Morocco's Highway Code: driving licence, points-based licence and medical exam (Law 52-05)
Law 52-05 sets the rules for the driving licence in Morocco. Whether you are preparing for your first licence, driving on a foreign permit, or trying to understand the points system, this guide explains the essentials in a practical way.
Do you need a licence to drive?
Yes. No one may drive a motor vehicle on a public road without holding a valid driving licence, issued by the administration and matching the category of the vehicle being driven (art. premier). This requirement also applies to agricultural and forestry vehicles and to public-works machinery that use public roads (art. 6). The licence must be presented on any request by enforcement officers (art. 9).
The categories range from "A1" (light mopeds) to "E(D)" (combinations of heavy vehicles), each authorising a specific type of vehicle (art. 7). Each category only allows you to drive the corresponding vehicles (art. 8).
Driving on a foreign licence?
A specific framework applies. Moroccans residing abroad may drive in Morocco for a maximum of one year from the date of their residence, using their valid foreign licence; foreign drivers benefit from the same one-year period from the start of their temporary stay (art. 2).
Beyond that period, you must take the Moroccan licence tests or apply to exchange your licence where Morocco and your country are bound by a mutual recognition agreement, or where the state concerned recognises the exchange of the Moroccan licence (art. 3). For international travel, an international licence may be issued by the authorised bodies (art. 4).
Requirements to take the licence test
To sit the exam, you must meet several requirements (art. 11):
- Minimum age: 16 for category "A1"; 18 for "A", "B" and "E(B)"; 21 for "C", "D", "E(C)" and "E(D)";
- Physical and mental fitness, established by a medical certificate;
- Training at an authorised establishment for categories C, D, E(C) and E(D);
- Prior holding of other licences for certain heavy categories (for example a category B licence held for at least two years, with a balance of at least 12 points, to obtain categories C and D).
The licence is issued after passing two tests: a knowledge test (the theory) and a test of driving skills and behaviour (the practical) (art. 10).
The mandatory medical exam
Before the exam, you must undergo a mandatory medical examination that verifies that your abilities allow you to drive safely and that you are free of any condition that would prohibit driving (art. 12). A disability compatible with driving may be offset by adapting the vehicle or by a medical device, noted on the licence (art. 13).
The exam is not a one-off. Every licence holder must retake it every ten years; this period drops to two years after the age of 65, and to two years for drivers transporting goods or passengers (art. 14). An exam is also required within thirty days in the event of a listed illness or disability, or by order of the administration following an accident that caused an involuntary homicide (art. 15). These exams are carried out by doctors approved by the administration (art. 21). If you disagree with the findings, you may request a counter-examination before a medical appeals board (art. 19).
The probationary period
After passing the exam, you first receive a licence for a two-year probationary period, with a balance of 20 points (art. 23). If you lose all your points during this period, the licence is automatically cancelled and you may not retake the exam until at least six months have passed; the new probationary licence then lasts one year and has only 10 points (art. 24). A further cancellation within that period raises the wait to two years (art. 25).
If you lose more than two-thirds of your points during the probationary period, you must attend a road-safety education session (art. 26). At the end of the probationary period, your licence is exchanged for one with the maximum balance of 30 points (art. 27).
The points-based licence: deduction and recovery
The licence is assigned a points balance that is reduced when you are convicted of a covered offence or when you pay a settlement-based fixed fine; it is cancelled when the balance is exhausted (art. 22). Paying the fine amounts to an admission of the offence and results in the deduction of the corresponding points, across all categories of the licence (art. 28). The number of points deducted depends on the seriousness of the offence (art. 29). You are notified of the deduction by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt (art. 30).
Good news: points can be recovered. During the probationary period, a road-safety education session lets you recover 4 points (art. 33). After the probationary period, if you commit no points-related offence for three years, your balance returns to the maximum of 30 points (art. 35); going one year without an offence restores 4 points, and two years brings any balance below 8 up to 12 points (art. 35). If you lose all your points after the probationary period, you may not retake the exam until six months have passed and you have completed a road-safety education session at your own expense (art. 34).
The professional driver card
To professionally drive certain heavy vehicles, public passenger-transport vehicles, 1st- and 2nd-category taxis, or urban buses, you must hold a professional driver authorisation following initial qualification training (art. 40). This card is renewed every five years after continuing training (art. 41).
Key takeaways
The Moroccan licence is obtained after a medical exam and two tests, starts with a two-year probationary period at 20 points, then moves up to 30 points. Drive carefully: points are lost quickly but can be recovered over time or through training, and the periodic medical exam remains mandatory throughout your driving life.