How to Set Up a Company in Morocco as a Foreigner
Legal form, registration, bank account, exchange control and the first filings: a clear step-by-step guide, written by a licensed accountant in Casablanca who sets up and runs companies for foreign clients.
Why foreigners set up companies in Morocco
Morocco gives access to Africa, Europe and the Middle East from a stable base, with free-trade agreements, competitive costs and a well-trained, multilingual workforce. Foreign investors use Moroccan companies for trading, services, offshoring, real estate and regional headquarters.
The good news: setting up a company has become much simpler. The SARL no longer has a minimum capital, registration is done online, and investments made in foreign currency can be repatriated. The key is to follow the right steps in the right order, especially for the bank and exchange-control side.
Step 1: Choose the right legal form
SARL / SARLAU
The most common form in Morocco. One to fifty shareholders (SARLAU when there is only one), limited liability and no legal minimum capital. The best choice for most foreign entrepreneurs and subsidiaries.
SAS
Introduced by Law 19-20. Very flexible articles of association, well suited to start-ups and projects with several investors or future fundraising.
SA
Designed for larger projects, with a minimum capital and a more formal governance structure (board of directors, statutory auditor).
Branch
An extension of your foreign company, without separate legal personality. Useful in some cases, but the parent remains fully liable.
Steps 2 to 6: from the company name to registration
- Reserve the company name. You obtain a negative certificate confirming that the name is available.
- Secure a registered office. Either a lease for real premises or a contract with a licensed domiciliation company, which is a common solution at the start.
- Draft the articles of association. They set the corporate purpose, capital, shareholders, manager and governance rules. For foreign shareholders, documents from abroad may need to be legalised or apostilled and translated.
- Deposit the capital through a Moroccan bank. For a non-resident shareholder, the capital should come from abroad in foreign currency, through a convertible account. Keep every bank document: this is what protects your right to repatriate funds later.
- Register the company online. Since March 2025, incorporation is filed on the national DirectEntreprise platform managed by OMPIC. It brings together the trade register, the tax administration and the social security fund (CNSS). OMPIC reports an average of three days for complete files.
Exchange control: protect your right to repatriate
The Moroccan dirham is only partially convertible, and cross-border transfers are supervised by the Office des Changes. For foreign investors, the rule is reassuring: an investment financed in foreign currency benefits from the convertibility regime, which allows you to transfer the income it generates, such as dividends, and the proceeds of a sale or liquidation.
That guarantee depends on documentation. If the capital is not brought in through the proper banking channel, or the paperwork is lost, repatriation can become difficult. We set up the funding route with your bank from day one and keep the file complete.
Step 7: Compliance from the first month
Once registered, your company has obligations straight away. This is where many foreign-owned companies get into trouble, because the deadlines start before the business is fully running.
Bookkeeping
Accounts kept under the Moroccan General Accounting Code (CGNC). Our bookkeeping service
Taxes
VAT returns, corporate income tax instalments and annual return, withholding taxes, filed online with the DGI.
Payroll and CNSS
Employee registration, monthly declarations and salary withholding as soon as you hire.
Annual obligations
Year-end financial statements, shareholders' meeting and filing with the commercial court.
How MISTAX ADVISORY helps
We handle the whole process for you, in English, French or Arabic: choice of legal form, articles of association, domiciliation, coordination with the bank for the capital deposit, online registration, and then the accounting, tax and payroll of your company. One team from incorporation to your first annual accounts.
Fees are quoted from the details you send us in writing and set out in an engagement letter before any work starts.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner own 100% of a company in Morocco?
In most sectors, yes. A foreign individual or company can be the sole shareholder of a Moroccan SARL (SARLAU). A few regulated activities have specific rules, which we check at the start.
Is there a minimum capital for an SARL in Morocco?
No. Since the reform of Law 5-96, the capital of an SARL is freely set by the shareholders in the articles of association. In practice, the capital should match the needs of the business.
Do I need to travel to Morocco to set up my company?
Registration is done online, and most documents can be signed remotely or through a power of attorney. Opening the bank account may require identity checks by the bank, which we help you organise.
Can I transfer my profits out of Morocco?
Investments financed in foreign currency benefit from the convertibility regime of the Office des Changes, which allows the transfer of income such as dividends and of the proceeds of sale or liquidation, provided the funding is properly documented.
How long does it take?
OMPIC reports an average of three days on the DirectEntreprise platform for complete files. Preparing the documents and opening the bank account usually add some time, depending on your situation and on the bank.
Moroccan terms explained
DGI, CNSS, ICE, IS, TVA, CGNC, SIMPL, Damancom: confused by the acronyms? See our glossary of Moroccan accounting, tax and business terms, with plain-English definitions of every office, ID number, tax and filing.
Planning to invest in Morocco?
Our Invest in Morocco Package covers everything from checking your project to your first dividend: company setup, bank and capital, accounting and taxes for the first year, in English with one contact.
Ready to set up your company in Morocco?
Tell us about your project and receive a tailored proposal.
Know who handles your file and what is included
Accounting experience since 2016. Your contact is Mhamed Issam BELAFQIH, a Moroccan comptable agréé registered with OPCA. This is the Moroccan professional title; it does not claim a foreign CPA or Chartered Accountant qualification.
Your Moroccan obligations and your home-country adviser
Our engagement covers the Moroccan services expressly listed in your engagement letter. Home-country tax returns, foreign legal advice and statutory audit are separate services requiring appropriately qualified professionals. For outsourced bookkeeping, the overseas firm retains responsibility for local review and filing unless a separate authorised engagement states otherwise.
A written scope before you commit
Tell us your activity, country of residence, proposed Moroccan location, expected document volume and staffing needs. Your proposal will distinguish professional fees, taxes, official charges and third-party costs, and explain what can be completed remotely and when physical presence or original documents may be required.
Working across time zones
Send your initial questions in writing. Please do not send identity documents, bank credentials or sensitive client records through the initial enquiry form. Agree the document-transfer process and access arrangements with us before sharing your file.
Considering an investment zone or CFC status?
Tell us if your project involves Tanger Med industrial zones, Tangier Free Zone, Atlantic Free Zone in Kenitra, or Casablanca Finance City (CFC). Industrial acceleration zones and CFC status are distinct frameworks. Eligibility, permitted activities and any tax treatment require a project-specific assessment; no admission or tax benefit is guaranteed.
Official information: Tanger Med Zones · Atlantic Free Zone · CFC eligibility.