# Buying property in Morocco: what’s changing with the new 2 per cent registration fee > Since 1 July 2026, the way in which the price of a property is paid must be clearly stated in the deed of sale. The 2026 Finance Law introduced an additional registration duty of 2% for… ## Document information - **Source:** https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/en/buying-property-in-morocco-whats-changing-with-the-new-registration-fee-of/ - **Canonical URL:** https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/en/buying-property-in-morocco-whats-changing-with-the-new-registration-fee-of/ - **Language:** EN - **Content type:** Article / guide - **Last updated:** 2026-08-15T06:05:24+00:00 ## Page content Property news ## Buying property in Morocco: what’s changing with the new 2 per cent registration fee 6 min read S **Article summary** Go directly to the different sections *9 sections* *+* - [An additional duty where payment is inadequately documented](#an-additional-duty-where-payment-is-inadequately-documented) - [Recognised payment methods](#recognised-payment-methods) - [Cash payments are not formally prohibited](#cash-payments-are-not-formally-prohibited) - [Taxation limited to the untraceable portion](#taxation-limited-to-the-untraceable-portion) - [What buyers should check](#what-buyers-should-check) - [Sellers are also concerned](#sellers-are-also-concerned) - [What about purchases financed by a loan?](#what-about-purchases-financed-by-a-loan) - [A reform that mainly changes established practices](#a-reform-that-mainly-changes-established-practices) - [Sources](#sources) Written by **Cameron Immobilier Marrakech** [Cameron Journal All the latest property news from Marrakech →](https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/en/journal/) Share [f](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cameron-marrakech.com%2Fen%2Fbuying-property-in-morocco-whats-changing-with-the-new-registration-fee-of%2F) [in](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cameron-marrakech.com%2Fen%2Fbuying-property-in-morocco-whats-changing-with-the-new-registration-fee-of%2F) [✉](mailto:?subject=Buying%20property%20in%20Morocco%3A%20what%E2%80%99s%20changing%20with%20the%20new%202%20per%20cent%20registration%20fee&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cameron-marrakech.com%2Fen%2Fbuying-property-in-morocco-whats-changing-with-the-new-registration-fee-of%2F) Since 1 July 2026, the way in which the price of a property is paid must be clearly stated in the deed of sale. The 2026 Finance Law introduced an additional registration duty of 2% for certain transactions where payment cannot be properly substantiated or traced. The measure concerns property sales exceeding 300,000 dirhams. This is therefore not a general increase in registration duties. In principle, a buyer who pays the price using a recognised method and whose references appear in the deed does not have to bear this additional 2%. The change is nevertheless significant. In a property transaction, a payment genuinely made through a bank is no longer sufficient if the deed remains unclear about its terms. ### An additional duty where payment is inadequately documented The new scheme applies to transfers for consideration of immovable property and real property rights where the price exceeds 300,000 dirhams. The additional 2% duty may apply in two cases: where the deed does not specify the payment terms and references, or where payment was made using a method that is not accepted for tax purposes. The drafting of the deed is therefore of crucial importance. A bank transfer may have been correctly executed, but its references must be capable of being matched to the price stated in the sale. The same applies to a cheque: its number, amount and identifying details must be provided to the professional responsible for preparing the deed. This rule applies to deeds and agreements drawn up since 1 July 2026. ### Recognised payment methods The General Tax Code provides for several methods that ensure a transaction can be traced. These include, in particular, bank transfers, crossed non-transferable cheques, bills of exchange, electronic payment methods and certain compensation mechanisms where they are formalised. In the majority of conventional property sales, bank transfers and crossed cheques remain the most common solutions. A bank deposit is also recognised as an accepted payment method, provided that it can be identified and is correctly stated in the deed. This latter clarification is important, as the reform has sometimes been presented too hastily as a complete ban on all cash payments. ### Cash payments are not formally prohibited The new measure does not make the use of cash illegal in all circumstances. It primarily penalises a lack of traceability. A payment handed directly between the parties, without a bank reference or usable supporting document, may result in the additional 2% duty being applied. The General Tax Directorate nevertheless clarified, following a request from the National Council of the Association of Notaries, that a bank deposit made in cash before signing may be considered an accepted method of payment. This may in particular concern a deposit made with a bank between the parties or into an account opened with the notary. For the transaction to be recognised, the deposit details must appear in the deed. The distinction is therefore clear between an informal sum handed over and an identified, documented bank deposit incorporated into the sale file. ### Taxation limited to the untraceable portion Where only part of