Marrakech short-term rental: legal procedures by property type

Listing an apartment, villa or riad on Airbnb or Booking.com does not constitute authorisation to operate.

These platforms make it possible to present the property, record bookings and receive payments. They do not determine the property’s legal status and do not replace the formalities required under Moroccan regulations.

To let a property legally on a short-term basis in Marrakech, three questions must first be answered:

Which legal category does the activity fall into?
Who is officially responsible for operating it?
What authorisation must be obtained for this specific property?

Only after this classification can the owner decide whether to operate the property themselves, use a concierge service or entrust the activity to a company.

What Moroccan regulations actually provide

The main framework is based on Law No. 80-14 concerning tourist establishments and other forms of tourist accommodation.

It recognises several categories of establishments, including:

hotels;
tourist residences;
guest houses;
riads;
kasbahs;
lodgings;
boarding houses;
campsites.

It also regulates certain “other forms of tourist accommodation”, including accommodation with a local resident, bivouacs and alternative accommodation.

For tourist accommodation establishments falling into these categories, opening is subject to an operating authorisation. This authorisation notably requires provisional classification corresponding to the establishment’s type and category. An establishment may not be operated under a different type from the one authorised.

A widespread oversimplification must therefore be avoided:

The official texts examined do not provide for a general authorisation called an “Airbnb licence” that would automatically cover all apartments and villas.

The authorities assess matters according to the property, the activity actually carried out, the establishment type and the declared operator.

The still-sensitive case of independent apartments and villas

The law precisely defines hotels, tourist residences, guest houses and riads. It also defines accommodation with a local resident as the hosting of tourists by a private individual in the home where they have established their residence.

By contrast, the official texts do not create a general category entitled “independent Airbnb apartment” that automatically applies to every apartment situated in a residential co-ownership development.

This is an essential point.

An owner should therefore not claim that their apartment is compliant simply because:

the listing has been accepted by Airbnb;
a concierge service has agreed to manage it;
a company collects the bookings;
other properties are already being operated in the development.

For an apartment or villa that does not clearly correspond to an existing category, the prudent approach is to present the project accurately to the regional or provincial representative of the Ministry of Tourism and to the competent authority.

The application must describe:

the property concerned;
whether it will be let in its entirety or by room;
whether the activity will be occasional or permanent;
any services offered;
the owner’s identity;
the identity of the proposed operator;
the role of the management company.

Guidance should be requested for this specific property, rather than a general answer to the question: “Is Airbnb legal in Morocco?”

Owner, operator and management company: three different roles

The owner

The owner legally owns the property.

They may operate it themselves or entrust its management to an individual or company. However, owning the property does not automatically give them the right to operate it under any tourist category.

The operator

The operator is the individual or legal entity that actually carries on the activity.

In particular, where Law No. 80-14 applies, the operator is responsible for:

operating under the authorised category;
administrative obligations;
traveller declarations;
retaining documents;
checks related to the operation.

The law requires the relevant operators to submit travellers’ information electronically each day on the day of arrival. It also provides for the collection of an identity document, the preparation of an individual accommodation form and its retention for one year.

The management company or concierge service

A concierge service may simply be a provider responsible for marketing and day-to-day management.

It may also act as a management company formally identified in the administrative file.

The official application form expressly distinguishes between:

management by the owner;
management by a management company;
management by another individual.

Where a company is involved, the form requests its corporate name, address and the type of contract concluded with the owner.

This recognition is important: the regulations accept that an establishment may be managed by a company separate from its owner.

However, this does not mean that a concierge service automatically legalises every property entrusted to it.

Does using a concierge service automatically make the property legal?

No.

A concierge service may assist with the procedures, prepare the file, represent the project sponsor where its mandate permits or be declared as a management company.

It cannot, however:

automatically convert a residential apartment into a tourist establishment;
replace the authorisation attached to the property;
use its commercial register as a tourist authorisation;
give all its clients’ properties the benefit of a single, abstract authorisation;
present as accommodation with a local resident a property in which the owner does not live.

