FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

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To register for a business you need to sign-up at our COCI Portal. Via the COCI Portal (orange button on top of the page) you will be able to fill out the online registration form.

You can also visit our Philipsburg office for registration.

Address: 11 C.A. Cannegieter Street, Philipsburg. We are open weekdays from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. 

Please note that only the Notary can incorporate your company / legal entity (i.e. N.V., B.V., Foundations, Associations, etc.). See a list of Notaries on St. Maarten here:

Click on ‘Starting a Business for the procedure to start a new business. Please pay keen attention to Citizenship (there’s a difference between starting a business as a Antillean born Citizen vs. Non-Antillean born Citizen).

For information on the type of business to establish click on legal entities.

Login or Sign-up for COCI Portal here or at the top of the website on the orange button COCI Portal.  

A Chamber Model Form is a document that the Chamber provides to individuals seeking to conduct various business actions, such as starting a sole proprietorship, an N.V., or a B.V. Each business action is categorized by letters A – Z.

For example: To register a Sole Proprietorship you would need to fill out a Model A form. For an N.V. or B.V. you need to fill out a Model C form. 

Go to model forms here

Model Forms are listed from A – Z by the action required. Go to Model/Registry Forms here

Here’s a list of what each Model Form is for:

  • Model A: Registration of a Sole Proprietorship
  • Model B: Registration of a Public Partnership
  • Model C: Registration of a (Shareholder-Managed) Private Limited Liability Company of Limited Liability Company
  • Model D: Registration of a Cooperative or a Mutual Insurance Society
  • Model E: Registration of a Foundation Private foundations or Association
  • Model F: Registration of a Foreign Legal Entity or Foreign Company
  • Model G: Registration of a Branch
  • Model J: Registration of Authorized Representative (Proxy)
  • Model P: Registration of (Managing) Partner
  • Model Q: Registration of official(s) of legal entities
  • Model R: Registration of change(s) in details of a business or legal entity
  • Model S: Receivership curatorship, discontinuance, dissolution, bankruptcy, and a moratorium of payment
  • Model T: Other Registrations
  • Model X: Additional Information
  • Model Y: Registration of relevant documents
  • Model Z: Change of officials details

In each Model Form, all questions that are applicable must be answered. If you have not completed (i.e. answer all of the applicable questions), your form is considered incomplete. Additionally, a clear copy of an official ID (passport, driver’s license, ID-card) must be provided.

Possibly, it depends on what kind of business activities you are trying to conduct. For instance, if you are starting an N.V., you are required to fill-in Model C and Q forms. For Foundations Model E and Q forms must be filled-in. Each business action requires another type of Model Form.

Go to Model/Registry Forms here

Your contact information is needed in case we need to follow up with you regarding an issue with the Model Form(s) and or information that you have submitted.

A ‘business address’ refers to the physical location of your business. The ‘correspondence address’ refers to your mailing address.

 

Your e-mail address is needed in case we need to follow up with you regarding important information and or changes.

View our business registry here. Simply search for a registered business by a company name or Chamber registration number.

By conducting a Chamber "Name Check", you can ensure that you can use that particular business name. The Chamber informs you whether your chosen name is available. Contact the Chamber for further assistance.

Yes, any changes in your business information, such as name change, location, contact information, activities and references, have to be reported immediately to the Chamber. By failing to do so your company is at risk for deregistration. Read more about the deregistration process here.

Yes, the Chamber charges for registrations, changes in registration, name checks, issuance of excerpts and declarations.

Payments commence when the Chamber informs you that your product (i.e. name check, issuance of excerpt or declarations etc.) is ready or when you have paid for your online credit via the COCI Portal.

All payments can be made digitally via the COCI Portal or in person at our Philipsburg location. Please note that once you have a COCI Portal account, you must first add credit to your account to be able to pay for a particular Model Form.

Chamber payment options:

  • COCI Portal Credit
  • Credit Card
  • Maestro
  • Online Banking
  • Wire Transfer
  • Cheque
  • Cash

We are sorry to hear that your question was not answered. We have lots of information listed on our website, maybe your question is answered here. 

If not, don't hesitate to contact us for further assistance.

Phone: +1 721 542 3595/ 542 3590

Toll Free: +1 844 SXM COCI (1 844 769 2024)

Fax: +1 721 542 3512

E-mail: chamberbusiness@chamberofcommerce.sx

Address: 11 C.A. Cannegieter Street, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Dutch Caribbean