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Table of Contents

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Data Sources

All Cayman Islands company data is sourced from the General Registry of the Cayman Islands, the official registrar of companies, partnerships, and trusts. The General Registry is a division of the Department of Commerce and Investment, and maintains records of over 45,000 registered entities. The system uses three paid document types from the CIREGISTRY online portal (online.ciregistry.gov.ky), all delivered as PDF documents and AI-parsed for structured data:
  • Detailed Search (CI50/US50 / US60.98) — The most comprehensive document. Provides company details, directors, shareholders (when disclosed), registered office, and full registration data. This is the primary source for company profiles. AI-parsed to extract structured company data, legal representatives, and shareholders.
  • Company Details (CI30/US30 / US36.59) — A lighter document containing company name, entity type, status, incorporation date, and registered office address. Useful when only basic company information is needed without director or shareholder data.
  • Director Details (CI50/US50 / US60.98) — Lists current and former directors and officers of the company. Useful when only director information is needed.
All documents require purchase. The General Registry does not provide a free public API. Every data retrieval requires purchasing a document from the CIREGISTRY online portal. Documents purchased within the last 24 hours can be re-downloaded free of charge.
Documents are purchased through an automated process:
  1. Authentication: The system maintains a pool of pre-authenticated sessions with the CIREGISTRY portal
  2. Entity Search: The entity is located by name on the portal
  3. Document Purchase: The selected document is purchased using pre-loaded search credit
  4. PDF Download: The document is downloaded as a PDF immediately after purchase
  5. AI Parsing: Text is extracted from the PDF and parsed by AI to produce structured data
The entire process takes approximately 30-60 seconds per document.

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Company Identifiers

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Query Identifiers

Company TypeSourceFormatExampleNotes
All entitiesCIREGISTRYEntity name (base64-encoded)QlVUVEVSRklFTEQgQkFOSyAoQ0FZTUFOKSBMSU1JVEVEThe registry has no numeric IDs — entity names serve as identifiers
No numeric registration numbers. Unlike most jurisdictions, the Cayman Islands General Registry does not assign numeric registration numbers to entities. The entity’s legal name is the sole identifier. In the API, the registrationNumber field contains a base64-encoded version of the entity name.
Decoding the ID: The registrationNumber returned in search results and company profiles is the entity name encoded in base64. Decode it to get the entity’s legal name (e.g., QlVUVEVSRklFTEQgQkFOSyAoQ0FZTUFOKSBMSU1JVEVE → BUTTERFIELD BANK (CAYMAN) LIMITED).

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Identifiers in API Response

Identifier TypeFormatExampleNotes
registrationNumberBase64-encoded entity nameQlVUVEVSRklFTEQgQk...Decode to get the legal name
Cayman Islands entities do not have VAT numbers, tax IDs, or other secondary identifiers in the public registry. The entity name is the sole identifier.

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Search Capabilities

Search TypePatternExampleMatch TypeExpected Results
By NameText string (2-100 chars)"Cayman National"ContainsMultiple results
By Partial NameText string (min 2 chars)"Bank"ContainsMultiple results
Search is name-only. Since the registry has no numeric IDs, all searches are by entity name. The search queries the CIREGISTRY portal in real time using a pre-authenticated session.
Search performance: Searches use a pool of pre-authenticated sessions to avoid the 30-60 second login time. With a pooled session, searches typically complete in 10-15 seconds.

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Quirks & Gotchas

QuirkDetails
No numeric IDsEntity names are the only identifier. The registrationNumber field contains a base64-encoded entity name, not a numeric ID.
All data is paidThere is no free public API. Every document (including basic company details) must be purchased from the CIREGISTRY portal.
Exempted company privacyExempted companies (the most common entity type) are not required to publicly disclose shareholders. The shareholders array may be empty even for companies that have them.
Corporate directorsCayman Islands companies frequently have corporate entities as directors, especially exempted companies. Directors may be of type LEGAL_ENTITY rather than NATURAL_PERSON.
24-hour document cacheDocuments purchased from CIREGISTRY can be re-downloaded free of charge within 24 hours of the original purchase.
Registered Agent ≠ DirectorThe Registered Agent is a required appointment but is not a legal representative. Do not confuse with directors.
AI-parsed dataAll structured data (company info, directors, shareholders) is AI-extracted from PDF documents. Some fields may be approximate.

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Mappings

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Company Status

Status is AI-inferred from the Detailed Search PDF document.
Local StatusStandardized StatusNotes
ActiveActiveEntity is currently operating
DissolvedClosedEntity has been formally dissolved
Struck OffClosedEntity removed from register by the Registrar
In LiquidationUnder Insolvency ProceedingEntity is being wound up
Legal form is AI-inferred from the entity type shown in the Detailed Search document.
Local NameEnglish TranslationNotes
Exempted CompanyExempted CompanyMost common type for offshore entities; not required to hold annual meetings in Cayman
Exempted Limited PartnershipExempted Limited PartnershipPartnership with at least one general and one limited partner
Ordinary Resident CompanyOrdinary Resident CompanyCompany that carries on business within the Cayman Islands
Foreign CompanyForeign CompanyCompany incorporated outside Cayman but registered locally
Limited Liability Company (LLC)Limited Liability CompanyHybrid entity combining corporate and partnership features
Segregated Portfolio Company (SPC)Segregated Portfolio CompanyEntity with legally segregated portfolios; common for funds
Foundation CompanyFoundation CompanyEntity without shareholders; governed by a supervisor and secretary
Roles are AI-extracted from the “Directors” section of the Detailed Search document.
RoleNotes
DirectorStandard director role; may be individual or corporate
Alternate DirectorAppointed to act in place of a named director
SecretaryCorporate secretary (if disclosed)
Corporate directors are common in Cayman Islands companies. When a director is a legal entity rather than an individual, it is returned with type: "LEGAL_ENTITY" and the entity name in the legalName field.

