Specialised Commercial Courts
Morocco operates commercial courts with dedicated jurisdiction over disputes between merchants and companies, with commercial appellate courts above them. The system follows the French model closely, and practitioners commonly work in French alongside Arabic - which lowers the practical barrier for European creditors compared with much of the region.
Enforcement is carried out by a huissier de justice, a judicial officer responsible for service and execution.
Late Payment Is Regulated, Not Negotiated
Morocco has legislated on payment terms between businesses, setting maximum contractual periods and providing for automatic late payment penalties once those periods are exceeded, together with a reporting and enforcement framework.
For a creditor this has a practical benefit beyond the money: it means the entitlement is not a matter of argument. A demand that correctly identifies the applicable period, the date the penalty began to run and the amount accrued is engaging with a regime the debtor's own accountants are required to track. That tends to produce a substantive response rather than silence.
Injonction de Payer
For a claim founded on documents and of a fixed amount, the injonction de payer allows an order to be obtained without the debtor being heard. The debtor may then oppose within the statutory period, which converts the matter into ordinary proceedings before the commercial court.
The conditions are documentary, so the assessment is the same as elsewhere in the French tradition: does the file establish a certain, liquid and due claim on its face. Where it does, the route is quick and cheap relative to a full action.
Commercial Obligations
Obligations between merchants are subject to a limitation period shorter than the general civil period, and different periods apply to particular categories of claim. Because the applicable period turns on how the obligation is characterised, an aged Moroccan receivable should be assessed on its facts rather than against a single headline figure.
How Long Does a Moroccan Claim Take?
| Stage | Typical Duration | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mise en demeure Formal notice with statutory penalties quantified | 2–5 weeks | Low |
| Injonction de payer Documentary application to order | 2–4 months | Low |
| Commercial court claim Where the debtor opposes | 10–20 months | High |
| Enforcement Huissier - accounts, receivables, assets | 3–7 months | Medium |
How Does SXB Global Handle a Moroccan Case?
We quantify the statutory position precisely before sending anything, because that is what distinguishes a demand the finance department must act on from one it can file. Contact is conducted in French or Arabic according to the counterparty. Where legal proceedings become appropriate, SXB Global coordinates the instruction of appropriately authorised local counsel. Legal services are provided by the relevant independent legal professionals.