Key takeaways: Creating an SARL (LLC) in Morocco in 2026 costs between 4,500 and 16,000 DH excluding share capital. Main cost items: OMPIC negative certificate (230 DH), bylaws drafting (3,000-6,000 DH), trade register inscription (350 DH), legal publications (900-1,600 DH), chartered accountant fees (3,000-8,000 DH). Registration fees are exempt for company formation acts. The CRI one-stop shop reduces the timeline to 10-15 business days.
Complete Fee Summary Table
Mandatory Incorporation Fees
| Expense Item | 2026 Amount (DH) | Authority | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Negative certificate | 230 | OMPIC (directompic.ma) | Trade name reservation, valid 6 months |
| Bylaws drafting | 3,000 - 6,000 | Chartered accountant | Private deed with legalized signatures (most common) |
| Signature legalization | 0 - 50 | Municipality / Court | Free at municipality, 20 DH/signature at court |
| Registration fees | 0 (exempt) | Regional Tax Directorate | Company formation acts are exempt from registration fees |
| Stamp duty | 20 DH/page | DRI | Approximately 100-200 DH depending on page count |
| Trade register inscription | 350 | Commercial Court Registry | RC number and ICE obtained |
| JAL publication | 500 - 1,000 | Legal Gazette | Mandatory (e.g., L’Economiste, Aujourd’hui le Maroc) |
| Official Bulletin publication | 400 - 600 | Official Printing Office | Mandatory, per-word rate |
| Business license / Professional tax | 0 DH (1st year) | Local authority | First-year exemption |
| CNSS registration | 0 | CNSS | Free registration of company and manager |
| DGI registration (IF / SIMPL) | 0 | DGI | Tax ID and SIMPL access obtained |
Estimated total mandatory fees: 4,600 - 8,430 DH (registration fees exempt regardless of capital)
Professional Fees
| Provider | Amount (DH) | Service |
|---|---|---|
| Chartered accountant | 3,000 - 8,000 | Full support: bylaws drafting, administrative formalities, tax and social registrations |
| Fiduciary / domiciliation agent | 2,000 - 5,000 | Formalities + first-year domiciliation |
For personalized support, see our page on business creation in Morocco.
Share Capital: How Much to Deposit?
The Legal Minimum vs Reality
Law No. 5-96 on SARLs sets the minimum capital at 1 DH since the 2006 reform. In practice, this symbolic amount poses several problems.
| Capital | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 DH (legal minimum) | Zero entry cost | No credibility, undercapitalization risk |
| 10,000 DH | Accessible for micro-businesses | Sufficient for services, weak for trade |
| 50,000 DH | Good image of seriousness | Standard for service SARLs |
| 100,000 DH | Credibility with banks and clients | Standard for commercial SARLs |
| 500,000 DH | Strong financial foundation | Suited for industrial or high working capital needs |
Recommendations by Sector
| Sector | Recommended Capital | Justification |
|---|---|---|
| Consulting / advisory | 10,000 - 50,000 DH | Low working capital needs, few fixed assets |
| Retail trade | 50,000 - 200,000 DH | Initial stock, shop fit-out |
| Wholesale / import-export | 100,000 - 500,000 DH | High working capital needs, supplier terms |
| Restaurants / hospitality | 200,000 - 1,000,000 DH | Heavy fit-out, licenses |
| IT / digital | 30,000 - 100,000 DH | Equipment, software licenses |
| Construction / BTP | 200,000 - 500,000 DH | Bonds, equipment |
Hidden Costs to Anticipate
Frequently Overlooked Expenses
| Item | Estimated Amount (DH) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Company stamp / seal | 150 - 300 | One-time |
| Assembly minutes register | 100 - 200 | One-time (initialed at court) |
| Trade register (certified copy) | 50 - 100 | One-time |
| Certified copy stamp | 50 - 150 | Occasional |
Domiciliation: The Options
Domiciliation is the official registered office address of the SARL. Several options exist:
| Option | Monthly Cost | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third-party domiciliation | 200 - 800 DH | Economical, prestigious address | No physical office |
| Coworking space | 1,000 - 3,000 DH | Shared office, services included | No exclusivity |
| Private office | 3,000 - 15,000 DH | Dedicated space, professional image | High cost |
| Commercial premises | 5,000 - 30,000 DH | Street-level presence, storage | Long lease, deposit |
| Manager’s home | 0 DH | Free | Time-limited, requires co-ownership approval |
For more information, see our article on company domiciliation.
