Buying in Morocco from abroad: transfers, currency and repatriation
How to bring the money in, why the banking route matters as much as the price, and what lets you take your capital back out when you sell. The practical guide for non-resident buyers.
Short answer: bring the money from abroad by bank transfer in foreign currency, converted in Morocco by a Moroccan bank, and keep the paperwork. This route guarantees your right to transfer the sale proceeds back out, capital gain included after tax.
The dirham is not freely convertible. For a foreign buyer, or a Moroccan living abroad, the way money enters Morocco determines how it can leave. Settle this before the preliminary contract, not when you come to sell.
The principle: an investment funded in foreign currency
When a non-resident funds a purchase with imported foreign currency sold to a Moroccan bank, the transaction counts as a foreign investment. At resale it carries the right to transfer the proceeds abroad: the capital invested and the gain, after the taxes due. That right rests on the bank's proof that the funds came in.
How to proceed
- Open an account with a Moroccan bank, in convertible dirhams if you are non-resident.
- Transfer the funds from your account abroad to this account, or directly to the notary's account.
- Ask the bank for the certificate proving the currency was sold, and keep it with the deed of sale.
- Pay the price through the notary, never in cash or through an intermediary.
What not to do
Paying part of the price in cash, or bringing funds in through an informal channel, forfeits the right to repatriate that part and exposes you to penalties. It is also a common reason for a notary to refuse a transaction, since they must check the source of funds.
Borrowing in Morocco
Several Moroccan banks lend to non-residents for property purchases, usually for part of the price only and with a large deposit. Terms vary widely between banks and by country of residence. For a property needing renovation, financing the works is often harder to obtain than financing the purchase.
When you sell
The gain on selling a property in Morocco is subject to real estate profit tax, withheld by the notary. Once it is paid, the bank transfers the proceeds on presentation of the deed, the proof of currency inflow and the tax clearance. Depending on where you live, a tax treaty may set out how that gain is treated at home.
The right order
- Consult the notary on how to hold the property and how the funds will travel.
- Open the bank account in Morocco.
- Sign the preliminary contract and pay the deposit by transfer.
- Transfer the balance before the final deed is signed.
- File the deed, bank certificates and receipts: you will need them in ten years.
General framework in force in 2026 under Moroccan exchange control regulations. The exact procedures are a matter for your bank and your notary.