Practical guide — the highway code in Morocco
Driving in Moroccoas atourist
A tourist drives in Morocco on their national driving licence for any stay under one year. This guide covers the mandatory documents, the traffic rules and the penalties involved.
Table of mandatory documents and rules
Nine documents and rules govern tourist driving in Morocco, from the national licence to the seatbelt. The table below lists each requirement with the exact penalty for breaching it, from a fine to vehicle immobilisation.
| Document or rule | What it requires | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| National driving licence | Valid for any tourist stay under one year, in its original language or with an acceptable translation | Vehicle immobilisation and TODO: fine amount |
| International Driving Permit | Official translation of the national licence, not a licence in its own right; required if the licence is not written in French, Arabic or English | Fine from the gendarmerie royale if missing |
| Vehicle registration document | Vehicle document to be carried at all times, issued by the rental agency | Vehicle held at the checkpoint |
| Insurance | Mandatory third-party liability insurance, taken out by the rental agency for every rented vehicle | Impoundment of an uninsured vehicle |
| Minimum age | 18 under the Moroccan highway code; 21 with a licence held for one year, required by rental agencies | Rental refused below the required age |
| Drink driving | Blood alcohol limit set at 0.20 grams per litre of blood | Licence held and TODO: fine amount |
| Phone use while driving | Handheld use banned while driving | Fine and TODO: points deduction |
| Seatbelt | Mandatory at every fitted seat, front and back | TODO: fixed fine amount |
| Child seat | Mandatory for children under 10, matched to the child’s weight | Fine and vehicle immobilisation until compliant |
Rules applicable to tourists driving a rental vehicle in Morocco. Fine amounts marked TODO remain to be confirmed with the Sûreté nationale.
Is a foreign driving licence valid in Morocco?
A foreign driving licence remains valid for any tourist stay under one year. The International Driving Permit is not a licence in its own right. It is an official translation of the national licence, required only when the original is not written in French, Arabic or English.
The ministère du Transport et de la Logistique, Morocco’s transport ministry, recognises foreign licences with no extra formality for the length of the tourist visa.
Beyond one year of residence, the driver must obtain a Moroccan licence.
How do road checks work in Morocco?
The gendarmerie royale runs fixed checkpoints at town entrances and toll gates. Fixed and mobile speed cameras monitor speed on national roads and motorways. A check asks for the licence, the registration document and the insurance certificate.
The gendarmerie royale is the authority responsible for road safety outside towns in Morocco; the police hold this role inside city limits.
Checkpoints cluster at the exits from Marrakech toward Agadir, Ouarzazate and Casablanca.
What is the price of fuel in Morocco and where do you find it?
Moroccan fuel stations sell diesel and unleaded petrol across the entire road network. The major chains Afriquia, Shell and Total line the national roads and the motorways. The pump price is TODO: price per litre in 2026.
Stations sit less than 60 km apart on main routes such as the A7 and the N9.
The remote southern zones, between Ouarzazate and Merzouga, require refuelling before any stretch over 150 km.
Can you drive at night in Morocco outside towns?
Night driving outside towns runs on roads with no lighting across most of the national network. Stray animals and pedestrians without reflectors form the main risk after dark. Professional drivers limit night journeys to lit motorway sections.
National roads such as the N9 and the N8 carry no lighting outside town crossings.
Herds of goats and sheep cross mountain roads at sunset, with no reflective markings.
What alternative exists for visiting Morocco without driving yourself?
A driver holding a category D licence and a professional driver’s card takes on the driving, the parking and the checkpoints.
Morocco’s legal framework, set by dahir n° 1-63-260, governs tourist passenger transport with a licence and a professional driver, outside self-drive rental.
Private driver in Marrakech · Self-drive minibus hire in Morocco · Request a free minibus quote in Marrakech
Frequently asked questions
Is the Moroccan highway code different from the French one?
The Moroccan highway code follows the same right-of-way and signage principles as the French one. Maximum speeds differ. The motorway allows 120 km/h against 130 km/h in France. Road signs are bilingual, in Arabic and in French.
What is the minimum age to rent a car in Morocco?
Rental agencies require drivers to be 21 and to have held a licence for one year. The Moroccan highway code sets the legal driving age at 18. Some agencies raise the minimum age to 23 for vehicles over 12 seats.
Do Moroccan roundabouts follow a special right-of-way rule?
Right of way belongs to the vehicle already in the roundabout, as in France since 1983. Some town-centre roundabouts set a right-of-way-to-the-right rule marked by a specific sign. Gendarmes direct traffic at the busiest roundabouts.
Is a child seat mandatory for children under 10?
Yes, a seat matched to the child’s weight is mandatory up to age 10. Rental agencies supply booster seats and infant seats on request. Missing the right seat carries a fine and vehicle immobilisation.
Can a tourist drive a minibus with more than 9 seats in Morocco?
No, driving a minibus with more than 9 seats requires a category D licence and a professional driver’s card. A tourist without those qualifications cannot rent that class of vehicle without a driver. The legal framework excludes self-drive rental for tourist use above that capacity.
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