WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao has begun issuing new license plates to vehicle owners who have paid their 2026 Motor Vehicle Tax (MRB), marking a significant step toward modernizing and cleaning up the island’s vehicle registry.
The rollout was officially launched during a ceremony where the first new license plate was handed over to Charles Cooper. The event took place at a temporary distribution location on Gosieweg, at the former Las Vegas Supermarket building.
Authorities revealed that approximately 110,000 license plates are currently waiting to be collected by their rightful owners. So far, around 61,000 vehicle owners have paid their MRB and are eligible to receive the new plates.
According to acting head of the Tax Collector’s Office, Richenel Rosaria, the introduction of the new plates is also being used to clean up outdated and inaccurate records within the tax administration.
One of the key changes is the removal of the direct link between license plates and chassis numbers. This allows older plate numbers to be reused, particularly in cases where vehicles are no longer in use but still registered in the system. In some instances, license plates remain tied to abandoned or scrapped vehicles, contributing to a “polluted” database.
Rosaria emphasized that only those who have paid their MRB will receive the new plates, ensuring that the registry reflects active and compliant vehicle owners. He also noted that the updated system is designed to reduce the risk of fraud and the use of counterfeit plates.
The new design represents the first update to Curaçao’s license plates since 2009 and is part of broader efforts to improve administration, compliance, and road safety.
Authorities are encouraging vehicle owners who have not yet paid their MRB to do so promptly in order to receive their new plates and avoid potential penalties.