The official authorisation model identifies a specific establishment, its address, type and category. It also refers to the application submitted by the investor or their representative.

It follows that an authorisation should not be presented as a general approval of the concierge service, valid for any property.

Two arrangements are possible with a concierge service

The owner remains the operator

Under this first arrangement, the owner remains legally responsible for the activity.

The concierge service acts as a provider or agent. Depending on the contract, it may be responsible for:

preparing the file;
following up the formalities;
managing listings;
making certain declarations;
representing the owner before certain contacts.

The contract must nevertheless state that the owner remains the operator and clearly define the tasks delegated.

A vague formula such as “the concierge service takes care of everything” does not establish who is legally responsible for the obligations.

The company takes responsibility for managing the establishment

Under this second arrangement, the company is formally incorporated into the structure as the management company.

The administrative form provides for this possibility and asks for the nature of the contractual relationship between the owner and the company.

This nevertheless requires complete consistency between:

the contract concluded with the owner;
the administrative file;
the operator’s identity;
the authorisation obtained;
invoicing;
collection of income;
administrative and tax declarations.

Creating an SARL or signing a management mandate never replaces any authorisation that may be required for the property.

Registration in the commercial register gives the company legal existence. It does not, by itself, constitute authorisation to operate a tourist establishment.

Can a concierge service carry out the procedures on the owner’s behalf?

It may prepare and follow up the procedures if its role is formalised.

The official templates allow the application to be submitted by an investor or their legal representative. They also provide for the involvement of a management company separate from the owner.

However, three functions must be distinguished:

preparing the file;
representing the applicant;
becoming the management or operating company．

A concierge service may perform one or more of these functions, but they must be clearly stated in the documents.

Before entrusting it with the procedures, the owner should ask:

Under which category will the property be declared?
Who will be listed as the operator?
Will the company act as a provider, representative or manager?
To which address will the authorisation be attached?
Which copy of the authorisation will be given to the owner?
Who will handle traveller declarations?
Who will declare the income for tax purposes?

A company unable to answer these questions precisely is not offering genuine compliance. It is offering only commercial management of the listing.

The case of a riad or guest house

For a riad or guest house operated as a tourist establishment, the administrative process is more clearly established.

The law recognises riads and guest houses as categories of tourist accommodation establishments. The application for provisional classification and authorisation is submitted to the Regional Investment Centre. The official template provides for it to be submitted by the investor or their legal representative.

The form requests, in particular:

the establishment’s type and category;
the applicant’s identity;
the trading name;
the address;
the owner;
any management company;
the type of contract concluded with it.

A concierge service can therefore assist with or manage an authorised riad, but it does not automatically turn a private riad into an authorised guest house.

Before buying a riad for sale in Marrakech presented as suitable for tourist operation, the buyer should request copies of the existing authorisations and verify that they correspond to the activity actually carried out.

The case of accommodation with a local resident

Accommodation with a local resident is subject to a specific regime.

The law defines it as a family-run activity enabling a private individual to host tourists in the home where they have established their residence. This regime therefore does not naturally correspond to an investor operating several apartments in which they do not live.

Under the regulatory provisions published in December 2025, the application is submitted against an acknowledgement of receipt to the competent local authority.

The file notably includes:

the application form;
a copy of the responsible person’s identity card;
a copy of the insurance contract;
photographs of the bedrooms and communal areas;
the occupancy permit or certificate provided for in the text;
the signed specifications document.

The local authority then forwards the file to the regional or provincial Tourism representative and the relevant departments. A decision must be made within thirty days of submission of the file, and the authorisation is issued for five years, renewable.

In this specific case, the administrative process is therefore clearly defined.

The case of an apartment in a co-ownership development

For an apartment situated in a residential co-ownership development, two analyses must be carried out separately.

Tourist classification

It must be determined whether the proposed activity falls within a recognised category or requires specific guidance from the authorities.

