Driving Permit for Morocco
Do you need an IDP in Morocco? Morocco accepts the 1968 International Driving Permit, carried with your national licence. Rules, rental car requirements, road side and driving tips.
- Drive on
- Right
- Convention
- 1949 + 1968
- IDP validity
- 12 months
- Processing time
- 24-48 hours
Do you need an IDP to drive in Morocco?
Morocco acceded to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic on 29 December 1982, which is why an International Driving Permit issued under that convention is recognised here. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice is explicit: carry both the 1968 version of the IDP and your own national licence, because Morocco no longer accepts the 1949 version. That distinction matters, since some countries still issue 1949 Geneva-model permits, so check which version you are handed before you travel.
There are two hurdles, the law and the rental desk, and they are not the same. The FCDO indicates you can drive on your foreign licence for a stay of up to a year; stay longer and you need a Moroccan licence. Rental counters set their own, often stricter, terms: Hertz Morocco's published conditions require a licence that is "either European for EU citizens or international for non EU citizens". Canadian government advice notes that checkpoints are frequent, so keep your licence, IDP, passport, vehicle registration and insurance together in the car.
Morocco drives on the right, overtakes on the left and gives priority to traffic from the right. Rental-operator guidance lists typical limits of 120 km/h on toll motorways, 100 km/h on secondary and regional roads and 60 km/h in built-up areas, but posted signs govern. Seat belts are compulsory for everyone, phones need a hands-free kit, and rental firms expect a warning triangle, reflective jacket, first aid kit and fire extinguisher on board. Drink-driving is treated severely: the FCDO warns that any alcohol found in your system brings a fine and possible imprisonment. Drive your own car in and its registration is logged at the border; you must leave with the same vehicle.
Morocco recognises the IDP under both the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Conventions.
Morocco is a signatory to both the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Conventions. In practice, an IDP issued by another signatory country is recognised for your permitted visitor stay — in Morocco, plan on 12 months.
What you need to drive in Morocco
Have these ready before you pick up the keys.
Full, valid national driving licence — rental firms commonly want it held at least 1 year, and 2 years for some vehicle categories
A 1968-convention IDP carried together with the original licence; per UK FCDO advice, the 1949 Geneva permit is no longer accepted
Minimum rental age varies by supplier and category — commonly 21, with 23 required by some suppliers or for certain categories
Bringing your own car: green card insurance proof, and the vehicle's registration is recorded at the border
Morocco acceded to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic on 29 December 1982, recording that it "does not consider itself bound by article 52" and that it "will treat mopeds as motor cycles" (UN treaty status register).
The 1949 Geneva-convention IDP is no longer accepted in Morocco, according to UK FCDO travel advice; the 1968 version is the one to carry.
Rental-operator guidance gives typical speed limits of 120 km/h on toll motorways, 100 km/h on secondary and regional roads and 60 km/h in built-up areas; posted signs take precedence.
Major rental firms list a warning triangle, reflective jacket, first aid kit and fire extinguisher as expected in-car equipment, and child seats for children aged 12 and under.
Drink-driving is a serious offence: the FCDO warns that if you are tested and found to have any alcohol in your system, you will get a fine and possible imprisonment.
Canadian government advice recommends keeping a constat à l'amiable accident form, sold at newsstands, in the car; where a collision involves casualties, do not move the vehicles before police arrive.
What to know before you turn the key
Morocco drives on the right — the driver sits on the left, and roundabouts flow anti-clockwise.
Carry your IDP and your original license together — rental desks and police checks will ask for both documents.
Rental desks set their own terms and are often stricter than the law. Hertz Morocco's published conditions require a licence that is "either European for EU citizens or international for non EU citizens", so bring an IDP even if your licence is already in Latin script.
The main intercity motorways are toll roads, charged for the section you drive rather than through a national permit. Budget for tolls on routes like Casablanca–Rabat and Rabat–Tangier.
Drive in with your own vehicle and its registration is recorded at the border. The FCDO warns that if you are not in the same vehicle when you try to leave, you will be detained and refused exit.
Traffic policing is visible: Canadian government advice notes that checkpoints are frequent and that you should carry identification and vehicle documents at all times. Driving without the documents Morocco requires can mean a fine as well as refusal at the rental counter. Drink-driving is treated as a serious offence, with the UK FCDO warning that if you are tested and found to have any alcohol in your system, you will get a fine and possible imprisonment. Separately, if you entered Morocco in a vehicle, the authorities record its registration number and will detain you and refuse to let you exit if you try to leave without it.
Local rules to watch in Morocco
Low-emission zones, tolls, and city-specific rules that catch visiting drivers out.
Marrakech: the medina is a maze of narrow, largely pedestrian lanes. Park outside the walls and walk or take a petit taxi in.
Casablanca–Rabat and Rabat–Tangier are toll motorways. Canadian government advice singles out the Rabat–Casablanca road for extra care because of heavy traffic.
Marrakech to Ouarzazate crosses the Tizi n'Tichka pass in the High Atlas: slow and winding, and Canadian advice is to avoid driving at night and to expect conditions to vary with weather.
Signs you'll meet on the road
Eight internationally recognised signs — including which side of the road Morocco keeps.
Common questions about driving in Morocco
Drive Morocco, confidently.
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