O'Voiture — Auto & Moto
New cars Used cars Motorcycles Comparator Guides Estimate my car

Official guide · Updated 2026

Moroccan license plates — Format, regional codes and colours

Everything about Moroccan license plates: full format, meaning of numbers and letters, prefecture codes, colour categories, WW series for imported vehicles, replacement procedure.

The essentials in 30 seconds

A standard Moroccan license plate follows the format NNNNN-X-CC, where NNNNN is a sequential serial (1 to 99,999), X is an Arabic letter identifying the series, and CC is the prefecture code (1 to 99). Example: 12345 - أ - 7 means "plate #12345 of series أ, registered in Oujda (prefecture 7)".

Black plates on a white background are standard for private vehicles. Red identifies state vehicles, blue the Auxiliary Forces, yellow taxis and heavy commercials. The WW series marks imported vehicles awaiting permanent registration.

Anatomy of a Moroccan plate

Three elements make up a standard Moroccan license plate, read right-to-left in the Arabic version (left-to-right in the international Latin version).

12345

أ

7

Serial number

From 1 to 99,999, assigned sequentially to each registration in the current series.

Arabic letter

Identifies the current "series" for that prefecture. Once a series is exhausted, it moves to the next letter of the alphabet.

Prefecture code

From 1 to 99, identifies the prefecture or province of registration. Defines where the vehicle was originally registered.

Real example of a Moroccan license plate — 65528 أ Casablanca Hay Hassani
Example: Moroccan plate photographed in Casablanca Hay Hassani. Image: Wikimedia Commons

The Arabic letters used

Moroccan plates use the letters of the Arabic alphabet in order, except for a few reserved or avoided letters. When a series reaches 99,999 vehicles, the next letter is used.

Letters typically used (alphabetical order): أ، ب، ج، د، هـ، و، ز، ح، ط، ي، ك، ل، م، ن، س، ع، ف، ص، ق، ر، ش، ت، ث، خ، ذ، ض، ظ، غ.

Three letters carry a special meaning: ج historically reserved for state vehicles before the red colour was generalised, ر sometimes used for official vehicles, م reserved for military vehicles.

Codes for the main prefectures

The 1- or 2-digit code at the end of the plate identifies the prefecture (or province) where the vehicle was originally registered. These are the most common codes — the full official list is on narsa.ma and may evolve with administrative restructuring (notably since the 2015 Régionalisation Avancée).