The presence of a concierge service does not answer this question.

Compatibility with the co-ownership development

The co-ownership regulations, the designated use of the building and the decisions of the general meeting must be examined.

The question is not simply whether the word “Airbnb” appears in the regulations. More broadly, the clauses relating to the following must be checked:

Before buying an

apartment for sale in Marrakech for exclusively seasonal operation, it is therefore unwise to rely solely on the seller’s or concierge service’s verbal assurance.

The case of a villa

A villa may fall into different situations:

The law defines a guest house as a commercial establishment in the form of a villa or house offering bedrooms or suites, potentially with additional services.

The classification therefore depends on how the activity actually operates, rather than on the title chosen for the listing.

Before buying a

villa for sale in Marrakech for short-term letting, it must be clarified whether it will be let in its entirety or operated as an accommodation establishment.

The legal procedure to follow

1. Describe the project accurately

The owner must prepare a precise description covering:

2. Identify the operator

It must be decided who will legally carry on the activity:

This choice must be consistent with the contract, the administrative application and the tax arrangements.

3. Formalise the relationship with the concierge service

The contract must state precisely whether the concierge service acts as:

It must also allocate administrative, tax and contractual responsibilities.

4. Obtain the project’s administrative classification

For a riad, guest house or other classified establishment, the file follows the procedure provided through the Regional Investment Centre.

For accommodation with a local resident, the file is submitted to the local authority.

For an isolated apartment or villa that does not clearly correspond to a category, written guidance must be requested before presenting the operation as compliant.

5. Obtain the applicable authorisation

Where the activity falls under Law No. 80-14, the operation must comply with the authorisation corresponding to the declared type and category.

The law provides for a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 dirhams for opening a tourist establishment or operating another form of tourist accommodation within its scope without the required authorisation. This sanction must be cited accurately: it applies to activities legally falling under Law No. 80-14 and, on its own, does not automatically classify every Airbnb listing.

6. Organise obligations following authorisation

Tourist authorisation does not replace:

The law also specifies that tourist classification does not exempt the establishment from obtaining any other necessary authorisations or licences.

Documents to request from a concierge service

Before signing, the owner should request:

The answer “our company is registered and we already manage several Airbnbs” is not sufficient.

Organisations to contact

Ministry of Tourism

The official portal dedicated to tourist accommodation brings together Law No. 80-14, its implementing decrees, orders and official administrative documents.

Regional Investment Centre

The official provisional-classification and operating-authorisation procedure concerns classified tourist accommodation establishments.

A project sponsor in Marrakech may also consult the CRI Marrakech-Safi.

Local authority

It notably receives applications relating to accommodation with a local resident and forwards them to the Tourism departments and other relevant administrations.

OMPIC

The Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property is involved in the creation and registration of companies.

Its role concerns the company’s legal structure. It does not replace tourist authorisation.

Conclusion: a concierge service can carry out the procedures, but it does not replace the legal right

Using a concierge service can simplify preparation of the file and administrative management.

However, the presence of a company is not enough to make an activity compliant.

Compliance rests on four elements that must correspond to one another:

The property actually being operated
The legal category of the activity
The identity of the operator
The authorisation issued for this project

A reputable concierge service should be able to explain precisely its role in this chain.

It should be able to state whether it acts as a simple provider, as a representative or as a management company identified in the file.

Above all, it should be able to demonstrate that the authorisation obtained corresponds to the property, address, type of activity and declared operator.

For further context, the article Airbnb in Marrakech: short-term rental enters a new phase examines the evolution of the market and the gradual strengthening of its regulation.

For a property purchase project in Marrakech, legal verification should begin before signing, not after the listing is published.

General information verified as at 1 August 2026, based on the official texts available. The classification of an independent apartment or villa depends on the specific project and must be confirmed with the competent authorities and advisers.

Letting a property for short-term rental in Marrakech: procedures and obligations by property type

What Moroccan regulations actually provide

The still-sensitive case of independent apartments and villas