Driving in Morocco: from road rules to a prepared departure

1. Check licence rules and authorised drivers

Article 2 of Law No. 52-05 allows foreign drivers on a temporary stay in Morocco to use a valid foreign licence for a maximum of 1 year from the start of their temporary stay in Morocco. For a different situation or a longer stay, check the rule with the competent authorities.

The agency may have its own document and eligibility requirements. Confirm the terms for each driver and how they are recorded in the contract. Commercial approval does not replace the legal rule, and a licence accepted by law does not guarantee acceptance by the agency.

• Check licence validity and the scope of your stay.
• Ask who may drive the vehicle under the contract.
• Clarify the agency's contacts and instructions if an incident occurs.

2. Get familiar with the vehicle before setting off

Before entering traffic, locate the useful controls: indicators, lights, wipers, adjustments and parking brake. Adjust the seat and mirrors, then ask for an explanation if a control or warning light is unfamiliar.

Prepare your route and destination before departure. If you need to change navigation while travelling, plan to park somewhere safe and permitted instead of handling the phone in traffic. This is preparation advice, not a new rule about device use when stationary.

3. Read speed signs rather than applying one number everywhere

The general limit in built-up areas is 60 km/h. Local signs take precedence, including zones limited to 20 km/h or 40 km/h. Entering a town therefore does not mean 60 km/h applies on every street.

Watch for signs along your route and adjust your speed to conditions. Navigation information does not replace road signs. This guide does not extend these numbers to roads outside built-up areas or add fine amounts or enforcement practices.

Hypothetical example: you enter a built-up area and see a 40 km/h sign. The general 60 km/h limit is not a reason to ignore this local restriction.

4. Approach roundabouts without assuming automatic priority

Follow the signs and applicable priority rules. Do not assume automatic priority for vehicles already on the roundabout or for those entering: a habit from another country is not enough to decide who goes first.

Every lane change in a roundabout must comply with priority rules and be signalled with an indicator. Signalling a manoeuvre does not remove the duty to respect priority. Prepare your direction and avoid an abrupt manoeuvre to recover a missed exit.

• Observe the indications on approach and the vehicles concerned.
• Do not change lanes on the assumption that your indicator gives you priority.
• If unsure of the route, continue without a rushed manoeuvre, then review it somewhere safe.

5. Phone and alcohol: keep the rules within their proper scope

Using a phone held in the hand by the driver of a vehicle in circulation is prohibited. Put it away and prepare settings before departure. This reminder does not claim that hands-free equipment is permitted or that briefly stopping in traffic creates an exception.

Under Joint Order No. 2707-10, the threshold is reached at 0.10 mg/L of exhaled air or 0.20 g/L of blood. The units and testing media are different: do not interchange them. Do not drive under the influence of alcohol; as a precaution, do not drink before driving.

These values are not a way to calculate an allowed amount of drink or a waiting time. This guide establishes no separate threshold for another category of driver.

6. Prepare for driving during the rental and at return

Keep the agency's contact details and ask for its instructions if a warning light appears, the vehicle seems to have a problem or an incident occurs. Do not assume a repair, replacement or assistance is automatically authorised or included; clarify the contractual procedure.

For return, confirm the location and handover arrangements, prepare your route before setting off and keep the inspection record. Contractual fuel, mileage or return obligations must be read in your offer; they are not general road rules.

Frequently asked questions

Does 60 km/h apply on every street in a town?

No. It is the general limit in built-up areas; local signs take precedence, including 20 or 40 km/h zones. Observe the signs rather than applying the number everywhere.

Who has priority at a roundabout?

It depends on the signs and applicable priority rules. Do not assume automatic priority for vehicles already on it or entering. Lane changes must respect priority and be signalled with an indicator.

Can I read a message at a red light?

Do not infer from this guide that stopping in traffic permits handheld phone use. The reminder concerns the driver of a vehicle in circulation. Arrange things so you do not handle the phone during the journey.

What do the two alcohol thresholds refer to?

0.10 mg/L refers to exhaled air; 0.20 g/L refers to blood. Joint Order 2707-10 sets the thresholds, reached at these values. They are not used here to calculate an amount of drink or a waiting time before driving.

Does this guide cover every rule and equipment requirement?

No. Its focus is preparing to set off using selected reminders. Consult the applicable texts and existing guide for more detail, and confirm the agency's terms separately. No new list of mandatory equipment is added.