Company formation in Morocco
Incorporating a company in Morocco takes about ten administrative steps, spread across the CRI (Centre Régional d'Investissement, the regional investment centre), OMPIC (the industrial and commercial property office), the commercial court and the tax administration. We handle all of them and hand you a registered company, ready to invoice, in one week on average.
Which legal form to choose
The legal form you choose determines your liability, your tax treatment and how your company is seen by banks and by the clients who award contracts. In practice, almost every project ends up as a SARL (limited liability company) or a SARL AU (its single-member version).
The SARL is the natural choice as soon as there is more than one partner: each partner's liability is limited to their contribution, and no minimum capital is required. The SARL AU applies the same rules to a sole founder who wants to keep personal assets separate from those of the business.
The société anonyme (SA, public limited company) is for larger projects, for founders who plan to bring in investors, or for regulated activities that require it. It imposes a minimum capital and a statutory auditor, and therefore higher running costs.
The auto-entrepreneur status remains the lightest way to test a low-revenue service activity, but it creates no separate legal entity and caps your income.
Legal forms compared
| Form | Partners | Liability | Suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARL | 2 to 50 | Limited to contributions | Projects with several partners |
| SARL AU | 1 | Limited to contributions | Sole founder |
| SA | 5 minimum | Limited to contributions | Fundraising, large projects |
| Auto-entrepreneur | 1 | Personal | Early-stage service activity |
The steps of incorporation
Each step depends on the one before it: an incomplete file at the start is paid for in weeks of delay. This is the path we follow on your behalf.
Certificat négatif (negative certificate)
We check that your proposed company name is available and file the application with OMPIC. Have two or three names ready, in order of preference: refusals for similarity are common.
Drafting the articles of association
The statuts (articles of association) set the corporate purpose, the split of the capital, the manager's powers and the rules for transferring shares. We draft them to fit your activity and your tax position.
Capital deposit and registered office
The capital is deposited with a bank where the legal form requires it, and the registered office is evidenced by a domiciliation contract, a lease or a title deed.
Filing with the CRI
The regional investment centre brings together the registration, the tax identifier and affiliation to the CNSS (the national social security fund). This is where most of the timeline is decided.
Entry in the trade register
The commercial court issues your registre de commerce (trade register) number: your company exists in law and can invoice.
Legal notices
Publication in a journal of legal notices and in the Bulletin officiel (the official gazette) closes the procedure. We take care of it and send you the proof of publication.
What we need from you
The list is short, and we check it with you before anything is filed, to avoid going back and forth with the administration.
- A copy of the national identity card or passport of each partner
- Two or three proposed company names
- How the capital is split between the partners
- The address of the registered office, or a domiciliation contract
- A description of the activity you plan to carry out
Setting up a Moroccan company as a foreign national
Neither Moroccan nationality nor residence is required to own or manage a Moroccan company. A non-resident may hold the entire capital of a SARL and act as its manager.
Two points deserve particular attention. First, the foreign exchange regime: a capital contribution declared as a foreign investment opens the right to transfer dividends, and the proceeds of a later sale, out of the country. Second, opening the bank account, for which banks ask non-residents for additional supporting documents.
We regularly work with founders based in France, Canada, the Emirates and West Africa, and the procedure can be run remotely under a power of attorney.
After incorporation
A registered company is not yet a compliant one. TVA (VAT) returns, corporate income tax (IS) instalments, CNSS filings and bookkeeping all begin in the first month of activity, even with no revenue.
Our teams take it from there: accounting, tax and social security filings, payslips. You keep the same contact as during the incorporation, who already knows your file.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to set up a company in Morocco?
Allow about seven working days between reserving the company name and entry in the trade register, provided the file is complete from the start. Timelines vary by city and by how busy the local CRI is.
What is the minimum capital for a SARL in Morocco?
No minimum capital is required for a SARL: the amount is set freely in the articles of association. In practice, capital that is too low weakens your standing with banks and clients.
Can a foreign national set up a company in Morocco alone?
Yes. A non-resident may hold 100 % of the capital of a SARL AU and act as its manager, with no residence requirement and no Moroccan partner.
Do I have to be in Morocco during the procedure?
It is not essential. The procedure can be run remotely under a power of attorney; opening the bank account is the step that most often calls for a trip or a remote verification with the bank.
What is the difference between auto-entrepreneur and SARL?
The auto-entrepreneur is an individual status, simple and capped, with no separate legal personality: your personal assets answer for the debts. The SARL creates a distinct company, with no revenue cap and liability limited to contributions.
Let us talk about your project
Tell us about your activity and your partners: we will set out the right legal form, the full cost and the timeline, with no obligation.