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The essentials in three lines

  • A valid European driving licence is enough to drive in Morocco as a tourist: Moroccan law accepts it for one year of temporary stay.
  • The international driving permit is not compulsory. It is simply a translation of your national licence, and is worthless without it.
  • At Carsalis, in Agadir, we ask for a copy of both sides of your driving licence and of your passport, a minimum age of 21 and a licence held for at least 2 years. No international driving permit.

You have booked your flights to Agadir, you plan to hire a car, and one question keeps coming up on every forum: do you need an international driving permit to drive in Morocco? The answers contradict each other. Some say the police require it, others that they drove for three weeks on their French licence without any problem. Here is what Moroccan law says, what European authorities recommend, and what we actually ask for when you book.

What Moroccan law says

The Moroccan highway code is Law 52-05, in force since 1 October 2010. Its Article 2 settles the question of foreign drivers. A driver of foreign nationality may drive in Morocco on the valid licence issued in their own country, for a maximum of one year of temporary stay. The same article adds that the holder of an international driving permit may drive for as long as that permit is valid, without exceeding the same one-year limit.

In other words, the law puts both documents on the same footing. It does not require tourists to hold an international driving permit. The France Diplomatie website confirms this one-year rule in its useful information on Morocco, while strongly encouraging the international driving permit. For a week or a month of holiday, your national licence is the reference document.

What an international driving permit really is

Many travellers imagine the international driving permit to be a fully fledged licence in its own right. It is not. The international driving permit is an official translation of your national licence into several languages, and it only allows you to drive if it is accompanied by the original licence. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs says so clearly: this document alone does not allow you to drive.

So it serves one purpose: making your licence readable in a country where the alphabet or the language is a problem. In Morocco, road signs are generally bilingual, in Arabic and French, and a European licence carries its details in Latin characters. An officer who stops you can read your licence without difficulty.

What Carsalis asks for when you book

Our agency has been hiring out cars in Agadir since 2008, and our rental conditions do not require an international driving permit. The main driver must be at least 21 years old and have held a valid licence for at least 2 years. A second driver is possible, for an additional charge.

To prepare your hire, we ask you to send us by WhatsApp a copy of your passport and of both sides of your driving licence, plus your flight number and landing time if we are delivering the car to you at Al Massira airport. Delivery is free in Agadir: airport, hotel, city centre or home address. No deposit is required, no card pre-authorisation, and mileage is unlimited. If you already have an international driving permit, bring it along, it does no harm. If you do not have one, do not get one made for us.

Why some countries still recommend it

The nuance comes from European authorities, whose advice is more cautious than Moroccan law. The Touring Club Suisse writes that the Swiss licence is recognised in Morocco, but strongly recommends obtaining an international driving permit before departure. The French ministry advises applying for it before you leave, especially if you are planning to settle and exchange your licence later. The Belgian Foreign Affairs ministry, for its part, states that the European-format Belgian licence is accepted in Morocco for a maximum period of three months: that is the Belgian position, shorter than the one-year period provided for by Moroccan law.

These recommendations do not create an obligation. They cover situations that a one-week tourist will not encounter: a long stay, a licence written in a non-Latin alphabet, or a roadside check with an officer who has never seen your type of licence. In practice, car hire agencies in Morocco often accept the national licence on its own, and that is what we do.

How to get one if you would rather have it

If you want to set off with peace of mind and both documents, the process is simple but it needs a little advance planning. In France, the application is made online only on the ANTS website, there is a fee, and the international driving permit is valid for three years. Processing is not immediate, so do not leave it until the day before you leave.

In Switzerland, you go through your canton's motor vehicle office. In Geneva, you can order online if you are resident in Geneva and hold a credit-card-format Swiss licence; the document is valid for three years, and the office advises ordering at least four to five working days before departure. In every case, the international driving permit is presented together with your national licence, never in its place.

On the road in Agadir with your licence

Once behind the wheel, keep your licence and passport on you. Speed checks are frequent. Outside built-up areas, the limit is 100 km/h, and 120 km/h on the motorway to Marrakech. In town, follow the signs, as limits vary from one road to another.

If you are pulled over, calmly present your licence. A valid European licence and a passport are generally enough for the check to be over in a few minutes. Any fines are payable by the hirer during the rental period, which is one more reason to ease off the accelerator. You will find our detailed driving tips in the dedicated article at the bottom of the page.

Your situation Is your national licence enough? International driving permit
Tourist with an EU or Swiss licence, stay of less than one year Yes, under Article 2 of Law 52-05 Optional, recommended by some authorities
Licence written in a non-Latin alphabet Yes, if it is currently valid Strongly advised to make roadside checks easier
Stay of more than one year in Morocco No, you must exchange your licence or sit the Moroccan test Does not extend this period
Under 21 or licence held for less than 2 years Hire not possible with Carsalis Makes no difference
Hire with Carsalis in Agadir Yes: copy of both sides of your licence and of your passport by WhatsApp Accepted in addition, never required

Frequently asked questions

Do you need an international driving permit to hire a car in Agadir?

No. At Carsalis, a licence that has been valid for at least two years, a copy of your passport and being 21 or over are enough. Moroccan law accepts your national licence for one year of temporary stay.

Can the international driving permit replace my national licence?

No. It is an official translation, valid only when presented with the original licence. If you leave your national licence at home, the international driving permit will allow you neither to hire nor to drive.

I have held my licence for less than two years, can I hire?

No, our conditions require the main driver to have held a valid licence for at least two years. An international driving permit does not make up for that seniority. If there are two of you travelling, the person who meets the condition can be the main driver.

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 rental conditions and from what our customers ask us every week on WhatsApp.

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

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