Aruba expands international aviation business through San Marino agreement

ORANJESTAD — Aruba is further strengthening its position as an international aviation jurisdiction through a new agreement with San Marino. The agreement, signed on September 7, allows aircraft registered in San Marino to be commercially operated under an Aruban Air Operator Certificate (AOC). Since May, the reverse arrangement has already been possible: aircraft with Aruba’s P4 registration can operate under a San Marino AOC.

The model separates two important elements: aircraft registration and commercial operating authorization. This allows an aircraft to be registered in one jurisdiction while operating under the supervision of another aviation authority.

For Aruba, this builds on a model the country has been developing for years. A company with its principal place of business in Aruba can apply for an AOC from the Department of Civil Aviation, but that does not mean the aircraft must operate from Queen Beatrix Airport or even regularly visit Aruba.

The system is particularly attractive for international aviation, including aircraft owners, leasing companies and operators seeking to use Aruba as a legal and regulatory base while deploying aircraft elsewhere in the world.

The agreement with San Marino operates under Article 83 bis of the Chicago Convention, which allows countries to divide certain oversight responsibilities. Each aviation authority remains responsible for its own part of the supervision.

A notable aspect is that the aircraft registries of Aruba and San Marino are commercially supported by the same private group, Miami-based Aviation Registry Group. The company has operated The Registry of Aruba since 1995 and the San Marino Aircraft Registry since 2012.

This activity also has economic value for Aruba. In the 2026 budget, the Department of Civil Aviation lists an annual estimate of Afl. 1.3 million for services related to coordinating the registration of foreign aircraft. That figure does not include the income of the private registry operator or wider revenues for legal, financial and aviation service providers.

The agreement shows that Aruba’s aviation sector is not limited to passenger flights to and from the island. Aruba also markets aircraft registration, certification, regulation and oversight as an international service, even for aircraft that may rarely operate physically in Aruba.