Buying a car & bringing one from abroad

The vast majority of expats start here. The market is active on Avito.ma, Moteur.ma and at dealers along the Route de Rabat and Boulevard Mohammed VI.

• Agree the price and check the Carte Grise (registration card) matches the seller's CIN/passport.
• Verify there is no outstanding loan (gage) — ask for a Certificat de non-gage from NARSA, free, issued same-day.
• Check the car has a valid Visite Technique (MOT). If older than 6 months, the seller must renew it before transfer.
• Sign the Déclaration de cession at a notary or directly at NARSA — both buyer and seller present, with originals of CIN/passport, carte grise and visite technique.
• Pay the transfer tax (Taxe de mutation): roughly 2.5% of the argus value, plus ~250 MAD admin fees.
• The new Carte Grise is issued within 7–15 days. You can drive in the meantime with the stamped déclaration.

All major brands are represented in Tangier: Renault & Dacia (Tanger Free Zone factory), Peugeot, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, VW, BMW, Mercedes. Prices are 15–25% higher than in Europe due to import taxes.

• Dealer handles everything: TVA (20%), vignette, plates, first carte grise.
• Financing via Wafasalaf, Salafin or Sofac — typically requires 6 months of Moroccan payslips or a resident bank account.
• Foreigners can buy cash without residency; financing requires a carte de séjour.

Possible but expensive. Two regimes:

A. Temporary admission (D16ter) — for tourists and non-residents. Free, valid 6 months per calendar year. Logged on your passport at the border. You cannot sell, lend or leave the car in Morocco when you exit. Perfect for snowbirds.

B. Definitive import — only allowed for residents (carte de séjour) or returning Moroccans (MRE). The car must be:

• Less than 5 years old for petrol cars, less than 5 years for diesel (rules tightened in 2024 — confirm with Douane).
• Compliant with Euro 4 emissions minimum.
• Owned by you for at least 6 months abroad (proof: original carte grise + insurance).

Import duties & taxes: roughly 17.5% customs duty + 20% VAT + vignette, calculated on the Douane's reference value (not your invoice). On a 20,000 € car expect 8,000–10,000 € in taxes. There is a reduced regime for MRE (Marocains Résidents à l'Étranger) returning permanently — up to ~85% reduction, once in a lifetime.

1. Drive or ship the car to Tanger Med Passagers (or Algeciras → Tanger Med ferry, 1h crossing).
2. At the port, declare the car at the Bureau de Douane. For temporary admission you receive a stamp on your passport — done in 10 minutes. For definitive import, file form D16.
3. For definitive import: a customs broker (transitaire) is almost essential — budget 2,000–4,000 MAD for their service. They handle the dossier, valuation, and payment of duties.
4. Once duties are paid, Douane issues a quittance and a certificat de dédouanement.
5. Pass the Moroccan Visite Technique at any approved centre (250–400 MAD).
6. Take the dossier to the Centre d'Immatriculation NARSA Tanger for Moroccan plates and your first Carte Grise (≈400 MAD admin + plates).
7. Buy compulsory insurance (RC) before driving — Wafa Assurance, Saham, AXA Maroc.

• NARSA — Centre d'Immatriculation de Tanger (ex-CNPAC). Boulevard Moulay Youssef, near Place du Koweit. Plates, carte grise, transfers, permis. Open Mon–Fri 8:30–16:30.
• Bureau de Douane Tanger Med. Port Tanger Med Passagers, 40 km east of the city. For all vehicle imports.
• Bureau de Douane Tanger Ville. Avenue Mohamed V. For paperwork follow-ups, not vehicle clearance.
• Visite Technique centres: SGS, Dekra and Norisko on Route de Tétouan and Route de Rabat. Walk-in, ~250 MAD, 30 minutes.
• Vignette annuelle (road tax): pay at any Attijariwafa Bank, BMCE or via the tax.gov.ma portal in January. From 700 MAD (small petrol) to 20,000 MAD (luxury 4×4).

• Passport + carte de séjour (for definitive import or financing)
• Original Carte Grise / V5C / Permiso de Circulación / Certificat d'immatriculation
• Original purchase invoice or bill of sale
• Proof of insurance for the trip in
• For used purchase in Morocco: seller's CIN, current carte grise, valid visite technique, certificat de non-gage
• 4 ID photos and a justificatif de domicile (electricity bill, lease)

Mirror of the buying process: renew the visite technique if expired, get a fresh non-gage, sign the déclaration de cession with the buyer at NARSA. The buyer pays the transfer tax. You'll need to cancel your insurance and request a refund of unused premium.

If your car was imported under temporary admission, you cannot sell it in Morocco — it must leave the country with you.

Do:

• Insist on the certificat de non-gage before paying anything.
• Use a transitaire for definitive imports — the paperwork in Arabic + French is unforgiving.
• Keep every receipt: vignette, visite technique, insurance, transfer tax. You'll need them when selling.
• Pay attention to the Douane's reference value before importing — get a pre-estimate from a transitaire.

Don't:

• Buy a used car without both parties physically present at NARSA — informal transfers are common and leave you liable for the seller's fines indefinitely.
• Overstay temporary admission — penalties are 100% of the car's value and the vehicle is seized.
• Drive without RC insurance — even one day. Police checks are routine.
• Trust verbal valuations from sellers — always cross-check on Avito and the Argus Maroc.
• Try to import a car older than 5 years for definitive registration — it will be refused at the port.