Driving in Morocco as a United States National

Morocco offers diverse terrain from the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara and coast, but driving requires navigating aggressive city traffic, medina congestion, police checkpoints, and variable rural road quality. An IDP is required.

Key Things to Know First

IDP Required

Morocco requires an International Driving Permit for foreign visitors. Obtain one in United States before departure.

How to get an IDP

Same Side of the Road

Both United States and Morocco drive on the right. No adjustment needed.

Speed Signs Use km/h

United States uses mph, but Morocco uses km/h. Verify your GPS or navigation app is set to the correct unit.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Rule	United States	Morocco	Change?
Traffic side	Right-hand traffic	Right-hand traffic	Same
Speed unit	mph	km/h	Yes
IDP required	—	Yes	Yes
Min. driving age	16	18	Differs
Emergency number	911	19 (police) / 15 (ambulance)	Different
Road difficulty	Easy	Challenging	—

Speed Limits in Morocco

Urban

40 km/h

Rural / Open road

100 km/h

Highway / Motorway

120 km/h

Speed limits in Morocco are posted in km/h (kilometres per hour). Quick reference: 50 km/h ≈ 31 mph · 100 km/h ≈ 62 mph · 130 km/h ≈ 81 mph.

Documents to Carry in Morocco

Original driving licence from United States — must be valid and unexpired
International Driving Permit (IDP) — required in Morocco. Obtain from your national motoring association before travelling.
Passport or national ID — carry at all times while driving
Car insurance certificate — verify it covers Morocco before departure
Vehicle registration / rental agreement

Emergency Number in Morocco

19 (police) / 15 (ambulance)

Primary emergency number in Morocco. Save it before you drive.

Emergency numbers for all countries

Full Morocco Driving Guide

Road rules, toll system, fuel types, parking, regional quirks — everything you need for driving in Morocco.

Read the complete guide