A pre-flight checklist for receiving Curacao (+599) SMS codes

What belongs on the checklist before you order a +599 number?

Island markets reward a little preparation, because route availability shifts during the day and a rushed test burns time. Tick these off before the first request:

• An API key from the Developer console. Keys begin with or_live_; an account can hold up to 10, so give CI and staging their own.
• A funded USD wallet, or a development account switched to sandbox on request if you only want to exercise the integration.
• The right ids. Curacao is cw in the API; the service id comes from GET /api/v1/services.
• A webhook endpoint with its secret stored, or a polling loop with a sensible interval. Up to 5 endpoints are allowed per account.
• A storage rule for +599 numbers (covered below), so test data matches production data.
• A plan for the empty case: what your test does when the window expires with no code.

Which services does the Curacao verification number route cover?

The live snapshot for Curacao lists more than 400 services. Popular ones include Telegram, Google (Gmail & YouTube), Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), ChatGPT (OpenAI), Microsoft & Outlook, Amazon, Discord, LinkedIn, Signal, Netflix, Uber and Airbnb. The travel and messaging names are the ones Curacao teams tend to reach for first, since hospitality and visitor-facing products drive a lot of the island's digital sign-ups.

Treat this list as a starting point rather than a promise. Inventory moves through the day, which is exactly why the API returns availability with each price lookup.

Step by step: calling the Curacao OTP API

Every call goes to https://otproute.com/api/v1 with your Bearer key, within a ceiling of 300 requests per minute.

1. Read GET /api/v1/prices?country=cw&service=<id> to confirm the route is open and see the current price for that pairing.
2. Create the order with POST /api/v1/activations, sending {"service": "telegram", "country": "cw"} or whichever service id you need. The response carries an activation id and the +599 number.
3. Enter that number in the sign-up or login screen you are testing.
4. Wait for activation.sms_received on your webhook, or poll GET /api/v1/activations/{id} at a calm interval.
5. If the test is abandoned, call POST /api/v1/activations/{id}/cancel so the wallet is credited straight away.

Before trusting any webhook, check the X-OTPRoute-Signature header: compute HMAC-SHA256 over "<t>.<raw body>" with the endpoint secret and reject stale timestamps. The webhook signing guide walks through it in more depth.

How should a +599 number be stored and normalized?

Curacao shares the +599 country code with Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, and Curacao subscriber numbers follow that code with a 9. That leading 9 is part of the number, not a trunk prefix, so a normalizer that strips it will corrupt the record. Store the full E.164 string (+5999 followed by the remaining digits) with no spaces, and add formatting only at display time.

It is also worth checking that your phone input widget lists Curacao as its own entry instead of folding it into a generic Netherlands Antilles option, which older libraries still do.

On language: Papiamentu, Dutch and English are all official, and most global services send codes in English or follow the language set on the account. If your product localizes into Dutch or Papiamentu, run at least one pass per language so you see the real template, not a fallback. Teams usually test here when launching in the Dutch Caribbean, serving visitors who book from abroad, or running regional operations from the island.

What is the dashboard path for people who don't write code?

Support agents and product managers can do the same thing without any scripting:

1. Create an account with email and a 6-digit code, or Google sign-in, and turn on TOTP two-factor.
2. Top up the wallet.
3. Open the OTP Gateway, choose the service, then pick Curacao; the price appears before you confirm.
4. Copy the +599 number into the app and watch the activation card until the code appears.

The same 20-minute window and refund rule apply as with the API.

Troubleshooting: the Curacao code never showed up

A silent activation is normal now and then, and it costs nothing because the amount returns to the wallet when the window closes or you cancel.

• Let the window run. Some services resend slowly; cancelling at minute two throws away a code that might still arrive.
• Check the target service's stance on virtual numbers. Some refuse them, which is why the refund exists.
• Retry later, or try another country route if the test does not depend on a Curacao number specifically.
• Avoid re-ordering in a tight loop. Back off between attempts so you are not stacking parallel activations for one test.

The QA testing solution page shows how teams build these retries into automated suites.

Long-term lines, wallet and billing for Curacao projects

There is no self-serve long-term number for Curacao. If you need a line you keep for months, email [email protected] and the team will check what local rules permit; nothing is promised. Dedicated lines are a US and Canada product, from $1.95/month, described on the virtual numbers page.

Curacao activations draw on a single prepaid USD wallet, with no monthly fee and no plan to pick. Card payments and USDT/USDC both work for topping up, and each top-up generates an emailed PDF invoice for your Curacao project's books. Current rates sit on the pricing page. Use OTP Route only for your own products and legitimate accounts, follow each service's terms, and note that OTP Route's Acceptable Use Policy applies.

Frequently asked questions

Can I test a Curacao sign-up flow without buying a local SIM?

Yes. Order a +599 number from the OTP Gateway for the service under test and read the code in the dashboard or via the API, with no SIM or handset on the island.

What country id does OTP Route use for Curacao?

Curacao is cw. Combine cw with the service id listed by GET /api/v1/services in every price check and order.

Is the 9 after +599 a trunk prefix I should drop?

No. For Curacao the 9 is part of the subscriber number, so keep it in the stored E.164 value.

Am I charged when a Curacao activation expires with no code?

No. If no SMS arrives within 20 minutes, or you cancel first, the full amount goes back to your wallet automatically.

Can I keep a Curacao number for repeat logins next month?

Not through self-serve. Long-term dedicated numbers are only sold for the US and Canada; for Curacao you can email support to ask, without any promise of availability.

How can I wire up the integration before spending wallet funds?

Request sandbox mode for a development account through support. It returns simulated numbers and codes so the full API and webhook path can be exercised end to end.

Service names are trademarks of their respective owners. OTP Route is not affiliated with them. Use numbers lawfully, follow each service's terms and our Acceptable Use Policy.