Facts in this handbook are compiled from official sources such as local authorities. Rules change — confirm the current position through the source links or with the authority before making major decisions.
01Overview
- Region
- Africa
- Capital
- Rabat
- Currency
- MAD
- Languages
- Arabic and Amazigh (official); French common in business
- ISO code
- MA / MAR
Jurisdictions
- Morocco — National level; free zones (industrial acceleration zones) have separate rules
China's direct investment
- China's 2025 FDI flow
- 1.8 USD 100m
- End-2025 FDI stock
- 8.4 USD 100m
- Flow rank
- Outside top 20
Source：2025 Statistical Bulletin of China's Outward Foreign Direct Investment ↗ · Flow is for calendar 2025; stock is at end-2025. Flow rank is from Table 8 (top 20); other countries from Annex Tables 1–2 (originally USD 10k, converted to USD 100m; one decimal, two below 1). A negative flow means divestment exceeded new investment that year.
Macro indicators such as GDP and population are not included yet; see official statistics such as the World Bank.
02Market Entry
Industries to study: Manufacturing & plant relocationEVs, batteries & energy storage
Foreign ownership
Whether 100% foreign ownership is generally allowed, and key exceptions. Allowed / conditional / not allowed / unverified.
100% foreign ownership allowed in most sectors
- Applies to
- Some areas such as agricultural land are restricted
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE)
03Business Formation
Common legal entity
The company form most commonly used by foreign investors for a local operating entity.
Limited liability company (SARL)
- Applies to
- Joint-stock companies (SA) are also used
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Centres Régionaux d'Investissement (CRI)
Registration authority
Primary authority for company or commercial registration.
Regional Investment Centres (CRI) and the Commercial Register
- Applies to
- Ordinary companies
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Centres Régionaux d'Investissement (CRI)
Foreign ownership
Whether 100% foreign ownership is generally allowed, and key exceptions. Allowed / conditional / not allowed / unverified.
100% foreign ownership allowed in most sectors
- Applies to
- Some areas such as agricultural land are restricted
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE)
Local director / representative
Whether a locally resident director, manager or representative is required.
No nationality requirement for directors or managers
- Applies to
- Foreigners working locally need contract approval and residence
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Centres Régionaux d'Investissement (CRI)
Foreign-entity setup flow
Main approval stages for a foreign investor setting up an entity (no time estimates).
Name certificate → articles → capital deposit certificate → tax registration → commercial register → CNSS registration
- Applies to
- Can be handled through a CRI one-stop shop
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Centres Régionaux d'Investissement (CRI)OMPIC
- Cross-check
Outward Investment and Cooperation Guide: Morocco (2025 ed.)consistent
Local registered address
Whether a local registered address or premises is required at incorporation.
A registered address in Morocco is required
- Applies to
- Ordinary companies
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Centres Régionaux d'Investissement (CRI)
Beneficial ownership register
Whether companies must keep or file ultimate beneficial owner information.
Beneficial owners must be declared to the public register kept by OMPIC
- Applies to
- Under Decree 2.21.708, file within one month of registration or any change; fines of MAD 5,000–50,000
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- OMPIC
04Taxation
Headline corporate income tax
Statutory headline rate for ordinary companies, before incentives, exemptions, thresholds or special regimes. Always read with the conditions.
20% (standard rate)
- Applies to
- 35% applies to net profit of MAD 100 million or more; the rate convergence finished in 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Direction Générale des Impôts (DGI)
- Cross-check
Outward Investment and Cooperation Guide: Morocco (2025 ed.)consistent
Corporate tax and VATconsistent
Indirect tax (VAT / GST / SST)
Standard rate and type of VAT, GST or sales & service tax.
VAT standard rate 20%
- Applies to
- From 2026 the reduced rates are unified at 10% (7% and 14% bands removed); some goods moved to exempt or 20%
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Direction Générale des Impôts (DGI)
- Cross-check
Tax Guide for Chinese Residents Investing in Moroccoconsistent
Corporate tax and VATconsistent
Tax authority
Authority responsible for corporate tax registration and filing.
Direction Générale des Impôts (DGI)
- Applies to
- Ordinary companies
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Direction Générale des Impôts (DGI)
Tax treaty with China
Whether a double taxation agreement with China is in force. Rates and conditions per the treaty text.
In force
- Applies to
- Rates and conditions per the treaty text and STA publications
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- State Taxation Administration (China)
Dividend withholding tax (non-residents)
General withholding on dividends paid to foreign shareholders, before treaty relief.
11.25% in 2026 (10% from 2027)
- Applies to
- 12.5% in 2025, 11.25% in 2026, 10% from 2027; China–Morocco treaty cap 10%
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Direction Générale des Impôts (DGI)
- Cross-check
Tax Guide for Chinese Residents Investing in Moroccoconsistent
Corporate tax and VATconsistent
05Banking & Payments
Banking & financial regulator
Primary regulator for banking and foreign exchange.
Bank Al-Maghrib
- Applies to
- Ordinary companies
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Bank Al-Maghrib
Exchange controls
Whether general exchange controls or cross-border fund rules apply.
