Can foreigners buy property in Morocco?

Yes. Foreigners can buy, sell, and inherit urban property in Morocco with the same rights as Moroccan nationals. There is no residency requirement, no holding period, no approval needed from any ministry. The transaction is handled by a notaire and registered the same way a sale between two Moroccans would be.

Three exceptions apply.

1. Agricultural land. Land classified as agricultural — including olive groves, farms, and rural parcels outside urban perimeters — cannot be purchased by non-Moroccan individuals. This classification is legal, not geographic. A parcel on the Ourika road is agricultural by classification even if it looks residential. Foreign buyers who want agricultural land typically route the purchase through a Moroccan company in which they hold shares. This is legal and common; a notaire arranges it.

2. Border zones. Specific security-sensitive zones near Morocco's borders are restricted. Relevant for the north near Ceuta and Melilla, the eastern Algerian border, and parts of the south. Not relevant for Marrakech or any major city.

3. Religious properties. Property classified as habous — held in Islamic religious trust — cannot be sold to anyone, Moroccan or foreign. This is a title classification, not a use classification; a habous property is identified during the notarial due diligence before a sale can proceed.

Everything else is open. Riads, villas, apartments, commercial buildings, urban land, and buildings classified as residential can be purchased by any foreigner regardless of nationality or residency status.