Guide to Doing Business
in St. Eustatius

Sole proprietorship

In the case of a sole proprietorship there is no distinction between the personal and business assets. As a result, all assets and liabilities pertaining to the proprietorship constitute the income and expenses of the owner. Creditors of a sole proprietorship have recourse directly on the personal property of the owner, whereas private creditors can also recover their claims from the assets of the business.

The owner of a sole proprietorship born outside the former Netherlands Antilles needs a business license for opening a business on the BES islands. No management license is required to establish and operate a sole proprietorship. A written petition to establish a sole proprietorship can be filed with the local government of the BES islands.