License Plates: When Will There Be Real Standardization? - L'Economiste

After regulating the matter by circular for almost a year, the Ministry of Transport has now published Order No. 640.26 in the Official Gazette, setting out the official format for vehicle license plates. Eventually, license plates will be bilingual, featuring Arabic characters alongside their Latin equivalents. The main change is the incorporation of the “MA” country code directly into the license plate, rather than displaying it on a separate sticker.Despite the order’s entry into force, vehicle owners may continue driving with their existing plates, featuring Arabic characters only, until the vehicle is first transferred to a new owner. At that point, the new format will become mandatory.As for the bilingual plates currently used for international travel, together with the “MA” sticker, they may remain in use until December 31, 2026. After that date, they will have to be replaced by the new format. Motorists traveling abroad, as well as drivers engaged in international road transport (TIR), may therefore continue using their current plates featuring Latin characters and the “MA” country code.The order is intended to bring an end to a period governed by a NARSA circular, circulated by the Ministry of Transport, which authorized vehicles to use bilingual plates even for domestic travel. The decision was taken hastily after several motorists were – rightfully – fined in Morocco for using bilingual plates within the country, as this was contrary to the regulations in force. Moreover, international road transport drivers found themselves in an unusual situation: they were required to change their license plates every time they crossed the border, whether leaving or re-entering the country. To address this issue, the Ministry introduced a simplified arrangement through a communiqué rather than issuing a new regulatory order.As a result, bilingual plates became widely adopted, even by drivers with no intention of taking their vehicles outside Morocco. In some cases, they were fitted as soon as a new vehicle was purchased from a dealership. Some motorists even use bilingual plates without displaying the sticker bearing the “MA” country code.Consequently, three different license plate formats are currently in use side by side.Hassan EL ARIF