Buying property in Morocco from abroad: the steps

Buying in Morocco without living there is both possible and common. The process is nevertheless different from the one you may know at home, whether that is the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland or France: the parties involved, the documents and the rules on transferring funds all have their particularities. Here are the main steps, in the order in which they arise.

1. Check that the property can be bought by a foreigner

Foreigners may buy property in Morocco. The main restriction concerns agricultural land and land outside urban boundaries: a non-agricultural project on such land requires a certificate of non-agricultural use (attestation de vocation non agricole), issued at the end of a specific procedure. For an apartment or villa in an urban area, the question does not generally arise; for a country house or a plot of land, it is central.

2. Define the project and the full budget

Before viewing anything, you need to settle the use of the property, the city and a budget that includes acquisition costs, furnishing and recurring costs. Our guide to the costs to expect sets these out item by item.

3. Give preference to a titled property

A titled property is registered with the land registry, which is kept by the ANCFCC. It has a land title (titre foncier) on which the rights in the property are recorded, and a certificate of ownership can be obtained. Untitled properties, common in the medinas, rest on traditional deeds and call for in-depth legal analysis. We recommend giving preference to titled properties.

4. Have the property checked

The checks cover the identity and rights of the seller, the entries on the title (mortgages, attachments, easements), the compliance of the building and, in a co-ownership, the rules and the position on service charges. Definitive legal verification is a matter for the notary or lawyer you instruct; the condition of the building is a matter for a building professional.

5. Sign a preliminary sale agreement as an authentic (notarial) deed

Since July 2026, property sales, preliminary sale agreements and special powers of attorney must be drawn up as authentic deeds, failing which they are void. In practice, foreign buyers use a notary. The preliminary sale agreement sets the price, the conditions and the timetable.

For an off-plan purchase, the off-plan sale (VEFA) is governed by Law 44-00, as amended by Law 107-12, which provides in particular for a preliminary contract, staged payments and guarantees. How these are applied varies from one developer to another: each contract must be examined.

6. Transfer the funds through a documented channel

This is the step most often underestimated. To be able to transfer the proceeds of a resale back abroad, including any capital gain, the purchase must have been financed with foreign currency brought into Morocco and documented by the bank. Keep every document evidencing the arrival of the funds.

Local bank financing is possible: the foreign exchange regulations allow Moroccan banks to finance up to 80% of the price of a property for a non-resident foreign buyer, subject to conditions. Whether a loan is granted, and on what terms, depends on each bank.

7. Sign the final deed and register it

The final deed is signed before the notary. It must be registered within 30 days, then entered at the land registry: it is that entry which puts your name on the title. The notary draws up the statement of duties and costs.

8. Organise what comes next

Water and electricity contracts, dealings with the co-ownership managing agent (syndic), upkeep, a possible letting: these matters are prepared before the handover of keys, especially if you are not on the spot.

Key points to remember

• A foreigner can buy in Morocco, apart from the restrictions on agricultural land.
• The land title and the authentic deed are the two pillars of the transaction’s legal security.
• The banking paper trail for the funds determines whether they can later be transferred back.
• Checks are made before signing, not after.