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Guide · updated 6 November 2026

Guide: exchanging your French driving licence in Morocco

If you live in Morocco, your French driving licence stops being enough after one year. You have to exchange it for a Moroccan licence with NARSA, the national road safety agency. France is one of the countries whose licences can be exchanged without retaking the driving test.

What the law says

  • A foreigner can drive in Morocco on a valid foreign licence for 1 year at most from the start of their stay (Law 52-05, Highway Code, Article 2).
  • After that, you must either retake the Moroccan driving exams or exchange your licence (Article 3).
  • The French government confirmed this in 2020: a French citizen living in Morocco must exchange their licence. Otherwise, they are treated as driving without a licence and risk a fine.
  • France is on the list of countries whose licences can be exchanged (Order No. 02-11 of 31/12/2010). No category limit is given for France.

The international driving permit

It is only an official translation of your French licence. It stays valid in Morocco for 1 year at most. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends it, especially if you plan to settle here.

The documents to prepare

  1. The exchange application form, stamped and signed.
  2. Your residence card (or its receipt) and a copy.
  3. A certificate of residence less than 3 months old.
  4. A medical certificate less than 3 months old, issued by an approved doctor.
  5. 2 passport photos, 35 x 45 mm, on a blue background.
  6. Your original French licence, still valid.
  7. The receipt for the stamp duty, paid at the Treasury office (Trésorerie).
  8. Proof of your right to drive in France (see below).

Proof of your right to drive

Morocco checks your licence with the French authorities. Today, this document is called the secure driving entitlement certificate (attestation de droits à conduire sécurisée, or ADCS). You download it from the "Mes Points Permis" service and it stays valid for 4 months.

A word of warning: several French people report trouble getting it from abroad. Download it before you leave France if you can.

Where to submit your application

  • You submit it in person at a NARSA centre. The exchange cannot be done online.
  • There has been no online booking since the NARSA Khadamat platform closed in 2022. Applications are accepted at the counter.
  • The NARSA Marrakech-Safi regional office is listed at 395 rue Moulay Abdellah, Marrakech. We could not confirm that this is the counter that handles exchanges, so call first (+212 7 01 05 95 55).

Cost and timing

  • Cost: 700 DH in stamp duty and fees, according to specialist websites. NARSA does not publish this amount online.
  • When you submit, you get a receipt valid for 60 days that lets you drive.
  • Stated processing time: 30 to 60 days. Older accounts mention much longer waits. If your receipt runs out, have it extended at the counter.

What happens to your French licence

Once exchanged, your French licence is no longer valid, in France or anywhere else. If you move back to France, you can get a French licence again by applying online on the ANTS website. Only the categories you obtained in France are given back.

The Moroccan licence

  • It is an electronic smart card, valid for 10 years.
  • It works on a points system: 30 points maximum, 20 points during the probationary period.

What about your French-registered car?

A foreign car can stay in Morocco for 180 days per calendar year, in one or several stays, with no extension possible. This scheme is meant for people who live abroad. Beyond that, the car must be taken back out of the country or cleared through customs. Import duties are high, around 50% according to the FIDI guide. Fines for overstaying range from 1,000 DH to 10,000 DH.

What is not yet confirmed

  • When exactly the 1-year period starts: your arrival date or the date of your residence card.
  • Whether NARSA accepts the downloaded ADCS or still asks for a document sent through the consulate.
  • The 700 DH amount, which is only published by unofficial websites.

Sources

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