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The essentials in three lines

  • At Carsalis, bank transfer is the preferred payment method; cash on arrival is possible subject to conditions, to be agreed when the booking is confirmed.
  • No online payment, no deposit, no card pre-authorisation: you never enter your bank details on the website, and paying in cash does not trigger any security deposit.
  • If you travel with cash, bringing foreign currency into Morocco is unrestricted, dirham banknotes are limited to 2 000 dirhams per person, and every currency exchange receipt must be kept.

You don't have a credit card, or you would simply rather pay for your car in cash once you are there. The question comes up every week on our WhatsApp: “Can I pay in cash on arrival?” The answer is yes, but not just any way, and not without having said so beforehand. Here is what our terms actually provide for, what to ask for as soon as you book, and the currency exchange rules to know when entering Morocco with banknotes.

What our terms say about paying in cash

At Carsalis, paying in cash on arrival is possible subject to conditions, and that condition is settled when the booking is confirmed. Our “Payment methods” page says it plainly: our preferred method is secure bank transfer, with European transfers accepted. Cash and bank card come next, as alternatives on arrival, each subject to conditions.

In practice, you don't decide on your own, on the day, to pull out banknotes at the counter. You let us know when you make your booking request, we approve this payment method at the same time as the car's availability, and everything is clear before you leave. Nothing happens online: no payment is requested on the website, and you never enter your bank details on our pages.

Why bank transfer remains our preferred method

A bank transfer confirms the booking as soon as it is received, with no cash handling on arrival. It is the simplest solution for both sides: you keep a written record, we know for certain that the car is reserved for you, and handing over the vehicle at the airport or the hotel happens without counting banknotes on the bonnet.

The bank details are sent to you when the booking is confirmed, never before. If you would still rather pay in cash, that is not a problem. But tell us straight away: it is the only way to avoid a misunderstanding at delivery.

How to ask to pay in cash: the steps

Everything is settled in the booking request, before you arrive. First step: send your request on WhatsApp to +212 648 291 116 or to info@carsalis.com, with the car you want, the pick-up and return dates and times, the pick-up location and the return location. If you are arriving at Al Massira airport, add your flight number and the exact landing time. If we are delivering to your hotel, give us its name.

Second step: state in the same message that you wish to pay in cash on arrival. We usually reply within a minute on availability, and we approve, or not, this payment method at the time of confirmation. Third step: then send your passport and both sides of your driving licence by WhatsApp, so that the contract is ready before you land. Last step: when the vehicle is handed over, you pay the amount agreed at confirmation.

Payment method When you pay What carsalis.com says What you need to do
Bank transfer Before arrival Preferred method, European transfers accepted, booking confirmed on receipt Wait for the bank details sent at confirmation
Cash On arrival, when the vehicle is handed over Possible subject to conditions Ask for it in your booking request and wait for our approval
Bank card On arrival, when the vehicle is handed over Possible subject to conditions, + 5 % bank fees Ask for it in advance and allow for the surcharge

Cash, deposit and insurance: what changes, what doesn't

Paying in cash changes nothing about our basic rule: no deposit is requested, no card pre-authorisation is taken. Many travellers assume that without a credit card, they will be asked for a cash deposit. Not with us: no security deposit, whatever the payment method.

What also doesn't change: civil liability insurance is included in the rate, so you have third-party insurance. Mileage is unlimited, assistance runs 24/7, and delivery is free in Agadir, whether at Al Massira airport, your hotel, the city centre or a private address. For Marrakech, Essaouira, the Souss and Taroudant, a surcharge of 60 € per journey applies. If you are planning delivery outside Agadir or an additional driver, possible with a surcharge, say so in your request: the total amount is set at confirmation, and you know exactly how much to bring.

Finally, a few return rules stay the same whatever the payment method: fuel is returned at the level recorded at departure, cleaning fees apply if the car comes back with sand or rubbish, a full day is charged beyond 2 hours' delay without letting us know, and fines received during the hire are payable by the hirer.

Travelling to Morocco with cash: the rules to know

Entering Morocco with foreign currency is unrestricted, but two limits and one document matter. First point: a non-resident may bring in foreign currency in banknotes with no limit on the amount. A written customs declaration becomes compulsory from the equivalent of 100 000 dirhams; below that, it remains optional. For a non-resident, this declaration is valid for six months, and it serves to justify taking the currency back out on your return.

Second point: dirham banknotes, on the other hand, do not move freely across borders. Both entry and exit are limited to 2 000 dirhams per person. So there is no point trying to bring the amount of your hire in dirhams from Europe: you exchange money locally, at a bank or an authorised bureau de change. Third point: with every exchange transaction, you are given a receipt. Keep it safe. This is the document that allows you to convert your remaining dirhams back into foreign currency before you leave, and to justify your funds if checked.

On the European side, if you leave the European Union with 10 000 € or more in cash, a prior declaration is compulsory, made online in France. A car hire is a very long way from that threshold, but it is worth knowing. One last tip, the most useful: ask us, at confirmation, which currency to pay in and the exact amount. You will avoid exchanging too much, or too little.

Frequently asked questions

Without a credit card, do I have to leave a cash deposit?

No. At Carsalis, no deposit is requested, neither by card nor in cash. Cash payment, once approved at confirmation, settles the agreed hire; no deposit is added to it. No card pre-authorisation is taken either.

Should I pay in euros or in dirhams?

Our website does not set a currency for cash payment: this is settled with us at confirmation, at the same time as the cash payment is approved. Just be aware that dirham banknotes are limited to 2 000 dirhams per person when entering and leaving Morocco, and that every exchange made locally gives you a receipt to keep.

Can I pay by card on arrival after all?

Yes, subject to conditions, with 5 % bank fees on top. As with cash, let us know before you arrive, ideally in your booking request, so that the payment method is approved at the same time as the car.

Sources

Written by the Carsalis team, in Agadir. We have been hiring out cars from our agency at 4 Bis rue Moulay Driss since 2008. What you read here comes from our own hire terms and from what our customers ask us every week on WhatsApp.

A question about your hire in Agadir? Write to us on WhatsApp at +212 648 291 116, or use our booking request. We usually reply within a minute, and we tell you honestly whether the car is available or not.

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