CRI One-Stop Shop vs Traditional Process
The Regional Investment Center (CRI)
Since Law No. 47-18 reforming the CRIs, these organizations function as a one-stop shop for business creation. All formalities are centralized in a single location.
| Criterion | CRI One-Stop Shop | Traditional Process |
|---|---|---|
| Number of trips | 1 to 2 | 5 to 8 |
| Creation timeline | 10 - 15 business days | 20 - 40 business days |
| Point of contact | Single | Multiple (OMPIC, DRI, registry, CNSS) |
| Administrative cost | Identical | Identical |
| File tracking | Online (creationentreprise.ma) | Manual |
| Availability | 12 regional CRIs | All cities |
CRI Step-by-Step Procedure
-
File preparation (D-0)
- OMPIC negative certificate (obtained online)
- Bylaws signed and legalized
- Associates’ and manager’s CIN
- Capital blocking certificate (bank)
- Domiciliation contract or lease
-
CRI submission (D+1)
- Submit the complete file to the one-stop shop
- The CRI simultaneously forwards to the various agencies
-
Processing (D+3 to D+10)
- DRI registration
- Trade register inscription
- CNSS affiliation
- IF and ICE assignment
-
Document collection (D+10 to D+15)
- RC, ICE, IF, CNSS certificate
- The CRI delivers a complete file
-
Finalization (D+15)
- JAL and BO publications
- Final bank account opening
- Capital release
- SIMPL registration (simpl.tax.gov.ma)
Creation Timeline: Typical Calendar
| Day | Action | Responsible |
|---|---|---|
| D-7 | OMPIC negative certificate reservation | Founder / Accountant |
| D-5 | Bylaws drafting and signing | Chartered accountant |
| D-3 | Capital deposit at bank | Founder |
| D-1 | Signature legalization | Municipality |
| D | File submission to CRI | Founder / Accountant |
| D+3 | DRI registration | CRI |
| D+5 | RC inscription + ICE assignment | CRI |
| D+7 | CNSS affiliation | CRI |
| D+10 | IF assignment | CRI |
| D+10 | Document collection | Founder |
| D+12 | JAL publication | Founder / Accountant |
| D+15 | BO publication | Founder / Accountant |
| D+15 | Final bank account opening | Founder |
| D+15 | SIMPL registration | Accountant |
| D+20 | Company operational | — |
Post-Creation Obligations
First Steps After Incorporation
Once the SARL is registered, several obligations begin immediately:
Accounting
- Maintain double-entry accounting compliant with CGNC
- Appoint a chartered accountant (recommended but not mandatory except for statutory auditor thresholds)
- Implement compliant accounting software
Tax
- Register on SIMPL for electronic filing of IS, VAT, and payroll IR
- File the declaration of existence within 30 days
- Pay quarterly IS installments from the first fiscal year
- Prepare for electronic invoicing according to the applicable calendar
Social
- Declare employees with CNSS within 30 days of hiring
- Issue compliant payslips
- Subscribe to occupational accident insurance (mandatory)
Legal
- Maintain the general assembly minutes register
- Convene the AGO within 6 months following the fiscal year-end
- File annual accounts at the Commercial Court Registry
To obtain your tax identification number, the process is now automated through the CRI.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The 10 Pitfalls of SARL Creation
- Capital too low: Capital of 1 DH damages credibility and may expose the manager to liability for undercapitalization
- Corporate purpose too narrow: Plan a broad corporate purpose to cover future business developments
- Template bylaws not adapted: Bylaws should be customized (management clauses, share transfers, approval requirements)
- Forgetting legal publications: The company has no legal personality until publications are completed
- Not opening a professional bank account: Mixing personal and professional finances is a management fault
- Ignoring CNSS: Failure to register exposes the company to penalties and lack of social coverage
- Not registering on SIMPL: Paper returns are no longer accepted for corporate tax
- Forgetting insurance: Professional liability is mandatory for certain regulated professions
- Neglecting the shareholders’ agreement: For multi-partner SARLs, a shareholders’ agreement protects everyone’s interests
- Underestimating recurring costs: Accounting, CNSS, professional tax, and domiciliation represent annual costs of 15,000 to 50,000 DH
FAQ
Can I create an SARL alone?
Yes, the single-partner SARL (SARLU) is perfectly legal in Morocco. The sole partner combines the roles of shareholder and manager. The formalities are identical to those of a standard SARL.
How long does it take to create an SARL?
Via the CRI one-stop shop: 10 to 15 business days. Through the traditional process: 20 to 40 business days. These timelines assume a complete file from the outset.
Can a foreigner create an SARL in Morocco?
Yes, without restriction. Foreigners may hold 100% of a Moroccan SARL’s capital. The formalities are identical, with the addition of a passport copy and possibly a residence permit.
Is the SARL the best choice for everyone?
No. Depending on the size and ambitions of the project, other forms may be more suitable:
- Auto-entrepreneur: Turnover < 500K/1M DH, solo activity (learn more)
- SARL: SMEs, 1 to 50 partners
- SA: Large projects, public offering
- SAS: Flexible bylaws (recently introduced form)
What is the annual operating cost of an SARL?
| Item | Annual Estimate (DH) |
|---|---|
| Chartered accountant | 12,000 - 36,000 |
| CNSS (1 SMIG employee) | ~10,000 |
| Professional tax | Variable (rental value x rate) |
| Domiciliation | 2,400 - 18,000 |
| Bank charges | 1,800 - 6,000 |
| Insurance | 2,000 - 10,000 |
| TOTAL | 28,200 - 80,000 |
To compare with auto-entrepreneur status, see our article Switching from Auto-Entrepreneur to SARL.
Upsilon Consulting supports business creators in Morocco from A to Z. From choosing the legal form to full registration, contact our team in Casablanca for a personalized quote.
