Drone Laws in Morocco: Import Licence, Permits and Penalties
Drone laws in Morocco are among the strictest a traveller will meet. Since 2015, importing any unmanned aircraft has required a prior licence, and every flight requires its own authorisation. These licences are granted for professional use, so a tourist arriving with a recreational drone and no licence will, in most cases, see it held by customs at the airport.
The rules apply to every model, from professional rigs to compact folding drones, and across the whole Kingdom, from Tangier to Lagouira. This guide sets out the legal framework, the authorities involved and what happens at the border.
- Importing a drone requires a licence obtained before travel, whatever its size.
- Licences are reserved for administrations, companies and public bodies with a professional purpose.
- Each flight requires a specific authorisation from the local authority.
- A drone arriving without a licence is held by customs or seized.
Drones are not banned outright, but their import and use are subject to prior authorisation. The legal basis is Arrêté n° 386-15 of 6 February 2015, published in the Bulletin Officiel n° 6337 of 23 February 2015, which makes the import of unmanned, motorised, remote-controlled flying devices subject to a prior import licence.
The two ministries justified the measure by security risks and the protection of property and privacy, and specified that each use of a drone must be the subject of a specific authorisation from the local authority.
Foreign governments relay the same message to their nationals. The US Department of State lists drones among the items Moroccan customs strictly regulates and warns that the authorities will confiscate them. The UK Foreign Office states that permission is required and that travellers without it risk fines and confiscation of their equipment.
In practice, not for recreational use. According to the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Trade, import licences are granted to administrations, companies and public bodies that use drones for strictly professional purposes, such as film production. Holiday photography is not part of that scheme.
In a written answer to Parliament in March 2022, the Minister of the Interior stated that 616 authorisations had been granted since 2015: 329 permanent imports and 287 temporary imports, all for professional drones. Before approving a temporary import, the ministry checks that the drone presents no security risk, will not be used near sensitive sites and serves a professional purpose.
The size or weight of the drone makes no difference. A compact model sold as a “mini” drone, under 250 g, is subject to the same licence as any other.
Several separate decisions are involved. A licence to import does not authorise a flight, and a flight authorisation does not cover filming.
- Permanent import licenceMinistry of Industry and Trade, after the opinion of the Ministry of the InteriorFiled electronically through the PortNet platform, before the drone enters Morocco.
- Temporary importCustoms (ADII), with the approval of the Ministry of the InteriorFor equipment that enters for a defined project and leaves the country afterwards.
- Radio conformityNational Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT)Review of the frequencies and transmission power of the remote control and video link.
- Flight authorisationLocal authority, under the Ministry of the InteriorRequired for each use, for a given place, date and purpose.
- Filming authorisationCentre Cinématographique Marocain (CCM)Required for films, documentaries, advertising and other professional shoots, in addition to the authorisations above.
The import form published by the Ministry of Industry and Trade asks individual applicants for a Moroccan national electronic identity card. A foreign applicant therefore goes through a Moroccan company or body that files on its behalf. The process takes time and its outcome is not guaranteed.
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State the purpose and the sites
The application describes the intended use, the flight locations and the flight conditions.
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Prepare the technical file
The ministry’s form asks for:
- Make, model and number of drones.
- Frequency bands, transmission power and channel bandwidth of each radio link.
- Technical documentation in French or English and the certificate or declaration of conformity.
- Proof of the end use and a declaration on honour signed by the applicant.
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Obtain the flight and filming authorisations
Once the import is authorised, each flight requires the approval of the local authority, and any professional shoot requires the authorisation of the CCM.
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Travel with the written documents
Carry copies of every authorisation and check that they cover both entry into Morocco and the planned flights. Verbal assurances from a seller or an intermediary have no value at customs.
Customs will not let it through. The Office National des Aéroports (ONDA) asks passengers to obtain the licence from the competent authorities before travelling, and states that drones arriving without one may be confiscated temporarily, for up to 45 days. A drone that has not been declared can be seized permanently, and its owner exposed to fines.
- Declare the drone to customs on arrival and follow the officers’ instructions.
- Keep the receipt issued for the retained equipment.
- Never conceal a drone in your luggage.
Even with authorisation, some places remain off limits for flights and photography. The US Department of State advises against photographing palaces, diplomatic missions, government buildings and any site of military or security interest, and the UK Foreign Office notes that photographing near sensitive political or military sites is illegal.
- Royal palaces and residences.
- Military, police and gendarmerie installations.
- Government buildings and diplomatic missions.
- Airports, ports and border areas.
- Private homes, terraces and people who have not given their consent.
The rule is the same everywhere: no flight without authorisation for that place. Each region simply adds its own constraints.
The medina is dense and inhabited, and the city has royal and government sites where photography is prohibited.
The old town is a residential quarter. Flying over terraces and doorways raises privacy concerns on top of the aviation rules.
A remote location does not exempt a flight. The authorisation must name the area, and military zones and border areas remain excluded.
National parks, dams, ports and coastal installations carry their own site rules and security restrictions.
For a foreign production, the first step is a filming authorisation issued by the Centre Cinématographique Marocain. The CCM requires foreign crews to work with a Moroccan production company it has approved, which acts as the point of contact with the authorities. Aerial shots are added to this file, alongside the import and flight authorisations.
This applies to documentary teams, advertising agencies, broadcasters and content creators working for a client. An authorisation granted for one project or one location does not carry over to another.
The lawful choice is to leave the drone at home. For a professional project, two legal routes remain open:
- Commission an approved Moroccan company that already holds the required authorisations.
- Use aerial footage licensed from an authorised source, after checking its usage rights.
- No written licence, no drone in the luggage.
- Import licence obtained before departure.
- Flight authorisation for each site and date.
- CCM authorisation for any professional shoot.
- Copies of every document carried with the equipment.
- Ask before photographing people, and children above all.
- Never photograph palaces, military or government sites.
- Respect signs and staff instructions.
- Follow the rules of mosques, museums and private property.
Are drones banned in Morocco?
Not outright, but their import requires a prior licence under Arrêté n° 386-15 of 2015, and each use requires an authorisation from the local authority.
Can I bring a DJI Mini or another small drone to Morocco?
Not without an import licence. There is no exemption based on size or weight.
Can I get a permit for holiday photos?
Licences are granted for professional purposes to administrations, companies and public bodies. Recreational use by visitors is not covered by that scheme.
Will customs confiscate my drone at the airport?
Without a licence, yes. ONDA states that such drones may be held for up to 45 days, and an undeclared drone can be seized permanently.
Can I fly a drone in the Sahara?
Only with an authorisation covering that area. The desert is not exempt, and military and border zones remain excluded.
Who authorises drone filming for a film or advert?
The Centre Cinématographique Marocain, through an approved Moroccan production company, in addition to the import and flight authorisations.
- Arrêté n° 386-15 of 6 February 2015, Bulletin Officiel n° 6337Import licence for drones
- Joint communiqué of the Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Trade, 2015Authorisation of each use
- Answer of the Minister of the Interior to Parliament, March 2022Authorisations granted
- Ministry of Industry and Trade, Direction Générale du CommerceImport application form
- Office National des Aéroports (ONDA)Passenger travel documents
- Centre Cinématographique Marocain (CCM)Filming authorisations
- US Department of State and UK Foreign OfficeMorocco travel advice
Related guide: Alcohol in Morocco: the rules for visitors
This article is general information on Moroccan law for visitors, not legal advice. Procedures and their application can change. Confirm current requirements with the competent Moroccan authorities before travelling. Last reviewed October 2026.
