Speed limits in Morocco are 60 km/h in towns, 100 km/h on main roads and 120 km/h on motorways, radars are frequent on the roads out of Marrakech, and police or gendarmerie checkpoints at the entrance of every town are a normal part of driving. Fines for the usual tourist offence, moderate speeding, are paid on the spot against an official receipt. Here is how it works, where the checks are, and what to do at a checkpoint so that it lasts thirty seconds.

Speed limits

Road	Limit	Where you will meet it
In towns and villages	60 km/h (often 40 or 30 near schools and markets)	Marrakech, every village on the Essaouira and Ourika roads
Main roads (national and regional)	100 km/h	N8 to Essaouira, N9 to Ouarzazate, P2017 to Ourika
Motorways	120 km/h	A7 to Casablanca and Agadir
Works, tunnels, rain	As signed, often 80 or 60	The Atlas tunnel on the Agadir motorway, roadworks on the N9

Limits drop sharply at the entrance of towns, and that is where the radars stand. The rule that keeps you out of trouble: when houses appear, you are at 60.

Where the radars are

The airport road and avenue Mohammed VI in Marrakech.
The first 30 km of the road to Essaouira and of the road to Ouarzazate, on the flat sections.
The A7 motorway, both directions, with mobile units near the toll plazas and fixed cameras on the straights.
Entrances of Chichaoua, Aït Ourir, Tahanaout and Tnine Ourika.

Fixed radars flash and the notice reaches the car’s owner later; during a rental, that fine is deducted from your €800 deposit with the notice as proof. Mobile radars are operated by officers who stop you a few hundred metres further on.

Checkpoints: what to do

Slow down when you see the cones, the vehicle or the officers, usually at the town entrance.
If an officer raises a hand or points, stop on the side, window down, engine on, hands visible.
Greet (“bonjour”, “salam”), hand over your driving licence and the rental contract when asked. Have them within reach, not in the boot.
Most stops end there. If you were speeding, the officer shows the reading and the fine.

Officers are used to tourists and generally speak French; English is common near Marrakech and Agadir. Be polite and unhurried; it is a formality.

Fines

Road fines in Morocco are set by law in classes according to the offence; moderate speeding, seat belt, phone at the wheel and stop-sign offences are the ones visitors meet. They are paid on the spot in dirhams against an official receipt that shows the offence and the amount. Always ask for the receipt and keep it: it proves the fine is settled, so nothing is deducted from your deposit for it later. Serious offences (heavy speeding, alcohol, no licence) involve the court and the car being held; they are rare for visitors and entirely avoidable.

Other rules that get checked

Seat belts front and rear.
No phone in hand; a cradle and hands-free are fine.
Zero alcohol at the wheel.
Children in appropriate seats; the baby seat is free with our rentals, ask for it when booking.
Headlights on in tunnels and at night; in rain, slow down, the first minutes make the tarmac slippery.

If you get a fine during the rental

Paid on the spot with a receipt: nothing else to do, keep the receipt until the end of the rental. Received later by post to the car’s owner (fixed radar): we deduct the amount from the deposit and send you the notice. That is the only case where the deposit is used for a fine. Full conditions on the rental conditions page, and more on the roads themselves in is it safe to drive in Morocco.

Frequently asked questions

What is the speed limit on Moroccan motorways?

120 km/h, with lower limits signed in the Atlas tunnel, at toll plazas and in roadworks.

Are there many police checkpoints in Morocco?

Yes, at the entrance of most towns and on main roads. They are routine and take under a minute if you have licence and contract at hand.

How are speeding fines paid?

On the spot in dirhams against an official receipt. Keep it. Fixed-radar fines received later are deducted from the deposit with the notice as proof.

Can I refuse to pay a fine on the spot?

You can contest, but the car may then be held pending the procedure. For a genuine offence, paying against a receipt is the practical choice.

Is there a tolerance above the limit?

Do not count on it. Radars at town entrances are set close to the posted limit.

Rent a car in Marrakech from €35 per day

Getaround Rent Car is a local agency in Marrakech, open 7 days a week, 24/7, with free delivery at Menara Airport or at your hotel or riad. Refundable deposit of €800, minimum age 21, 200 km per day included.