registration and export request authorization (IDERA) filings go to the registry, notarized, for CI$250.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Mortgaging of Aircraft (page last modified 2021-04-12)www.caacayman.comRetrieved 2026-08-29Effective 2015-11-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| MTOW and aircraft age limits | Aruba takes aircraft from 5,700 kg and helicopters from 1,000 kg, and in practice will not register an airframe built before 1 January 1980.The Registry of Aruba, 'Registration of Aircraft' (Documents / Registration / Registration of Aircraft) for the weight thresholds, read together with AIC JETS Corp., 'P4 Aruba Aircraft Registration' (https://www.aicjetscorp.com/offshore/aruba-aircraft-registration), which reproduces the Department of Civil Aviation's aircraft acceptance policy for the build date and the exclusionstheregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No fixed age limit, but the aircraft normally has to weigh more than 5,700 kg (12,500 lb), and 1990-or-earlier aircraft need a prior inquiry.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Aircraft Registration Process (page last modified 2025-06-06)www.caacayman.comRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Registration fees | Aruba's statutory registration fee is Afl. 1,000 (about US$ 559) for a foreign-based aircraft; the registry's own service fees are quoted on weight.Retributie- en legesbesluit Directie Luchtvaart 2005 (Landsbesluit, houdende algemene maatregelen, van 17 oktober 2005, regelende de heffing en inning van retributies en leges door de Directie Luchtvaart, AB 2005 no. 65), Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 21 October 2013, published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.aw (index page https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/0418-retributies-en-leges), articles 1 to 3, read together with The Registry of Aruba, 'FAQ | Aircraft Registration in Aruba' (Documents / Registration / FAQ), question 3, 'What is the cost to register an aircraft in Aruba?'cuatro.sim-cdn.nl · art. 2, onder FRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Registration and its certificate cost CI$500, plus a first airworthiness certificate priced by weight and surveyor time at CI$250 an hour.The Air Navigation (Fees) Regulations, 2010 (Cayman Islands), made under the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2007, S.I. 2007 No. 3468, Supplement No. 17 published with Gazette No. 22 dated 25 October 2010, CAACI's published copywww.caacayman.com · regs. 9(1), 9(4)Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Time to registration | Registration takes 24 to 48 hours once documents are complete and the inspection is satisfactory.The Registry of Aruba, 'FAQ | Aircraft Registration in Aruba' (Documents / Registration / FAQ), question 2, 'What is the timeline for the aircraft to be registered in Aruba?'theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Registration normally takes 3 to 6 weeks: about 2 to 3 days of due diligence, then documents and a two-day survey.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Aircraft Registration Process (page last modified 2025-06-06)www.caacayman.com · Summary of the Registration Process (Phases 1 and 2)Retrieved 2026-09-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Mortgages and charges | Aircraft mortgages sit in a separate court-supervised title register, ranking behind execution and salvage claims.Burgerlijk Wetboek van Aruba, Book 8 (Landsverordening bevattende de tekst van boek 8 voor een nieuw Burgerlijk Wetboek van Aruba, AB 2001 no. 87), Title 15 'Het luchtvaartuig', Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 14 January 2014, published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.aw (index page https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/1501-burgerlijk-wetboek)cuatro.sim-cdn.nl · Boek 8, art. 1302Retrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Mortgage registration costs CI$1,250 to CI$5,000 by sum secured, and the aircraft must be on the Cayman register first.The Air Navigation (Fees) Regulations, 2010 (Cayman Islands), made under the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2007, S.I. 2007 No. 3468, Supplement No. 17 published with Gazette No. 22 dated 25 October 2010, CAACI's published copywww.caacayman.com · reg. 9(2)Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Annual registration fee | There is no annual fee: Afl. 1,000 (about US$ 559) falls due only when a foreign-based aircraft's certificate is renewed, at most every three years.Retributie- en legesbesluit Directie Luchtvaart 2005 (Landsbesluit, houdende algemene maatregelen, van 17 oktober 2005, regelende de heffing en inning van retributies en leges door de Directie Luchtvaart, AB 2005 no. 65), Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 21 October 2013, published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.aw (index page https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/0418-retributies-en-leges), article 2, under F, read together with Regeling inschrijving en inschrijvingskenmerk (ministeriele regeling ter uitvoering van artikel 6 van