Moroccan cars abroad: old license plates will no longer be accepted after 2026
Moroccan license plates are set to change. New series will now have to display Latin letters alongside Arabic letters, but not all motorists will have to replace their plates immediately.
The change stems from Order No. 640.26 of the Minister of Transport and Logistics, dated March 26, 2026, and recently published in the Official Gazette. The text amends the regulations governing the registration of motor vehicles and trailers, reports Hespress.
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In the standard series, the part of the number corresponding to the registration series will now consist of one or two Arabic letters in Moroccan script, accompanied by their equivalent in Latin characters. Until now, only Arabic letters appeared in this position.
No need to change the license plate immediately
For vehicles that are already registered, the current plates remain valid. They will be replaced when the vehicle’s ownership is first transferred. In other words, motorists who keep their cars do not have to change their plates solely because this reform has come into force.
However, an important exception concerns vehicles registered in Morocco and used to travel abroad. For these vehicles, the old plates may no longer be used after December 31, 2026.
The text also extends registration rules to several categories of two- and three-wheeled vehicles, as well as light quadricycles. The new provisions concerning them will enter into force on January 1, 2027. Their former ownership documents and plates will remain valid until a first transfer, an application for a duplicate, or their replacement.
The order also provides for an adjustment concerning vehicles acquired under a Mourabaha contract: the selling dealer may also submit the application file for the registration certificate or ownership document.
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For the majority of Moroccan motorists, the reform will therefore be gradual: old plates will continue to be used until the next change of ownership, while vehicles intended to travel outside Morocco will have to switch to the new format by the end of 2026 at the latest.