Code City / Prefecture Region
1 Rabat Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
2 Salé Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
3 Sala Al Jadida Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
4 Skhirat-Témara Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
5 Khémisset Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
6 Casablanca-Anfa Casablanca-Settat
7 Casablanca-Aïn Sebaâ Casablanca-Settat
8 Casablanca-Hay Hassani Casablanca-Settat
9 Casablanca-Ben M'sick Casablanca-Settat
10 Casablanca-Moulay Rachid Casablanca-Settat
11 Casablanca-Al Fida Casablanca-Settat
12 Casablanca-Mechouar Casablanca-Settat
13 Casablanca-Sidi Bernoussi Casablanca-Settat
14 Mohammédia Casablanca-Settat
15 Fès-Jdid Fès-Meknès
16 Fès-Médina Fès-Meknès
17 Fès-Zouagha Moulay Yacoub Fès-Meknès
18 Sefrou Fès-Meknès
19 Boulemane Fès-Meknès
20 Meknès-Al Menzeh Fès-Meknès
21 Meknès-Ismaïlia Fès-Meknès
22 El Hajeb Fès-Meknès
23 Ifrane Fès-Meknès
24 Khénifra Béni Mellal-Khénifra
25 Errachidia Drâa-Tafilalet
26 Marrakech-Ménara Marrakech-Safi
27 Marrakech-Médina Marrakech-Safi
28 Marrakech-Sidi Youssef Ben Ali Marrakech-Safi
29 Marrakech-Al Haouz Marrakech-Safi
30 Chichaoua Marrakech-Safi
31 Kelâat Es-Sraghna Marrakech-Safi
32 Essaouira Marrakech-Safi
33 Agadir-Ida Outanane Souss-Massa
34 Inezgane-Aït Melloul Souss-Massa
35 Chtouka-Aït Baha Souss-Massa
36 Taroudant Souss-Massa
37 Tiznit Souss-Massa
38 Ouarzazate Drâa-Tafilalet
39 Zagora Drâa-Tafilalet
40 Tanger-Asilah Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma
41 Tanger-Fahs Anjra Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma
42 Larache-Ksar El Kébir Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma
43 Chefchaouen Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma
44 Tétouan Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma
45 Al Hoceïma Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma
46 Taza Fès-Meknès
47 Taounate Fès-Meknès
48 Oujda-Angad Oriental
49 Berkane Oriental
50 Nador Oriental
51 Taourirt Oriental
52 Jerada Oriental
53 Figuig Oriental
54 Safi Marrakech-Safi
55 El Jadida Casablanca-Settat
56 Settat Casablanca-Settat
57 Khouribga Béni Mellal-Khénifra
58 Benslimane (Bouznika) Casablanca-Settat
59 Kénitra Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
60 Sidi Kacem Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
61 Béni Mellal Béni Mellal-Khénifra
62 Azilal Béni Mellal-Khénifra
63 Smara Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra
64 Guelmim Guelmim-Oued Noun
65 Tan-Tan Guelmim-Oued Noun
66 Tata Souss-Massa
67 Assa-Zag Guelmim-Oued Noun
68 Laâyoune Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra
69 Boujdour Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra
70 Oued Ed-Dahab Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab
71 Aousserd Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab
72 Casablanca-Aïn Chock Casablanca-Settat
73 Nouaceur Casablanca-Settat
74 Médiouna Casablanca-Settat
75 M'diq-Fnideq Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma
76 Driouch Oriental
77 Guercif Oriental
78 Ouazzane Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma
79 Sidi Slimane Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
80 Midelt Drâa-Tafilalet
81 Berrechid Casablanca-Settat
82 Sidi Bennour Casablanca-Settat
83 Rehamna (Benguerir) Marrakech-Safi
84 Fquih Ben Salah Béni Mellal-Khénifra
85 Youssoufia Marrakech-Safi
86 Tinghir Drâa-Tafilalet
87 Sidi Ifni Guelmim-Oued Noun
88 Tarfaya Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra
89 Lagouira Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab

This list covers the codes most frequently seen on Moroccan plates. For the exhaustive and up-to-date list of all 99 prefectures, contact NARSA or your Regional Transport Directorate.

Colour codes by vehicle category

The colour of the plate (and background) lets you instantly identify the vehicle's usage category.

Colour Category
Black on white Private vehicles (the vast majority)
Red on white State, government, and municipal vehicles
Blue on white Auxiliary Forces
Black on yellow Taxis, public transport, heavy commercials
Green on white Agricultural vehicles, tractors
WW plate Imported vehicles awaiting permanent registration

International circulation format

For international travel (transit, customs, border crossings), the Arabic letter in the middle of the plate is duplicated by its Latin uppercase equivalent below it. This convention lets Moroccan-registered vehicles be read without ambiguity by foreign authorities and automated number-plate recognition systems.

State, police, military and diplomatic plates

Several categories of official vehicles carry plates distinct from the civilian format. The main types:

State civilian vehicles

Six digits in white on a black background. The mark 'M' or 'المغرب' (al-Maghrib, Morocco) appears in red at the right edge. For vehicles belonging to local authorities, the red mark is replaced by the Arabic letter ج (jīm).

Police

Plates carry the Arabic letter ش (shīn), short for الشرطة (ash-shurṭa, 'police').

Honorary consuls

Plates bearing the letters 'CC' in red, standing for 'Corps Consulaire' (Consular Corps).

Ambassadors and diplomatic corps

Blue plate bearing the letters 'CD', standing for 'Corps Diplomatique' (Diplomatic Corps).

Foreign cooperants posted in Morocco

Special format combining a number and a mission code, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Examples of Moroccan communal, police and military license plates
Communal, police and military plates. Image: Wikimedia Commons

Official codes (96-99): ministers, parliament, royal court

Vehicles of the highest officials carry plates composed of two numbers in black on a white background. The number on the right identifies the holder’s function:

Code Function
96 Official cars of senior officials (walis, governors)
97 Official cars of the royal court
98 Official cars of the Parliament
99 Official cars of ministers

The WW series — temporary imported vehicles

The WW series (two Latin Ws followed by a number) is assigned to imported vehicles not yet permanently registered — typically used vehicles freshly cleared through customs and waiting for their first Moroccan carte grise.