de Luchtvaartverordening, AB 1991 no. GT 36), Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 4 October 2024, incorporating AB 1993 no. 47, AB 1997 nos. 9 and 10, AB 2014 no. 15, AB 2018 no. 28, AB 2019 no. 33, AB 2021 no. 142 and AB 2023 no. 53, published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.aw (index page https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/0907-luchtvaart), article 5cuatro.sim-cdn.nl · art. 2, onder FRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | There is no annual registration fee; the recurring charge is the Certificate of Airworthiness renewal, from CI$1,000 a year.The Air Navigation (Fees) Regulations, 2010 (Cayman Islands), made under the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2007, S.I. 2007 No. 3468, Supplement No. 17 published with Gazette No. 22 dated 25 October 2010, CAACI's published copywww.caacayman.com · reg. 11(1)Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Who may register an aircraft | Aruba residents, Aruban companies, or companies of the EU, EEA, Switzerland, Canada, the UK, the USA or a listed state may register; no Aruban company needed.Regeling inschrijving en inschrijvingskenmerk (ministeriele regeling ter uitvoering van artikel 6 van de Luchtvaartverordening, AB 1991 no. GT 36), Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 4 October 2024, incorporating AB 1993 no. 47, AB 1997 nos. 9 and 10, AB 2014 no. 15, AB 2018 no. 28, AB 2019 no. 33, AB 2021 no. 142 and AB 2023 no. 53, published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.aw (index page https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/0907-luchtvaart), articles 2 to 3d, read together with The Registry of Aruba, 'Registration Framework' (Documents / Registration / Registration Framework) on registration by domicile and with The Registry of Aruba, circular DOM 01 'Aruba Enacts New Aircraft Registration Legislation', Rev. 3 | 2022, Annex 1, for the annexed list of qualifying statescuatro.sim-cdn.nl · art. 2, eerste lidRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Owners must be UK, Commonwealth (Cayman included), EEA or Swiss nationals or companies based there; an unqualified owner resident in Cayman may register for private use only, and a qualifying demise charterer can register instead.The Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2870), article 16, current consolidated text on legislation.gov.ukwww.legislation.gov.uk · art. 16(1)Retrieved 2026-08-29Effective 2021-07-22Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Registration marks | Marks are P4 plus three to five letters or digits chosen by the owner, out of sequence, and the register lists them as free of charge.Regeling inschrijving en inschrijvingskenmerk (ministeriele regeling ter uitvoering van artikel 6 van de Luchtvaartverordening, AB 1991 no. GT 36), Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 4 October 2024, incorporating AB 1993 no. 47, AB 1997 nos. 9 and 10, AB 2014 no. 15, AB 2018 no. 28, AB 2019 no. 33, AB 2021 no. 142 and AB 2023 no. 53, published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.aw (index page https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/0907-luchtvaart), articles 8 to 11b, read together with Aruba Department of Civil Aviation, AMC 052 'Aircraft Registration Marks' (Acceptable Means of Compliance), January 2024, published by The Registry of Aruba and The Registry of Aruba, 'FAQ | Aircraft Registration in Aruba' (Documents / Registration / FAQ), question 1cuatro.sim-cdn.nl · art. 8, eerste en tweede lidRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Cayman marks are five letters starting VP-C, and a chosen mark can be reserved for CI$500, refunded if the application arrives within three months; VQ-C is the separate block the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) keeps for lessors' transition aircraft.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Aircraft Registration Process (page last modified 2025-06-06)www.caacayman.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Deregistration process | The holder files form INS-4.069, returns the paper certificate and strips the marks; a recorded IDERA gives the creditor a five working day exit instead.Regeling inschrijving en inschrijvingskenmerk (ministeriele regeling ter uitvoering van artikel 6 van de Luchtvaartverordening, AB 1991 no. GT 36), Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 4 October 2024, incorporating AB 1993 no. 47, AB 1997 nos. 9 and 10, AB 2014 no. 15, AB 2018 no. 28, AB 2019 no. 33, AB 2021 no. 142 and AB 2023 no. 53, published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.aw (index page https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/0907-luchtvaart), articles 7, 7a and 7b, read together with The Registry of Aruba, 'De-Registration' (Documents / Registration / De-Registration) (https://theregistryofaruba.com/documents/registration/de-registration/), The Registry of Aruba, 'IDERA' (https://theregistryofaruba.com/documents/registration/idera/) and 'Export Certificate of Airworthiness' (https://theregistryofaruba.com/documents/airworthiness/export-certificate-of-airworthiness/); the cost and elapsed time are estimates and rest on AIC JETS Corp. (https://www.aicjetscorp.com/offshore/aruba-aircraft-registration) and on VanEps Kunneman VanDoorne, 'Aruban registers' and 'Deregistration from the Aruba Register of Registered Aircraft', Guide to doing business in Aruba (doingbusinessdutchcaribbean.com) for the separate title registercuatro.sim-cdn.nl · art. 7, eerste lidRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Deregistration costs CI$500 plus actual costs, the account with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) must be settled first, and every registered mortgagee or the holder of an irrevocable de-registration and export request authorization (IDERA) has to consent.