Dacia Sandero 2026
$25.33per day · $177 for 7 days
See conditions →Guide
Driving in Morocco
Morocco drives on the right, and a self-drive trip works well on the motorways between the big cities. UK licence holders need an International Driving Permit with their licence. Hire a car to link towns and cross the mountains; skip it for a single-city break.
Key points
- Drive on the right; destination signs are commonly in Arabic and French.
- A UK licence needs a 1968 International Driving Permit in the car; foreign licences are valid in Morocco for up to one year.
- Major cities are connected by motorways, but city traffic and mountain or rural roads demand more time and attention.
- Finish unfamiliar rural or mountain sections in daylight, and settle insurance and permitted roads before you leave the rental desk.
- Hire a car to link towns and cross the mountains; skip it for a single-city break.
Is it safe to drive in Morocco as a tourist?
Yes, for an experienced driver who is comfortable with unfamiliar traffic and leaves room in the schedule. Morocco has modern motorways between several large cities; the harder parts are the entry into a busy city, a narrow secondary road, a mountain crossing or a late arrival after dark.
Road accidents are frequent, and poor lighting, pedestrians and animals make night driving more hazardousSource [1]. Rural routes are narrow, and roads in the Atlas and Rif are steepSource [2].
What car hire in Morocco costs right now
The pick-up city changes the daily price, the share of automatics and the share of cars without a deposit, and a headline price can sit far below what a typical car costs.
| Pick-up place | Offers | From, per day | Typical, per day | Automatic | No deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marrakech | 391 | $25.33 | $64.52 | 67% | 72% |
| Casablanca | 456 | $24.48 | $61.18 | 69% | 71% |
| Agadir | 288 | $32.26 | $81.05 | 68% | 80% |
| Fes | 245 | $20.03 | $79.93 | 64% | 74% |
| Tangier | 324 | $24.48 | $88.99 | 66% | 72% |
| Rabat | 358 | $16.69 | $62.77 | 65% | 75% |
According to Autalo's daily price check of 391 rental offers in Marrakech on , a 7-day rental starts at $25.33 per day, and a typical car costs about $64.52 per day. 67% of these offers are automatic and 72% need no deposit.
Choose the city that matches your route: Marrakech for the south and the Atlas, Tangier for the north, and Fes or Rabat in between.
Which side of the road does Morocco drive on?
Traffic keeps to the right. Road signs are generally in Arabic and French, and manual cars are commonSource [3]. Drivers arriving from the UK or another left-driving country should take particular care at junctions, after stops and when entering roundabouts.
If you would rather not drive a manual, you do not have to: 67% of the offers we currently see at Marrakech Airport (RAK) are automatic. The offer itself states the transmission.
| Question | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| Driving side | Keep right; take extra care when turning out of a car park or side road. |
| Road signs | Expect Arabic and French place names. |
| Alcohol | Any alcohol found when you are tested brings a fine and possible imprisonmentSource [1]. |
| Car choice | If you want an automatic, select that transmission in the actual rental offer. |
Before entering an unfamiliar city, save the exact hand-over or parking location, not just the city name: in old medinas a hotel address may be on a walking street where you cannot stop a car. For the broader trip, start with the Morocco car-rental overview and choose a pick-up location that fits your route.
What licence and documents do you need?
If you hold a UK licence
Carry your UK driving licence and a 1968 International Driving Permit in the car. Morocco no longer accepts the 1949 permit, and you cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travelSource [1]. The GOV.UK permit table lists Morocco under the 1968 conventionSource [4].
If you hold another licence
Foreign licences are valid in Morocco for up to one yearSource [2], and a stay longer than a year needs a Moroccan licenceSource [1]. Hire companies often require a year of driving experience and a higher minimum age, so ask the desk whether it also wants a translation or an International Driving Permit for your booking.
- Carry the original driving licence and any permit required for your licence, plus the identification specified in your booking.
- Keep the rental agreement and the vehicle’s insurance documents accessible.
- Make sure every driver is named in the contract and every planned road and border crossing is permitted.
Motorways, tolls and police checks
Motorways connect several of Morocco’s large cities, including Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech. They are useful when the goal is to cover distance; a national or mountain road can take much longer for the same map distance. Follow the posted limit and allow for trucks and changing traffic conditions.
Pay tolls with cash, a bank card or the Jawaz passSource [5], and use the lane marked for your payment method.
Police may stop vehicles for checks in towns and on highwaysSource [2]. Slow down, follow the officer's direction and keep your licence, insurance and registration documents with youSource [1].
Driving and parking in Marrakech, Fes and other cities
Give yourself time to adapt after collecting the car. Watch for motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians and taxis around junctions, even when the route on a map looks simple. An old-town address can be a poor navigation target for a car: identify a reachable car park or the rental hand-over point first, then walk the final part if necessary.
Pick up at the airport if you leave the city at once; collect closer to your hotel if you stay in town first. Marrakech airport, Casablanca airport and Tangier airport each have their own page.
For Fes, agree where the supplier can actually meet you before entering the older streets. Photograph the vehicle at hand-over so existing marks are recorded before you drive away.
