The container to Aruba: exemption, border BBO and the six-month rule

"Within the Kingdom, so no customs" — it is a persistent misunderstanding, and it costs money. Aruba is its own customs territory with its own import duties, and since August 2023 customs moreover levies 7% turnover tax at the border on almost all imports. The good news lies in the exemption that cuts right through that.

The exemption: worth double since 2023

Whoever settles on Aruba gets exemption from import duties for their used household goods — and the tax department explicitly adds that whoever has that exemption also pays no BBO at the border. The conditions are straightforward: you lived outside Aruba for at least twelve consecutive months, the goods are used and were not bought with the move in mind, and at the time of moving you were not yet a resident. Alcohol, tobacco and business goods fall outside it — leave those out of the container. Contrary to what is often claimed, there is no six-month ownership period for ordinary household goods; that requirement does exist, but only for vehicles.

The order: first you, then the container

The application runs through a customs broker, with a packing list, the bill of lading — and the declaration of registration from Censo, in triplicate. Therein lies the planning lesson: you can only complete the exemption once you are registered, so ideally the container only sails once you have landed and the registration chain is running. The period is generous, though: you have up to a year after your registration to make the exempt import. The processing itself takes at most three days; the weeks are in the crossing. Make a list per box while packing — reconstructing afterwards is the job nobody starts.

The car: six months' ownership, or 39% on top

Aruba drives on the right, so your Dutch car is perfectly usable there — and it may come along under the exemption if you had it in your possession and in use for at least six months before shipment. If you meet that requirement, you pay only the shipping and the inspection. If you don't, the full rate applies: 32% import duty (the old 30/40/50% system was replaced in 2023; electric cars pay 0%) plus the 7% at the border — and then buying there almost always wins. The Dutch side is familiar but remains sour: you only get the remaining BPM back on registration within the EU or EEA, so not on export to Aruba. So check the date on your registration certificate today, and only then decide whether the car goes into the container.

In Vertrekklaar this is phase 3 of 5 of the journey: the same steps, but applied to your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines monitored. See the whole journey to Aruba.