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Shareholders

Shareholder data is AI-extracted from the Detailed Search document when available.
Share ClassNotes
OrdinaryStandard voting shares
PreferenceShares with preferential dividend rights
ManagementTypically held by directors or managers
Exempted companies may not disclose shareholders. The Cayman Islands Companies Act does not require exempted companies to publicly disclose their shareholders. When shareholders are not disclosed, an empty array is returned.

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Data Availability

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Data Availability Matrix

Data PointSourceAvailableNotes
Legal nameDetailed SearchAlwaysPrimary identifier for the entity
StatusDetailed SearchAlwaysAI-inferred (Active, Dissolved, Struck Off, In Liquidation)
Legal formDetailed SearchAlwaysAI-inferred entity type
Incorporation dateDetailed SearchUsuallyDate of original incorporation
Registered officeDetailed SearchUsuallyAlways in Cayman Islands; postal code format KY#-####
DirectorsDetailed SearchUsuallyIncludes corporate directors
ShareholdersDetailed SearchSometimesNot disclosed for most exempted companies

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Documents

DocumentSKUPriceContent
Detailed Searchcym-register-extract€74.00Full company details, directors, shareholders, registration data
Company Detailscym-company-details€44.00Company name, type, status, incorporation date, registered office
Director Detailscym-director-details€74.00Current and former directors and officers
Company profile is included with the Detailed Search. When you request a company profile, the Detailed Search document is purchased and AI-parsed. The company profile itself has no additional charge beyond the document purchase.

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Example API Responses

{
  "company": {
    "legalName": "OCEANIC HOLDINGS (CAYMAN) LIMITED",
    "status": "active",
    "statusDetail": "Active",
    "legalForm": "Exempted Company",
    "incorporationDate": "2018-03-15",
    "registeredAddress": {
      "streetAddress": "PO Box 309, Ugland House, George Town",
      "city": "George Town",
      "postalCode": "KY1-1104",
      "country": "KY"
    },
    "identifiers": {
      "registrationNumber": "T0NFQU5JQyBIT0xESU5HUyAoQ0FZTUFOKSBMSU1JVEVE"
    }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    {
      "firstName": "John",
      "lastName": "Smith",
      "position": "Director",
      "type": "NATURAL_PERSON"
    },
    {
      "legalName": "Corporate Services Ltd",
      "position": "Director",
      "type": "LEGAL_ENTITY"
    }
  ],
  "shareholders": []
}
Shareholders array is empty because exempted companies are not required to publicly disclose shareholder information.
{
  "company": {
    "legalName": "ISLAND TRADING CO. LIMITED",
    "status": "active",
    "statusDetail": "Active",
    "legalForm": "Ordinary Resident Company",
    "incorporationDate": "2015-07-22",
    "registeredAddress": {
      "streetAddress": "45 Harbour Drive, George Town",
      "city": "George Town",
      "postalCode": "KY1-1205",
      "country": "KY"
    },
    "identifiers": {
      "registrationNumber": "SVNMQU5EIFRSQURJTkcgQ08uIExJTUlURUQ="
    }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    {
      "firstName": "Jane",
      "lastName": "Doe",
      "position": "Director",
      "type": "NATURAL_PERSON"
    }
  ],
  "shareholders": [
    {
      "name": "Jane Doe",
      "type": "NATURAL_PERSON",
      "sharePercentage": 60,
      "shareClass": "Ordinary",
      "numberOfShares": 600
    },
    {
      "name": "Pacific Ventures Ltd",
      "type": "LEGAL_ENTITY",
      "sharePercentage": 40,
      "shareClass": "Ordinary",
      "numberOfShares": 400
    }
  ]
}

{
  "company": {
    "legalName": "SUNSET INVESTMENTS LIMITED",
    "status": "closed",
    "statusDetail": "Dissolved",
    "legalForm": "Exempted Company",
    "incorporationDate": "2010-01-10",
    "registeredAddress": {
      "streetAddress": "Cricket Square, Elgin Avenue, George Town",
      "city": "George Town",
      "postalCode": "KY1-1002",
      "country": "KY"
    },
    "identifiers": {
      "registrationNumber": "U1VOU0VUIElOVkVTVE1FTlRTIExJTUlURUQ="
    }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [],
  "shareholders": []
}
All three documents are available for every entity found via search:
DocumentSKUPriceFormat
Detailed Searchcym-register-extract€74.00PDF
Company Detailscym-company-details€44.00PDF
Director Detailscym-director-details€74.00PDF