WW plate validity is limited: 45 days, renewable once, after which the vehicle must obtain a permanent Moroccan registration (standard registration procedure at the Regional Transport Directorate). Driving with an expired WW exposes you to a fine and vehicle impoundment.

W18 is a variant of the provisional series used for new vehicles undergoing testing, or vehicles being serviced by a professional that must temporarily circulate before or during their workshop visit. Validity is limited and strictly tied to the declared test situation.

Damaged, illegible or lost plate

For a damaged plate (impacts, oxidation, loose rivets) or stolen, you must replace it through an approved manufacturer. The procedure doesn't require visiting NARSA if the registration stays the same: the manufacturer makes a new plate matching your carte grise upon presentation.

Indicative cost: 150 to 300 MAD for a pair of plates (front + rear) depending on the material (standard aluminum or premium acrylic). Time: 1 to 3 days at most manufacturers. For a stolen plate, file a police report before replacement — the receipt serves as provisional proof during fabrication.

A brief history of Moroccan plates

The modern registration system in Morocco dates from 1913, under the French protectorate, with a format modeled on the French system of the time. After independence in 1956, Morocco maintained a hybrid system using Latin and Arabic numerals interchangeably depending on the plate version.

The current standardisation dates from 2000, with unification of the NNNNN-X-CC format across the country and mandatory introduction of dual inscription (Latin + Arabic) on the same plate. Since 2018, plates are made of stamped aluminum with a retroreflective film for night legibility.

Frequently asked — Moroccan license plates

How do I read a Moroccan license plate?
Standard format NNNNN-X-CC: the number on the left (1 to 99,999) is the serial within the current letter, the Arabic letter in the middle identifies the "series" (the next letter is used once 99,999 vehicles are reached), and the code on the right (1 to 99) identifies the prefecture of registration. The international (Latin) version reads the same way, left-to-right.
What do the numbers at the end of Moroccan plates mean?
The 1- or 2-digit code at the end identifies the prefecture (or province) where the vehicle was originally registered. Common examples: 1 = Rabat, 2 = Salé, 6 = Casablanca-Anfa, 7 = Casablanca-Aïn Sebaâ, 14 = Mohammédia, 26 = Marrakech-Ménara, 44 = Tétouan, 48 = Oujda-Angad, 50 = Nador, 55 = El Jadida, 59 = Kénitra, 68 = Laâyoune. See the table above for the most frequently encountered codes.
If I move, do I need to change my plate?
No. The prefecture code on the plate corresponds to the vehicle's ORIGINAL place of registration, not the owner's current address. You keep the same plate even after moving and even after a transfer to a new owner. It's the carte grise (which contains the owner's address) that needs updating in case of an address change — see our carte grise renewal guide.
Why are some plates WW?
The WW series (for "vehicle in transit", a legacy of the old system) is used for imported vehicles not yet permanently registered in Morocco — typically used vehicles freshly cleared through customs and waiting for their first Moroccan carte grise. WW validity is 45 days, renewable once; beyond that, the vehicle must obtain permanent registration or be re-exported.
How much does a new license plate cost in Morocco?
For a replacement (damaged, lost, or stolen plate), expect 150 to 300 MAD for a pair (front + rear) at an approved manufacturer, depending on the material (standard aluminum or premium acrylic). Time: 1 to 3 days. For a first-time registration (when buying a new vehicle), the plate cost is usually included in the registration fees handled by the dealer.
Can I personalise my Moroccan plate (chosen numbers)?
No. The Moroccan system does not allow personalised plates: the number is automatically and sequentially assigned by NARSA at registration. This common practice in Europe (UK, France) has no legal equivalent in Morocco. A few exceptions exist for diplomatic vehicles and certain official plates.
My plate is damaged — do I need a new carte grise?
No. As long as the registration number stays the same, you keep the same carte grise. The new plate is fabricated identically by an approved manufacturer upon presentation of your carte grise. Only if the registration itself changes (very rare, e.g., during an administrative re-registration) is a new carte grise required.
What if my license plates get stolen?
Three steps: 1) file a theft report at the police station with your registration number and obtain the receipt. 2) Keep this receipt — it serves as provisional proof if you must drive without plates during the replacement period (best to avoid driving). 3) Order new plates at an approved manufacturer with the receipt and your carte grise. Cost: ~200-300 MAD.