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Boating in Morocco: customs, temporary import and papers

Sailing to Morocco, whether across the Strait of Gibraltar to the marinas near Tétouan or down the Atlantic coast to Rabat, means clearing in with customs and receiving a temporary import document for the boat. This page sums up what Moroccan customs and the German, Austrian and Spanish foreign ministries publish.

Emergency190 / 177UKW 16[7]

Alcohol limit?check locally[4]

Liability covercheck locallyno official rule found

Licencecheck recognition first

1 Coming from abroad, the boat calls at a port with a customs office. 2 Within 24 hours of arrival the skipper reports to customs and receives the temporary import document. 3 On departure customs stamps the document as proof of export.

Best time to go: M'diq and Marina Smir

M'diq and Marina Smir: going by warmth, rain days and wind, May, June and October are the most pleasant months. Bars show the average daily high, the line the sea temperature, below them rain days and days with wind of 6 Beaufort or more per month, averaged over 2015 to 2024.

Air, daily high (°C) Sea (°C) best months

Rain days8.48.6117.44.61.40.10.62.88.19.38.6

Days with wind 6 Bft+0%0%2%1%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%0%

Weather: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis, grid values rather than station readings).

Sea temperature from NOAA satellite data. More cruising areas compared: Best time to sail

Arrival and clearing in

A pleasure boat arriving from abroad by sea may only berth in a port with a customs office, unless force majeure is proven.[1]
At the first port the skipper reports to customs at once, and no later than 24 hours after arrival. The boat is registered there and the temporary import document is issued.[1]
The basis is declaration D 716 for the entry and exit of pleasure boats, a three-part form set.[2]
On entering every port you prove your identity and that of everyone on board and show the boat papers.[1]
If the owner is not on board, the marina operator can handle the temporary import formalities.[1]
When leaving for abroad you show the import document to customs at the port of departure. They stamp it and you keep it as proof of export.[1]

How long the boat may stay

Temporary import lasts 18 months if you completed customs formalities in a marina, otherwise six months, extendable to 18. After that the boat has to call at a foreign port.[1]
An older customs circular from 2009 still states twelve months at most. Have the period confirmed when you clear in.[2]
Only the holder of the import document may use the boat. Lending, renting it out or any commercial use needs customs approval.[1]
For laying up, for example over winter, customs has approved six marinas: Marina Smir, Marina Kabila, Royal Yachting Club de M'diq, Marina Bouregreg in Salé, Marina Agadir and Marina Saïdia.[3]

Licence

We found no official rule on whether Morocco recognises foreign boating licences. Take your certificate of competence and ask the marina or embassy before you travel.

Liability insurance

We could not confirm from official sources whether visiting yachts under a foreign flag must be insured. Carry proof of liability cover anyway, ideally in English or French.

Duties and fees

Fuel, food and ship's stores for pleasure boats are subject to normal duties and taxes, with no exemption.[1]
Customs lists no fee for the import document. Berth prices are set by the marinas themselves.[1]

Passport and boat papers

Customs asks for the boat's certificate of nationality and registration, proof of ownership, a certified power of attorney or rental contract if you are not the owner, the passenger list, the list of ship's stores and the certificate of seaworthiness.[1]
German citizens need a passport valid for six more months on entry; an identity card is not enough. No visa is needed for up to 90 days.[4]
The same applies to Austrians: a passport valid for at least six months and no visa for up to 90 days. Overstaying can lead to deportation.[5]
Spanish citizens need a passport valid for more than six months; the DNI identity card is not accepted. The limit is 90 days in any six months.[6]

Firearms, drones, pets and cash

Firearms may not stay on board while berthed. You declare them to police and customs, deposit them with customs and get them back only on departure, again in every port.[1]
Drones may not be imported without a licence from the foreign trade ministry. Without one, customs holds them.[1][4]
Pets need a health certificate from an official vet, issued no more than three days before departure. On arrival there is a check costing 10 dirhams per animal.[1]
Foreign cash worth 100,000 dirhams or more must be declared.[4]
We found no official alcohol limit for skippers. Drinking in public outside licensed venues is prohibited.[4]

Emergency numbers

According to the UK Foreign Office, ambulance and fire are on 150, police on 190 and the rural gendarmerie on 177. The Austrian foreign ministry also lists 19 for police in towns.[7][5]
We found no officially published number for the Moroccan rescue coordination centre. At sea, call on VHF channel 16.

In Morocco keep the customs import document, the boat papers with proof of ownership, the passenger list and all passports on board. Declare firearms again in every port and leave the drone at home.

NAMMERT customers can get their liability confirmation in English.

Request a certificate (Morocco)

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Questions

Where do I clear in to Morocco by boat?

At a port with a customs office. Report to customs at once and within 24 hours of arrival, where you receive the temporary import document.

How long may my boat stay in Morocco?

According to customs, 18 months if you cleared in at a marina, otherwise six months with extension. An older circular says twelve months, so have the period confirmed.

Can I bring a drone to Morocco?

Only with a licence from the foreign trade ministry. Without it, customs holds the drone.