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Deregistration Process (page last modified 2023-10-02)www.caacayman.comRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Register size | About 150 aircraft are on the Aruban P4 register, an estimate counted from an independent listing because Aruba publishes no figure.Arno Landewers, 'Complete aircraft register of Aruba (P4-) from 1988 onwards', landewers.net/P4.txt, updates of 4 January 2026 and 28 August 2026landewers.net (web.archive.org) · header lines and the used-abbreviations listRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2026-08-28Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The Cayman register holds 221 aircraft: 129 private, 50 lessor transition and 42 commercial, down 47 on the year.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, 2025 Annual Report (Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry statistics, year ended 31 December 2025)www.caacayman.com · Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry sectionRetrieved 2026-08-29Effective 2025-12-31Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Pilot license validation | Aruba validates a license from any ICAO contracting state for up to two years, never beyond the foreign license's own expiry, and issues the validation within 24 hours.The Registry of Aruba, 'License Validations' (Documents / Personnel Licensing / License Validations)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | A commercial or airline transport pilot license from any ICAO state can be validated for Cayman flying, and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) issues the validation certificate for twelve months at CI$250.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Circular 30-22, 'Pilot Licence Validation Procedures', 30 March 2022, which replaced CAACI Bulletin 30-15www.caacayman.com · §2.1Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Red Ensign Group membership | Not a member of the Red Ensign Group, which in any case covers British shipping registers only and no aircraft register.Red Ensign Group, 'Who we are' (About the Red Ensign Group), redensigngroup.orgwww.redensigngroup.org · Who we are, membership paragraph and both category listsRetrieved 2026-09-09Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The Cayman Islands is in the Red Ensign Group through its shipping register (Category 1); the Group covers shipping registers only, so the aircraft register is outside it.Red Ensign Group, 'Who we are' (About the Red Ensign Group), redensigngroup.orgwww.redensigngroup.org · Who we are, opening line and Category 1Retrieved 2026-09-09Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Aircraft management | ||
| Management fee model | Managers typically charge a fixed monthly retainer scaled to cabin size, from low four figures a month for a light jet to roughly US$10,000 to 12,000 for a large cabin, with charter revenue usually split 85/15 in the owner's favor.Business Jet Traveler - Jeff Wieand, What You Need to Know About Aircraft Management Agreements (September 2022)www.bjtonline.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2022-09-06Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Managers typically charge a fixed monthly retainer scaled to cabin size, from low four figures a month for a light jet to roughly US$10,000 to 12,000 for a large cabin, with charter revenue usually split 85/15 in the owner's favor.Business Jet Traveler - Jeff Wieand, What You Need to Know About Aircraft Management Agreements (September 2022)www.bjtonline.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2022-09-06Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Management scope | The monthly retainer typically covers dispatch, flight planning, crew oversight, compliance and the safety program, while fuel, insurance, hangarage, crew pay, handling and maintenance normally pass through at cost with no mark-up.Business Jet Traveler - Jeff Wieand, What You Need to Know About Aircraft Management Agreements (September 2022)www.bjtonline.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2022-09-06Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The monthly retainer typically covers dispatch, flight planning, crew oversight, compliance and the safety program, while fuel, insurance, hangarage, crew pay, handling and maintenance normally pass through at cost with no mark-up.Business Jet Traveler - Jeff Wieand, What You Need to Know About Aircraft Management Agreements (September 2022)www.bjtonline.