Services · Company formation
Company registration in Morocco
Three days to register and zero minimum capital, but dividends leave the country freely only if the contribution came in foreign currency. We cover the SARL, the SAS and the branch, manager and address requirements, steps and timeline, state fees, the 20% and 11.25% taxes, annual filings, exchange control and bank accounts for citizens of Russia and Belarus.
Is it worth setting up a company in Morocco in 2026
A company in Morocco is registered in three days on average - that is the figure the country's Ministry of Industry and Trade gives for complete files. The most popular company form has no minimum capital, a foreigner can hold 100% of the shares, and no local partner is needed.
A cheap entry does not make Morocco a low-tax country. Profit is taxed at 20%, dividends carry a further 11.25% withholding tax, and after the first 36 months the company pays a minimum tax even if it ends the year with a loss. For comparison, the UAE taxes corporate profit at 9% and does not withhold tax on dividends.
The second filter is exchange control. The dirham, Morocco's currency, is not freely convertible. Dividends leave the country without extra questions only when the owner paid for the investment in foreign currency through a bank. The rules are written by the Foreign Exchange Office (Office des Changes), the state exchange control authority.
Who it suits. Manufacturing and assembly aimed at Europe and Africa: Morocco has free trade agreements with the EU and the United States, and Spain is 14 kilometres away across the Strait of Gibraltar. Service centres with local staff, hotel projects, and trade on a domestic market of about 37 million people.
Who it does not suit. Owners looking for a company with no office and no staff to run international payments: a dirham account, exchange control and a 20% tax make that structure pointless. Buying farmland will not work either: it is not sold to foreigners, only leased for up to 99 years. In air transport, maritime transport and sea fishing the foreign stake is capped at 49% - this is how the US Department of State describes the restrictions.
Limited liability companies are governed by Law No. 5-96, joint-stock companies by Law No. 17-95. The country overview is on the Morocco page.
We will calculate online the cost of registering and running your company for the first year.
Which company type should a foreigner choose: SARL, SAS or a branch
One form covers almost any task a foreign owner has: the limited liability company (société à responsabilité limitée, SARL), the direct counterpart of an LLC. Members risk only their contributions, and the capital can be any amount. The single-owner version is called SARL AU (SARL d'associé unique - a company with a sole member).
| Form | What it is | Members and capital | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARL (société à responsabilité limitée) | Limited liability company, the equivalent of an LLC | 2 to 50 members, any capital | The main option for small and mid-sized businesses with partners |
| SARL AU (SARL d'associé unique) | The same company with one member | 1 member - an individual or a company, any capital | A sole owner, a subsidiary of a foreign firm |
| SAS (société par actions simplifiée) | Simplified joint-stock company: the shareholders write the governance rules into the articles themselves | From 1 shareholder, any capital; represented by a president; no public offering of shares | Joint projects with investors that need flexible entry and exit rules |
| SA (société anonyme) | Classic joint-stock company | At least 5 shareholders; capital from $31,000, or from $310,000 with a public offering; a statutory auditor is mandatory | Large businesses, banks, insurance companies |
| Branch (succursale) | A unit of a foreign company with no legal personality of its own | No capital; the head office answers for its debts | Contracting work and projects with a clear end date |
The SAS in its current shape dates from 2021: Law No. 19-20 allowed a single shareholder to form one with no minimum capital. There is less practice around it than around the SARL.
The law bars banks, credit, investment and insurance companies from using the SARL form - they are left with the joint-stock company.
The branch has a trap of its own: profit it passes to the head office abroad is taxed at source the same way as dividends. It does not save tax, and the head office answers for the debts.
What are the capital, manager and address requirements for a company in Morocco
The minimum capital of an SARL is zero: since 2011 the members set the amount themselves in the articles. The first version of Law No. 5-96 required at least 100,000 dirhams; Law No. 24-10 removed the minimum altogether.
- Capital. At registration it is enough to pay up a quarter of the cash contributions, with the rest due within five years. If the capital exceeds $11,000, the money goes into a blocked bank account within eight days; the bank releases it once the company is entered in the commercial register. With capital of up to $11,000 this step is not needed.
- Members. An SARL has one to fifty, individuals or companies from any country. The law sets no nationality or residence requirements for members.
