Palau Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify a Palau Business

TL;DR. Palau’s company registry is administered by the Office of the Registrar of Corporations under the Ministry of Finance in Ngerulmud. There is no self-service online search portal for foreign compliance buyers as of May 2026. Palau uses USD, has a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the United States, and is not on the FATF grey list. The commercial sector is dominated by tourism, fisheries, and US-linked service industries. Company verification requires direct contact with the registry or a local agent.

What is the official Palau business registry?

The Republic of Palau’s Office of the Registrar of Corporations is responsible for company registration and corporate record-keeping under the Business Corporations Act. The registry operates within the Ministry of Finance, located in Ngerulmud, the national capital, on the island of Babeldaob.

Palau became a sovereign nation in 1994 following a unique process: it was the last United Nations Trust Territory administered by the United States to gain independence. The Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the United States, in effect since 1994 and extended under updated compact terms in 2023, provides for US defense obligations, economic assistance, and the right of Palauan citizens to live and work in the United States. The COFA relationship shapes Palau’s financial regulatory environment, which has material alignment with US standards.

Palau uses the US dollar as its official currency, having no independent national currency. The economy is heavily dependent on tourism (particularly dive tourism in Palau’s UNESCO-listed marine environment), US compact funding, and fisheries. The formal commercial sector is small, primarily serving the tourism industry, construction, retail, and government contracting.

The Business Corporations Act governs both domestic corporations and foreign companies registered to operate in Palau. Foreign investment is subject to a foreign investment approval process administered by the Foreign Investment Board (FIB) under the Foreign Investment Act. For foreign-owned or foreign-controlled entities, the FIB approval is a separate but parallel requirement to company registration.

What can you search?

There is no publicly accessible self-service search portal for the Palau company registry as of May 2026. Foreign compliance buyers cannot independently query the registry online.

Through formal request to the Office of the Registrar of Corporations or the Foreign Investment Board, the following information may be available:

• Confirmation of entity registration and current status (active, dissolved)
• Registered corporation name and number
• Director names and registered office address
• Foreign Investment Board approval status (for foreign-owned entities)
• Annual filing status

Engaging a local attorney or corporate service provider in Koror (Palau’s commercial hub, separate from the political capital Ngerulmud) is the most reliable approach for timely registry verification.

How much does it cost?

Fees are indicative. Palau uses USD directly; no conversion is required. Confirm current schedules with the Ministry of Finance or Foreign Investment Board at palaugov.pw. Local agent fees for search and retrieval are additional.

Do you need a local account or ID?

There is no online account system. Written requests to the Registrar of Corporations should include the company name, registration number if known, and the stated purpose. A Palauan identity document is not required from foreign requesters. A local agent in Koror with an established relationship with the Ministry of Finance can facilitate faster processing.

Is the website in English?

Yes. Palauan and English are both official languages of Palau. All company registration documents, legal filings, and government administration are conducted in English. The Palau government website at palaugov.pw is in English.

What’s the turnaround time?

Expect several business days to two weeks for a response to a foreign compliance inquiry. Palau’s government administrative capacity is adequate for its scale of commercial activity, but there is no expedited digital process for international compliance buyers. Engaging a local agent reduces turnaround time.

Is there an API?

No. There is no API for programmatic access to Palau company data. The registry is administered through manual processes with no public digital search function.

What you legally cannot do

Use of registry data for purposes beyond the stated inquiry is not permitted under Palauan law and data handling standards. The Foreign Investment Act restricts the use of FIB application data; certified copies of approvals are issued only to the applicant entity or its authorized representatives. Document the KYC or due-diligence basis for each search as part of your audit trail.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• Tourism-sector dominance. The majority of commercially active corporations in Palau are linked to the tourism and hospitality sector: hotels, dive operators, boat charters, and travel agencies. Real estate and construction companies serving the tourism industry are also prevalent. The commercial profile is important context for assessing counterparty risk.
• Foreign investment restrictions. Palau maintains sector-specific restrictions on foreign ownership. Retail trade, fishing, tourism, and certain other sectors may require local ownership or joint-venture arrangements. A foreign-owned entity operating in a restricted sector without FIB approval is in violation of Palauan law. Confirming both company registration and FIB approval status is important for due diligence on foreign-invested entities.
• COFA regulatory alignment. Palau’s COFA relationship with the US means that US financial regulations (FinCEN, OFAC) apply to transactions involving US persons and US-dollar transactions with Palauan counterparties in the normal course. US-regulated institutions will apply standard AML frameworks. The COFA does not create a unified financial regulatory space, but the economic integration is material.
• FATF status. Palau is not on the FATF grey list as of May 2026. The APG covers Palau in its Pacific evaluation program. See apgml.org for current evaluation status and fatf-gafi.org for the grey list.
• No beneficial ownership registry. No public UBO register exists. For enhanced due diligence on Palau-connected entities, obtain UBO declarations directly from the counterparty and cross-reference with FIB records if the entity is foreign-invested.
• ADB country support. The Asian Development Bank maintains a country partnership with Palau focused on transport, energy, and public sector capacity. ADB program documents provide useful context on Palau’s governance trajectory. See adb.org/countries/palau/overview.

Alternatives if you cannot access the Palau registry directly

• Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute (PacLII) (paclii.org) publishes Palau legislation, including the Business Corporations Act and Foreign Investment Act, useful for understanding the registration framework.
• Direct company disclosure. Request certified copies of incorporation documents and FIB approval letters directly from the counterparty. For Palau-registered entities presented by a counterparty for due diligence, this is often more practical than a direct registry query.
• OpenCorporates has limited Palau coverage due to the absence of a public digital registry.

Local data suppliers

No commercial credit bureau or business information provider with verified retail access to Palau company data is operating at scale as of May 2026. Local attorneys in Koror are the primary source of certified company information for foreign compliance buyers.

FAQ

Can a foreign company verify a Palau business remotely?

Possible but requires manual steps. Submit a written request to the Office of the Registrar of Corporations or the Foreign Investment Board. Alternatively, engage a Koror-based attorney or corporate service provider. No self-service online option exists.

What entity types are registered in Palau?

Palau registers domestic corporations (under the Business Corporations Act), partnerships, sole proprietorships, and foreign companies. Foreign-owned entities may also require Foreign Investment Board approval depending on sector.

Does Palau have a beneficial ownership registry?

No public UBO registry exists in Palau as of May 2026. Obtain UBO information directly from the counterparty through certified declarations.

Is Palau on the FATF grey list?

No. Palau is not on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring as of May 2026. See fatf-gafi.org for current status.

What currency does Palau use?

Palau uses the US dollar (USD). There is no Palauan national currency. All government fees and business transactions are in USD.

Last verified: May 2026. Sources: Republic of Palau Government (palaugov.pw); Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (apgml.org); Asian Development Bank Palau country page (adb.org/countries/palau/overview); FATF (fatf-gafi.org). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.