Company formation procedures

From name reservation to legal publicity, incorporating a Moroccan commercial company follows seven well-marked steps — now mostly digital via the OMPIC platform, with the CRI one-stop shop as the physical companion.

Step 1 — Negative certificate

Reserves your company name. Issued online (OMPIC) or at the one-stop shop upon simple ID; valid 90 days for trade-register filing.

Step 2 — Bylaws

Drafted privately or notarised, usually with a fiduciary, notary or lawyer: form, object, registered office, capital, governance.

Step 3 — Subscription forms

For SA/SAS: subscription bulletins signed by shareholders, and contribution deeds where assets are contributed (valued by a contributions auditor).

Step 4 — Capital deposit

Cash contributions are blocked in a bank account opened for the company in formation — mandatory for SA, and for SARL above MAD 100,000. The bank issues a blocking certificate.

Step 5 — Registration

Bylaws and lease (or purchase deed) are registered with the tax administration: 1% of capital (min. MAD 1,000); the lease within one month of signature.

Step 6 — Business tax, tax ID and trade register

Registration for business tax (ex-patente), tax identification and trade-register entry at the commercial court — all triggered by filing the single form; the company receives its common enterprise identifier (ICE).

Step 7 — CNSS and legal publicity

Employer affiliation to the CNSS social security fund, then publication in a legal gazette and the Official Bulletin within 30 days of registration.

Summary

Observed total in the region: about 48 hours for a complete file lodged at the one-stop shop or online.