- Manager (gérant). An SARL is run by one or more managers, who must be individuals. A manager does not have to be a member, and the law sets no condition of nationality or residence in Morocco. If the articles are silent on the term, the manager is appointed for three years.
- Address. The company needs a registered address in Morocco: a lease or a registered-office service agreement (contrat de domiciliation). Since 2019 such agreements have been governed by Law No. 89-17, which amended the Commercial Code.
- Company secretary. Moroccan law has no such office. The manager keeps the corporate records.
- Statutory auditor (commissaire aux comptes). An SARL must appoint an auditor once annual turnover net of tax exceeds $5.1 million. A joint-stock company always needs one.
Registering a company gives no right to live in the country: staying in Morocco for more than 90 days takes a foreigner's registration card, and Morocco issues no residence permit for investment. The grounds and timelines are on our page about residence and citizenship in Morocco.
Capital is not a formality even when the law allows any amount. The Foreign Exchange Office says so directly in its instruction: a company's own funds must be in line with its activity.
Let us check whether this country fits you
Three questions in the chat show whether it fits your business.
Can you register a company in Morocco remotely: steps and timeline
There is no need to travel to Morocco to register: Article 50 of Law No. 5-96 lets the members sign the constitutive act in person or through a representative holding a special power of attorney. The power of attorney is notarised, apostilled and translated into French or Arabic by a sworn translator: the Apostille Convention has been in force for Morocco since 14 August 2016.
The filing itself has moved online. Law No. 88-17 created the DirectEntreprise platform, run by the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (Office Marocain de la Propriété Industrielle et Commerciale, OMPIC). Since March 2025 it has covered the whole country and connects the commercial register kept by the courts, the tax administration, the social security fund and the official gazette.
| Step | What happens | Where the documents go |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Name | A certificate that the name is available (certificat négatif). Valid for 90 days | OMPIC |
| 2. Address | A lease or a registered-office service agreement | The owner of the premises |
| 3. Articles | The members or a representative under a power of attorney sign the articles and appoint the manager | - |
| 4. Capital | If the capital exceeds $11,000, the money is paid into a blocked account and the bank issues a certificate | A bank in Morocco |
| 5. Registration and tax enrolment | Entry in the commercial register (registre du commerce), tax enrolment, social security fund. The company receives a common business identifier (Identifiant Commun de l'Entreprise, ICE) | The commercial court, the General Tax Administration (Direction Générale des Impôts, DGI), the National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale, CNSS) |
| 6. Publication | A notice in a legal announcements newspaper and in the official gazette (Bulletin officiel) - within 30 days of entry in the register | The newspaper and the state printing office |
| 7. Beneficial owners | Details of the ultimate owners - within one month of registration | The beneficial ownership register at OMPIC |
| 8. Account | The current account is opened and the capital is released | A bank in Morocco |
How long it takes. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the average registration time through the platform is three days for a complete and correct file, and some companies are created within 24 hours. But in 2026 only 44% of registrations go through online; the rest are filed on paper through the regional investment centres (Centre Régional d'Investissement, CRI) and the courts.
For a foreign founder most of the time goes not on the register but on everything around it: apostilles and translations, choosing an address, the bank's checks. The platform is built for professionals with a local licence - more than 3,200 of them are registered there, notaries included. That is why filing for a foreign owner is handled by Murblz partners who hold such a licence.
Who should still make the trip. The manager. The bank is entitled to ask for a meeting in person before it opens the account.
How much does it cost to register a company in Morocco: state fees
The registration duty on capital at incorporation is zero when the contributions are made in cash: such deeds are exempt under Article 129 of the General Tax Code (Code général des impôts, CGI). Older guides still quote 1% of the capital - that rule is out of date. The mandatory payments to the state for setting up an SARL come to about $160.
| Payment | Amount | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Name availability certificate (certificat négatif) | ~$25 | Tariff from the OMPIC catalogue of services; valid for 90 days |
| Extension of the certificate for another 90 days | ~$25 | Must be requested before the first term expires |
| Registration duty on incorporation with cash contributions | none | Exemption under Article 129 CGI. Contributions that fall outside it are taxed under Articles 133 and 135 CGI: 0.5% of the contribution, or a fixed $110 if the capital does not exceed $51,000 |
| Stamp duty | ~$5 per sheet | On the company's documents under Article 252 CGI |
| Entry in the commercial register | ~$40 | Court fee; the amount comes from the guide of the Rabat regional investment centre |
| Publication in the official gazette and a newspaper | from $45, depending on the length of the notice | A benchmark from the same guide; the amount depends on the length of the notice |
The capital is not part of this bill: it is the company's own money, used after registration to pay rent, salaries and suppliers.