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2022-09-06Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Crew employment | Under a management mandate the manager normally hires, trains, employs and pays the crew and bills those costs through at cost, with accrued leave and severance usually falling to the owner when the mandate ends.Business Jet Traveler - Jeff Wieand, What You Need to Know About Aircraft Management Agreements (September 2022)www.bjtonline.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2022-09-06Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Under a management mandate the manager normally hires, trains, employs and pays the crew and bills those costs through at cost, with accrued leave and severance usually falling to the owner when the mandate ends.Business Jet Traveler - Jeff Wieand, What You Need to Know About Aircraft Management Agreements (September 2022)www.bjtonline.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2022-09-06Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Ownership structuring | ||
| Owning company minimum capital | An Aruban VBA has no minimum capital, an AVV needs authorized capital of at least ten thousand florin, and no Aruban company is required to own a P4 aircraft in the first place.Landsverordening vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid (AB 2008 no. 62), article 21, Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 16 January 2014, read with the Wetboek van Koophandel van Aruba (AB 1990 no. GT 50), articles 37, 38 and 155c, Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 16 January 2014, both published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.awcuatro.sim-cdn.nl · art. 21, eerste lidRetrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No minimum share capital applies to a Cayman company holding an aircraft, and the Act's own fee schedule bands a company with no registered capital at CI$700 to register and CI$925 a year.Companies Act (2026 Revision), Cayman Islands Legislation, published with Legislation Gazette No. 4 of 29 January 2026legislation.gov.ky · s. 8(1)(b)Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Beneficial ownership disclosure | Aruba files beneficial ownership to its commercial register but opens it only to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Central Bank and designated authorities, and its test is ultimate ownership or control with no percentage threshold.Handelsregisterverordening (AB 1991 no. GT 15), articles 1, 2, 12b, 12c and 12d, Centraal Wettenregister consolidated text of 9 January 2023, incorporating AB 2020 no. 156 (in force AB 2020 no. 172) and AB 2022 no. 105 (in force AB 2022 no. 158), published by the Government of Aruba via gobierno.awcuatro.sim-cdn.nl · art. 1 (definitie 'uiteindelijk belanghebbende')Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Owners of 25 percent or more go on a register that is not public: named authorities search it, including the Civil Aviation Authority, and a qualifying member of the public can apply for limited details.Beneficial Ownership Transparency Act (2026 Revision), Cayman Islands Legislation, published with Legislation Gazette No. 4 of 29 January 2026legislation.gov.ky · s. 4(1)Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| CAMO & airworthiness | ||
| Airworthiness review | Aruba's certificate of airworthiness lasts at most twelve months and is renewed on form INS-4.009 after an inspection by a DCA airworthiness inspector.The Registry of Aruba, 'Certificate of Airworthiness (CoA)' and 'Renewal of the Certificate of Airworthiness' (Documents / Airworthiness)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The certificate of airworthiness runs one year at a time and a surveyor from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) performs the renewal survey, working from a records review the owner's continuing airworthiness management organization (CAMO) or Technical Coordinator completes and signs.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Form AW-202-F3, 'Cayman Registered Aircraft: Aircraft Records and Status Review for the Certificate of Airworthiness', Issue 18, published on the CAACI Continuing Airworthiness page (page stamp 14 July 2026)www.caacayman.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Maintenance program approval | The DCA approves the maintenance program, and a private aircraft may register without one only under a three month commitment on form INS-4.070.The Registry of Aruba, 'Maintenance Program' (Documents / Airworthiness / Maintenance Program)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) approves the maintenance program itself, in writing and with its own reference number, and the program has to be reviewed at least once a year.Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, Cayman Islands Aviation Circular CIAC 11-12, 'Maintenance Programmes', Issue 03, August 2015www.caacayman.com · §1.2Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| CAMO fee model | No CAMO publishes a business jet tariff: the norm is an annual retained fee per aircraft, usually bundled into a management or technical services mandate, with the airworthiness review certificate billed separately.Element Aviation - Aircraft Management Costs (provider-published cost breakdown, 4 December 2025)element-aviation.com · Aircraft Management Cost Breakdown tableRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-12-04Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No CAMO publishes a business jet tariff: the norm is an annual retained fee per aircraft, usually bundled into a management or technical services mandate, with the airworthiness review certificate billed separately.Element Aviation - Aircraft Management Costs (provider-published cost breakdown, 4 December 2025)element-aviation.com · Aircraft Management Cost Breakdown tableRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-12-04Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Maintenance (MRO) | ||
| Accepted maintenance organizations | Aruba accepts EASA, UK CAA, UAE GCAA, Hong Kong CAD and Singapore CAAS approved shops without an audit; the FAA is not on the published list, and our estimate is that a US shop needs the audited acceptance route instead.The Registry of Aruba, 'Aircraft Maintenance Organizations (AMO)' (Documents / Airworthiness / Aircraft Maintenance Organizations)theregistryofaruba.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | A shop can work on a Cayman aircraft either by having its EASA, UK, FAA or Transport Canada approval accepted or by being approved directly by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI), with a limited acceptance route where no approved shop is nearby.Air Safety Support International Ltd, Overseas Territories Aviation Requirements, OTAR Part 145, Aircraft Maintenance Organisation Approval, Issue 11.00, 14 April 2026www.airsafety.aero · OTAR 145.3Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Engine program norms | Engine programs charge a rate per engine per flight hour, with a buy-in for engines already in service, and nobody publishes an hourly rate because every program is quoted per aircraft.AvBuyer - Gerrard Cowan, Paying for Power: Understanding Costs in Engine Maintenance Programs (14 August 2025)www.avbuyer.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-08-14Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Engine programs charge a rate per engine per flight hour, with a buy-in for engines already in service, and nobody publishes an hourly rate because every program is quoted per aircraft.AvBuyer - Gerrard Cowan, Paying for Power: Understanding Costs in Engine Maintenance Programs (14 August 2025)www.avbuyer.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-08-14Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Aviation insurance | ||
| Insurance requirements | Aruba requires proof of insurance to register and publishes the minimums: 250,000 SDR per passenger, a ten band third party table by weight, and war risk at the same levels as third party.Government of Aruba, Ministry of Transport, Integrity, Nature and Senior Affairs, Department of Civil Aviation, Information Circular IC 2025-001 'Minimum Insurance Policy', 12 August 2025, superseding DCAA letter DL/183772 of 12 September 2018, signed by the Director of DCA Aruba and published by The Registry of Arubatheregistryofaruba.com · IC 2025-001, Passenger Liability / Third Party InsuranceRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Cayman imposes no insurance minimum on a private aircraft, so the floor is set by where the jet flies, above all the EU and UK rules, and by the finance documents.Air Safety Support International Ltd, Overseas Territories Aviation Requirements (OTARs), published index of every gazetted OTAR Partwww.airsafety.aero · Overseas Territories Aviation Requirements (OTARs), complete list of OTAR PartsRetrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Typical insurance cover | Hull cover is quoted per US$100 of agreed value; the one published trade-press example prices a midsize jet at 0.13 to 0.21 percent of value, a dated floor rather than a current rate (estimate: current rates sit above it), while corporate liability limits commonly run US$100 million to US$300 million.Business Jet Traveler - Stuart Hope, A Guide to Aviation Insurancebjtonline.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2014-07-08Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Hull cover is quoted per US$100 of agreed value; the one published trade-press example prices a midsize jet at 0.13 to 0.21 percent of value, a dated floor rather than a current rate (estimate: current rates sit above it), while corporate liability limits commonly run US$100 million to US$300 million.Business Jet Traveler - Stuart Hope, A Guide to Aviation Insurancebjtonline.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2014-07-08Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
Guides for this comparison
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- Who can own an aircraft on each registry
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- How much does it cost to register an aircraft in Aruba?
- How do you register an aircraft in Aruba?
- Cayman Islands aircraft registration process step-by-step
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