Cars available at Marrakech Airport (RAK)
Dacia Sandero 2025
$25.59per day · $179 for 7 days
See conditions →
Dacia Logan
$25.59per day · $179 for 7 days
See conditions →Mountain roads and driving after dark
The Atlas and Rif call for a different pace from the motorway. Roads there are steep, narrow and windingSource [2], and in poor weather secondary and mountain routes are especially hazardousSource [1]. Leave room for slow sections and breaks before taking a pass.
Try to reach an unfamiliar rural destination before dark. Poor lighting makes pedestrians, animals and vehicles harder to see, and a delay on a mountain road can turn an ordinary drive into a night arrival. If conditions deteriorate, stop somewhere safe and revise the plan, and do not try to make up time.
If your plan includes unpaved sections, compare 4x4 and AWD models in Marrakech before you book, and still confirm in writing that the route is allowed and insured.
How to plan a self-drive route
Build the itinerary around a few bases and leave room for what happens between them. A motorway day between large cities is unlike a day crossing the Atlas, so allow for traffic, a meal, fuel, a photo stop and the final approach to your accommodation.
- For a first drive, a large-city pick-up followed by a straightforward motorway leg is easier to assess than a late-night mountain crossing.
- For the south, treat the mountain crossing as its own planning decision. Aim to finish the unfamiliar stretch in daylight.
- For a city stay, decide whether you need a car on arrival or only when leaving. Match your pick-up and return points to that plan.
Compare pick-up points and rental conditions for your dates on the Morocco page. The Marrakech and Fes pages cover those two starting points, and our guide to the Agadir to Marrakech drive shows a worked route.
What to check before leaving the rental desk
Read the offer and agreement before collection, especially the insurance excess, deposit, mileage policy, fuel policy and any restriction on unpaved roads or one-way returns.
If you do not want an amount blocked on your card, compare car hire with no deposit and check the insurance excess that applies instead.
- Note the collection point, return point, opening hours and a contact number for problems on the road.
- Inspect tyres, lights, existing body damage and the fuel level together with the supplier; record discrepancies on the hand-over form.
- Check the car has the equipment and documents the provider says are included, and that every driver appears on the agreement.
- Save the number to call for a breakdown or accident, and how to report one.
Keep the confirmation and contract on your phone, available offline, and get any condition that matters to your trip in writing.
No-deposit cars in Marrakech
Dacia Sandero 2026
$25.33per day · $177 for 7 days
See conditions →
Geely GX3 Pro
$25.59per day · $179 for 7 days
See conditions →Dacia Sandero 2025
$25.59per day · $179 for 7 days
See conditions →What if you break down or have an accident?
Move yourself and passengers to safety, then call your rental provider and, if needed, the emergency services. Remain at the scene and wait for proper documentationSource [2].
After an accident, fill in the “constat amiable” form with the other driver and have both of you sign it; blank forms are available from insurance company booths in Tangier Port and tobacconists in all citiesSource [1].
Save your rental provider's own emergency contact as well.
Should you hire a car in Morocco?
Hire a car if you are linking towns, the coast or the Atlas, and skip it for a single-city break, where the car would mostly sit in a car park.
| Trip | Car? | Where to collect |
|---|---|---|
| A single-city break | No: parking and traffic add effort; hire only for a day trip out of town | When you leave the city |
| Large cities linked by motorway | Yes: motorways connect Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech | Casablanca airport, Tangier airport or Marrakech airport |
| Towns outside the rail network | Yes: a car gives you the flexibility | Marrakech, Fes or Agadir |
| Atlas or Rif crossings | Yes, with shorter days and a daylight margin; a 4x4 only for unpaved sections | 4x4 in Marrakech |
Autalo shows current offers for each of these pick-up points: start from the Morocco page, or go straight to the city in the table.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay Moroccan motorway tolls by card?
Yes. Motorway tolls accept bank cards, cash and the Jawaz pass; use the lane marked for your payment method.
Do UK drivers need an international driving permit in Morocco?
Yes. Carry your UK driving licence and a 1968 International Driving Permit in the car; Morocco no longer accepts the 1949 version.
Can I drive in Morocco with a US or other foreign licence?
Yes, for up to one year. Hire companies may add their own rules, so ask the desk whether it wants a translation or an International Driving Permit for your booking.
Is it safe for tourists to drive in Morocco?
Yes, for an experienced driver who plans around the hazards: accidents are frequent, traffic is busy in cities, mountain roads are steep and visibility is poor after dark. Plan shorter days where conditions are unfamiliar.
Should I hire a car in Morocco?
Yes for linking towns, the coast or the Atlas, and no for a single-city break, where the car would mostly sit in a car park.
Sources (6)
- [1] UK Foreign Office — Morocco road travel and documents gov.uk · Checked Back to the text: 12345678
- [2] US State Department — Morocco road conditions and licences travel.state.gov · Checked Back to the text: 12345
- [3] Moroccan National Tourist Office — transport and driving side visitmorocco.com · Checked Back to the text
- [4] GOV.UK — international driving permit table gov.uk · Checked Back to the text
- [5] Autoroutes du Maroc — accepted toll payment methods adm.co.ma · Checked Back to the text: 12
- [6] UK Foreign Office: Morocco, getting help (emergency contacts) gov.uk · Checked Back to the text