The real costs sit outside the table: apostilles and sworn translations of the founder's documents, a lease or a registered address, bookkeeping. We quote the cost of our work after reviewing the documents and the task.
About $100-150 in state fees, but the key is paying in the capital in foreign currency
The law does not stop you from registering a company on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fees: a capital contribution in dirhams without proof of foreign currency origin, which blocks free repatriation of profit, a forgotten blocked account for larger capital, the wrong company form, a missed minimum tax after three years. Murblz support removes these risks: we choose the form, prepare the articles and power of attorney, arrange the foreign currency contribution through a bank, handle registration and tax setup and watch the currency rules. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first application.
Support depends on the company form and number of founders - a manager will calculate it in the chat.
What taxes does a company pay in Morocco
Out of about $51,000 of profit a non-resident owner takes home about $37,000. First corporate income tax takes 20%, then 11.25% dividend tax is withheld from the rest. This is a sample calculation that ignores tax treaties: the overall burden is 29%.
| Tax | Rate for 2026 | What matters |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate income tax (impôt sur les sociétés, IS) | 20% on profit below $11 million, 35% above that, 40% for banks and insurance companies | The return is filed within three months of the financial year end; four advance payments are made during the year |
| Minimum tax (cotisation minimale) | 0.25% of turnover, but not less than $310 a year | Due even in a loss-making year. The company is exempt for the first 36 months after it starts operating |
| Social solidarity contribution (contribution sociale de solidarité) | 1.5% to 5% of profit | Only for companies with profit of $110,000 or more; applies up to and including 2028 |
| VAT (taxe sur la valeur ajoutée, TVA) | 20% standard rate, 10% reduced rate | Manufacturers, service providers and wholesalers pay from the first dirham. Other trading companies must pay once the previous year's turnover reaches $210,000 |
| Withholding tax on dividends | 11.25% | The company withholds it on payment. A tax treaty may reduce the rate |
| Business tax (taxe professionnelle) | 10% to 30% of the rental value of premises and equipment | A local tax on business. A new company does not pay it for the first five years |
| Social contributions on salaries | 21.09% paid by the employer, 6.74% by the employee | Part of the contributions is calculated on salary capped at $610 a month |
The $51,000 threshold below which VAT need not be paid does not apply to companies: Article 91 CGI grants that exemption to individuals only.
Incentives are tied to location and status, not to the owner's nationality. Companies in industrial acceleration zones (zones d'accélération industrielle - free economic zones) and those with Casablanca Finance City status pay no corporate income tax for the first five years, then pay 20%.
The full breakdown of rates, deductions and deadlines is on the Taxes in Morocco page.
What a company in Morocco files every year: accounts, audit, beneficial ownership register
A company with no revenue still costs money in Morocco: after the first 36 months the minimum tax is at least $310 a year, and the accounts have to be filed regardless.
- Annual meeting. The members approve the manager's report and the annual financial statements (états de synthèse) within six months of the financial year end.
- Filing the accounts with the court. Within 30 days of approval, two copies of the statements are filed with the registry of the court that keeps the commercial register.
- Corporate income tax. The return is filed within three months of the financial year end; four advance payments are made during the year.
- VAT. Returns are filed monthly with turnover of $110,000 or more, and quarterly below that.
- Audit. Mandatory for an SARL with turnover above $5.1 million net of tax and for every joint-stock company.
- Beneficial ownership register. Details of the ultimate owners - those with 25% or more of the capital or votes, or control by other means - are filed with the beneficial ownership register (registre public des bénéficiaires effectifs) at OMPIC within one month of registration and after every change. The register has operated since 2023 under Decree No. 2-21-708. Failure to file carries a fine of $510 to $5,100.
Law No. 5-96 provides for no annual renewal of the company. It does watch the capital: if losses push net assets below a quarter of the capital, the members decide within three months of approving the accounts whether to dissolve the company.
