How to choose a customs broker in Morocco

Do you have to use a broker?

No. The owner of the goods may file the declaration personally (article 67 of the Customs Code). In practice this requires access to the BADR system, which is reserved for registered businesses (trade register, ICE), and a good command of tariff classification: the declarant is liable for errors.

Individuals have simplified procedures: a verbal declaration for travellers, an occasional declaration for unaccompanied baggage or a house move, and postal forms for parcels. For commercial imports, using a broker remains the most common option.

What a licensed broker is

Only a licensed broker may, as a business, clear goods on behalf of others (article 68). The licence is granted by the Minister of Finance, on the proposal of the Customs Administration, after an aptitude exam. It is personal: a forwarding company must be licensed, and so must each person who signs declarations in its name.

• Every broker has a licence number, which must appear on every declaration they file.
• Licences and withdrawals are published in the Bulletin officiel.
• The profession answers to a disciplinary chamber; a broker at fault risks a fine of MAD 30,000 to 100,000, suspension or loss of the licence.
• Practising without a licence is a customs offence.

Checking that a broker is licensed

1. 01

   Ask for the licence number

   A serious professional will give it readily, along with the company name, trade register and ICE.

2. 02

   Check the official list

   Moroccan Customs publishes the list of active licensed brokers (about 490 names in the 3 April 2025 version), with their number and city. The link is in the sources at the bottom of this page.

3. 03

   Check the declaration

   Once goods are cleared, make sure the broker’s number appears on the single goods declaration (DUM) and ask for a copy.

What a broker does for you

• classifies the goods in the right tariff line and calculates the duties;
• gathers the documents and files the declaration in BADR;
• prepares the import commitment, domiciled with your bank through PortNet;
• attends inspections and answers customs queries;
• arranges payment of duties, or payment facilities such as deferred payment or a deposit;
• coordinates collection of the goods with the port, airport and carrier.

Documents to provide

• the commercial invoice, with the Incoterm and item details;
• the transport document: bill of lading, air waybill or road consignment note;
• the packing list;
• the certificate of origin (EUR.1 or equivalent) to claim a preferential rate;
• permits and technical or health certificates required for some products;
• your company documents (trade register, ICE) and the import title.

Fees and disbursements

There is no official scale: prices are free. A broker’s invoice usually has two parts:

Ask for an itemised quote that clearly separates the two, and for the customs receipt for duties paid. You can compare the duties invoiced with a simulation on the tariff line concerned.

You remain liable

The declarant, the person on whose behalf they act and the guarantor are jointly liable for the duties (articles 87 and 88). If the broker reproduced in good faith inaccurate information you supplied, you are the one held responsible. A false declaration carries a fine of one and a half times the duties put at risk.

Questions to ask before choosing

• What is your licence number, and at which customs offices do you work?
• Do you know my type of product and the permits it requires?
• Can you give me an itemised quote with fees and disbursements separated?
• How and when will you send me the DUM and the receipts?
• Who is my contact if there is an inspection or a hold-up?
• Do you offer duty payment facilities, and on what terms?

Frequently asked questions