Exchange control applies
- Applies to
- Residents cannot hold foreign cash; foreign companies may open foreign-currency or convertible dirham accounts. Under IGOC 2026, dividends, profits and disposal proceeds of registered foreign investment can be freely transferred
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Office des Changes
- Cross-check
Tax Guide for Chinese Residents Investing in Moroccoconsistent
Exchange controlconsistent
06Employment
Labour & work permit authority
Authority for labour rules and foreign employee work permits.
Employment ministry (issues foreign work contracts) and ANAPEC
- Applies to
- Ordinary companies
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- ANAPEC
- Cross-check
Outward Investment and Cooperation Guide: Morocco (2025 ed.)partly consistentMOFCOM guide: foreign work contracts are issued by the employment ministry's employment office
Foreign employee work permit
Main permit types needed for foreign employees to work legally.
Foreign employee contracts must be approved by the employment authority
- Applies to
- A foreign work contract approved by the employment authority is needed before the work visa; required for stays over 3 months; some cases require showing no suitable local candidate
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- ANAPEC
- Cross-check
Outward Investment and Cooperation Guide: Morocco (2025 ed.)consistent
Foreign employee contractsconsistent
Social security contributions
Main employer social security schemes for local and foreign employees.
CNSS
- Applies to
- Ordinary companies
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale (CNSS)
07Trade & Customs
Main free trade agreements
Main regional and bilateral trade agreements relevant to Chinese exporters (not exhaustive).
EU–Morocco Association Agreement, US–Morocco FTA, AfCFTA and others
- Applies to
- Preferential tariffs require meeting rules of origin
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE)
Customs authority
Authority for import/export clearance and tariffs.
ADII
- Applies to
- Ordinary companies
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII)
08Investment & Manufacturing
Investment authority / agency
Body responsible for approving, registering or promoting foreign investment.
AMDIE
- Applies to
- Ordinary companies
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE)
Free zone / SEZ regime
Whether free zones or special economic zones operate under rules different from the mainland.
Industrial acceleration zones (free zones) such as Tangier
- Applies to
- Different tax and customs arrangements within zones
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE)
09Digital & IP
Personal data protection law
Main law and regulator governing collection, use and cross-border transfer of personal data.
Law No. 09-08 on personal data protection
- Applies to
- Overseen by the CNDP; some processing needs prior declaration or authorisation
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- Commission Nationale de contrôle de la protection des Données à caractère Personnel (CNDP)
IP office
Authority for trademark and patent filing and registration.
OMPIC
- Applies to
- Trademark rights are territorial; register locally or designate via the Madrid System (check WIPO membership)
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- OMPIC
10Compliance & Risk
New York Convention party
Whether the country is party to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, which affects enforcing foreign arbitral awards locally.
Yes
- Applies to
- Foreign arbitral awards can be enforced under the Convention, subject to its limited refusal grounds
- Jurisdiction
- Morocco
- Source
- UNCITRAL
Live risk monitoring
Geopolitical, conflict and trade-route risk events for Africa, monitored by our sister site Global Risk Monitor.
Global Risk Monitor · Geopolitical and trade-route risk monitoring
11Step-by-Step
Main setup steps in Morocco
- 1Name certificate
- 2articles
- 3capital deposit certificate
- 4tax registration
- 5commercial register
- 6CNSS registration
Can be handled through a CRI one-stop shop
General checklist (setting up a subsidiary)
- Decide model and jurisdiction
- Confirm licences
- Prepare documents
- Incorporate
- Register for tax
- Open bank account
- Obtain operating licences
- Start operations
Steps follow the setup-procedure fact on this page, without times or fees; rely on the official sources.
12Official Resources
Chinese official resources
Country materials from MOFCOM, the State Taxation Administration and China's overseas commercial offices
- MOFCOM country investment guideMOFCOM · PDF (Chinese)
- Country tax guide (STA)State Taxation Administration · PDF
- Commercial office中华人民共和国驻摩洛哥王国大使馆经济商务处
- MOFCOM going-global platformMOFCOM
- Compliance & security alertsMOFCOM platform
Official guides are long Chinese-language PDFs updated on the publishers' schedules. Our structured facts cite local authorities as primary sources; use these guides to cross-check.
Local authorities
- Company registrationCentres Régionaux d'Investissement (CRI)Business setup · Accessed 2026-11-12
- TaxDirection Générale des Impôts (DGI)Corporate tax and VAT · Accessed 2026-11-12
- InvestmentMoroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE)Investment promotion · Accessed 2026-11-12
- Financial regulationBank Al-MaghribBanking supervision · Accessed 2026-11-12
- Financial regulationOffice des ChangesExchange control · Accessed 2026-11-12
- LabourCaisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale (CNSS)Social security · Accessed 2026-11-12
- LabourANAPECForeign employee contracts · Accessed 2026-11-12
- CustomsAdministration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII)Customs · Accessed 2026-11-12
- LegislationCommission Nationale de contrôle de la protection des Données à caractère Personnel (CNDP)Personal data protection · Accessed 2026-11-12
- Company registrationOMPICTrademarks, patents and commercial register · Accessed 2026-11-12