For Russian tax residents a Moroccan company adds duties at home: see our section on controlled foreign companies. We keep the books of foreign companies under the audit and reporting service.
How to open a company bank account and take profit out of Morocco
Dividends leave the country freely in one case only: when the owner paid for the stake in foreign currency through a bank. The investment then falls under the convertibility regime (régime de convertibilité), and the Foreign Exchange Office guarantees free transfer of income and of the proceeds from a sale or liquidation of the company. This is set out in the General Instruction on Foreign Exchange Operations (Instruction générale des opérations de change); its 2026 edition has applied since 1 January.
Hence the main rule: the capital contribution is sent from abroad by bank transfer in foreign currency, and the bank's confirmation is kept. A contribution paid in dirhams with no foreign-currency origin does not fall under the convertibility regime.
The company account. A Moroccan company opens an account with a local bank in dirhams. The bank checks it under Law No. 43-05 on combating money laundering: it identifies the manager and the ultimate owners and establishes what the company does and where the money came from. The decision to open the account rests with the bank, and it is wise to allow more time for the checks on foreign owners than for the registration itself.
The owner's personal account. Banks may open foreign-currency and convertible-dirham accounts for foreigners, non-residents included - the same instruction allows this expressly. More on the pages business accounts in Morocco and personal accounts in Morocco.
The country's reputation. In February 2023 the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) removed Morocco from its grey list, where the country had spent two years.
Citizens of Russia and Belarus. Morocco has imposed no sanctions on Russia or Belarus, and Law No. 5-96 does not sort members and managers by nationality. The difficulty lies elsewhere: Moroccan banks settle euro and dollar payments through correspondent banks in Europe and the United States, and those apply their own sanctions rules. A correspondent will not process a transfer from a sanctioned Russian bank, so the capital is better sent from an account in a third country.
On tax, Russians are better placed than Belarusians. Russia and Morocco have a double tax treaty in force: withholding tax on dividends is capped at 10%, or 5% where the investment exceeds $500,000. Belarus's official list of tax treaties includes no treaty with Morocco, so in 2026 an owner resident in Belarus pays the full 11.25%. Russian citizens need no visa for trips of up to 90 days.
Get the document checklist
Leave a contact in the chat and we will send a list for your task.
What we do
An SARL in Morocco can be registered in days, and the state fees come to about $160. A mistake with the currency of the contribution then gets in the way of taking profit out for years. So we start not with the articles but with the question of why the company needs to be in Morocco at all.
- we assess the task and say plainly if another country works better, for example the UAE or Egypt;
- we help choose the form - SARL, SARL AU, SAS or a branch - the amount of capital and how it is paid up;
- we prepare the documents: power of attorney, articles, members' resolutions, apostilles and sworn translations into French;
- we run the filing: name certificate, commercial register, tax enrolment, social security fund, publications, beneficial ownership declaration;
- we find a registered address or premises;
- we bring in an accounting partner in Morocco: corporate income tax and VAT returns, annual accounts, payroll contributions;
- we help with the account: we prepare the file for the bank's checks and support the correspondence until the bank decides. Details are on the page business accounts in Morocco;
- we explain how to bring in the capital so that the investment falls under the convertibility regime.
Legal representation in Morocco - filing through the DirectEntreprise platform, steps in court and before a notary - is handled by Murblz partners with a local licence. Murblz specialists are responsible for the structure, the owner's documents and coordination of the process from the first consultation to the filing with the bank.
You can compare Morocco with other countries in the company registration catalogue, and our general approach is described on the page company formation abroad.
See also
Business account · Personal account · Investment property · Country taxes · All country programs
FAQ
Can a foreigner open a company in Morocco?
What is the minimum share capital for a company in Morocco?
How much does it cost to register a company in Morocco?
How long does company registration in Morocco take?
Can you register a company in Morocco remotely?
What taxes does a company pay in Morocco in 2026?
Does a company in Morocco need a local director or partner?
Can citizens of Russia and Belarus open a company and a bank account in Morocco?
Don’t want to figure this out alone?
We handle the whole process end to end: we match a jurisdiction to your task, fix the quote in writing and give you honest timelines. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
Free consultation