In the coming period, the Tax Administration of the Caribbean Netherlands will have real estate on Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba (“BES islands” or “Caribbean Netherlands”) appraised in connection with the levy of real estate tax for the period from 1 January 2026 through 31 December 2030.
For the purposes of levying real estate tax, the value of immovable property is reassessed every five years. The valuation date for this new period is 1 January 2026. These activities form part of the regular valuation process carried out by the Tax Administration to ensure real estate tax assessments are as accurate and transparent as possible. The valuation is solely intended to determine the property value for tax purposes and is not intended for enforcement or inspection purposes.
The appraisals will be conducted by independent, certified appraisers engaged by the Tax Administration of the Caribbean Netherlands. They will determine the value of, among others, commercial buildings, hotels, educational and healthcare facilities, utilities, and similar properties located on the BES islands. The work consists of visual observations from public roads, supplemented by information from the land registry, building records, and other public sources.
If you have any questions about BES islands real estate tax or require advice in connection with the announced appraisals by the Tax Administration of the Caribbean Netherlands, our tax specialists at Rootz Tax Lawyers are happy to assist you.
Important: Once a valuation decision (“waardebeschikking”) is issued for the new period, it is essential to check it carefully. If you disagree with the determined value, you must file an objection against the valuation decision. If you fail to do so, you will not be able to successfully object later in the five-year period to a real estate tax assessment on the grounds that the value was incorrectly determined. Such grounds can only be raised in an objection to the valuation decision itself.
August 2025