Heyliger-Marten announces plans for national vehicle ownership registry

GREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten has disclosed that government is exploring the establishment of a centralized National Vehicle Titling System that would create a verified database of vehicle ownership on St. Maarten, strengthen road tax compliance, assist law enforcement and help authorities identify those responsible for abandoned vehicles.

The Minister revealed the initiative during Friday's continuation of the 2027 national budget debate, responding to parliamentary questions about the need to modernize vehicle registration and address longstanding concerns involving traffic management, abandoned car wrecks, crime and vehicle identification.

According to Heyliger-Marten, preliminary discussions have already taken place between the Ministry of TEATT and Kadaster concerning the proposed system, which would establish a centralized vehicle ownership database, potentially administered by Kadaster.

The Minister emphasized that the proposed reform would go considerably further than simply modernizing the annual issuance of vehicle license plates.

Government, she explained, needs a reliable mechanism to establish which vehicles are legally operating on St. Maarten, who owns them, whether applicable obligations have been met and how this information can support public safety, enforcement and transportation planning.

Vehicle Ownership Would Be Linked to a Certificate of Title

Under the concept being developed, every vehicle would have a secure and verifiable ownership record connecting it to its legal owner.

A government-verified Certificate of Title would serve as the foundation for subsequent vehicle registration and the issuance of license plates.

The proposed system would establish a more reliable chain of ownership, potentially making it easier for government authorities to identify vehicles, verify their registration status and determine responsibility when vehicles are transferred, abandoned or otherwise become the subject of enforcement action.

Heyliger-Marten explained that the proposed framework is designed to serve several ministries and public institutions, rather than operating exclusively as a vehicle licensing system.

Stronger Road Tax Compliance

For the Ministry of Finance and the Receiver's Office, the centralized system could help identify vehicles that are not properly registered and strengthen compliance with annual road tax obligations.

By linking vehicle registration to verified ownership records, government hopes to close existing registration gaps and improve the reliability of information used to monitor road tax compliance.

The Minister indicated that this would provide authorities with a more accurate picture of vehicles legally circulating on St. Maarten and the obligations associated with them.

Addressing Stolen Vehicles and Registration Fraud

The proposed system could also support the Ministry of Justice and the St. Maarten Police Force (KPSM) by giving law enforcement officers access, under appropriate arrangements, to verified vehicle ownership information.

According to Heyliger-Marten, such a system could assist officers in identifying stolen vehicles and vehicles operating under cloned identification.

The database would provide a mechanism for checking ownership records against vehicle identification information, strengthening the ability of law enforcement to investigate discrepancies and verify the legal status of vehicles.

Tracing Owners of Abandoned Car Wrecks

Another potential benefit concerns the growing challenge of abandoned vehicles occupying public spaces and roadsides.

For the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), the proposed ownership database could establish a documented chain of responsibility for vehicles that are abandoned.

Heyliger-Marten explained that an abandoned vehicle should not simply become an unidentified piece of waste for government to remove.

With a reliable ownership history, authorities could potentially trace the person responsible for the vehicle and determine whether associated removal and cleanup costs can be recovered.

The proposed system could therefore provide another tool for addressing abandoned car wrecks, although the legal mechanisms for assigning responsibility and recovering costs would still need to be developed.

Vehicle Data Could Improve Traffic Planning

Beyond registration and enforcement, the Minister identified transportation planning as another important objective of the proposed reform.

She explained that government needs reliable data about the number and types of vehicles using St. Maarten's roads to develop effective policies addressing traffic congestion, road infrastructure and future mobility needs.

The proposed database could provide a more accurate understanding of vehicles in circulation, supporting road network planning, environmental assessments and economic forecasting.

The Minister also highlighted the country's open border with French St. Martin, explaining that better information is needed concerning Dutch-side and French-side registered vehicles operating on local roads.

Such information could support a more informed approach to congestion management and transportation planning.

Dealerships, Inspection Center and Insurance Companies Could Participate

The concept currently under consideration would involve several public and private institutions contributing information to a centralized system.

According to Heyliger-Marten, the proposed model is based on distributed input and centralized verification.

Vehicle dealerships and individual importers could provide initial vehicle information, while the Vehicle Inspection Center would handle verification of Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs).

Insurance companies would confirm applicable insurance policies, and Kadaster would manage the centralized ownership ledger and title documentation.

The Minister emphasized that the objective is to create a secure and reliable framework that serves the legitimate information needs of the relevant authorities while allowing defined participation by private sector entities.

Memorandum of Understanding With Kadaster Is Next Step

Heyliger-Marten identified the next institutional step as formalizing cooperation between TEATT and Kadaster through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Following that, the respective technical and legal teams would work on the governance arrangements, responsibilities and services needed to support the proposed system.

The initiative remains at the conceptual and exploratory stage. No implementation date, final cost or approved legal framework was announced.

The Minister stressed that government does not intend simply to digitize the existing registration process without addressing the underlying issues of ownership, accountability, enforcement and reliable information.

The proposed National Vehicle Titling System would instead seek to establish a coordinated framework connecting vehicle ownership records with road taxation, policing, abandoned vehicle management and long-term mobility planning.

For Heyliger-Marten, the broader objective is to develop a system in which reliable vehicle information supports safer roads, stronger accountability and more informed decisions about transportation on St. Maarten.

‍