the price is paid using an unaccepted method, the additional 2% is not necessarily calculated on the entire transaction. Take the example of a flat sold for 1,500,000 dirhams. If 1,300,000 dirhams are paid by bank transfer and 200,000 dirhams are handed over directly without recognised supporting evidence, the additional duty may be calculated only on the latter sum. The additional cost would then be 4,000 dirhams. The situation is different where the deed does not make it possible to determine how the price was paid at all. In the absence of references and a clear breakdown, the authorities may apply the additional duty to the entire declared amount. For a sale of 1,500,000 dirhams, the amount at stake could therefore reach 30,000 dirhams. ### What buyers should check In practice, the new rule primarily requires greater rigour before signing. The method of payment must be agreed sufficiently early with the notary and, where applicable, with the bank holding or transferring the funds. This advance planning is particularly important when the price comes from several accounts, bank financing or a transfer made from abroad. Bank transfer notices, copies of cheques, bank certificates and deposit receipts must be retained. Their amounts must correspond to those stated in the deed. Before signing, the buyer must also check that the draft deed correctly sets out the dates, amounts and references of the various transactions. This check may seem purely formal. It is not. A missing reference or a payment method described too vaguely may now have a direct tax consequence. ### Sellers are also concerned The measure concerns payment of the price, but it does not apply solely to the buyer. The seller must be able to explain how the funds were handed over and provide the information required to prepare the deed. Any request to pay part of the price outside the documented process weakens the transaction. In addition to the tax risk, an informal payment may also give rise to a dispute over the amount actually paid or the date on which it was received. For property professionals, this issue should therefore be addressed as soon as the parties agree on the price and the terms of the sale, rather than on the eve of the appointment with the notary. ### What about purchases financed by a loan? A purchase financed by a lending institution is, by its nature, subject to banking traceability. Where the financing and release of the funds are clearly stated in the deed, the additional 2% duty is not intended to apply. Advance payments already made may also be accepted where they were paid by an approved method and their references are included in the final deed. The authorities have also clarified that any subsequent revaluation of the property’s value does not, in itself, trigger this additional duty. It is linked to the payment terms for the price stated in the deed. ### A reform that mainly changes established practices The 2026 Finance Law does not alter the general process for a property sale. However, it introduces a requirement that can no longer be treated As a detail: every movement of funds must be traceable. In Marrakech, where a significant proportion of acquisitions are made by Moroccans resident abroad or by international buyers, this preparation must begin well in advance. A transfer from abroad may require banking time, additional supporting documents and precise coordination with the notary. The right approach is to establish the payment process before signing, then check that each payment is correctly shown in the draft deed. The additional 2% is not an automatic tax on a property purchase. It is the potential cost of a payment that has not been sufficiently traceable or documented. **Cameron International supports buyers and owners with their property projects in Marrakech, in coordination with the notaries and relevant professionals involved in the transaction.** *The information presented in this article is general and reflects the regulations available on its publication date. It does not replace personalised advice from a notary, solicitor or tax professional.* ### Sources - [General Tax Code 2026 — Ministry of the Economy and Finance](https://www.finances.gov.ma/Publication/dgi/2025/CGI-2026-FR.pdf) - [Summary note on the tax measures in the 2026 Finance Law — General Tax Directorate](https://www.finances.gov.ma/Publication/dgi/2025/note-synthetique-mesures-fiscalesLF20265.pdf) - [2026 Finance Law — Ministry of the Economy and Finance](https://www.finances.gov.ma/fr/vous-orientez/Pages/plf2026.aspx) - [Property: cash payments heavily penalised — Médias24](https://medias24.com/2026/06/30/immobilier-des-le-1er-juillet-2026-les-paiements-en-especes-fortement-penalises-1712423/) - [Additional 2% registration duty: DGI clarifications — EcoActu](https://ecoactu.ma/droit-denregistrement-supplementaire-dgi/) [!(Marrakech Property Price Evolution from 2016 to 2026: What Has Really Increased)(https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/evolution-des-prix-immobiliers-a-marrakech-de-2016-a-2026-ce-qui-a-reellement-augmente-featured-image-1024x576.webp)](https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/en/marrakech-property-price-evolution-2016-2026/) [Buy & invest](https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/en/category/buy-invest/) • 12 min read ### [Marrakech Property Price Evolution from 2016 to 2026: What Has Really Increased](https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/en/marrakech-property-price-evolution-2016-2026/) When owners and property professionals who have been established in Marrakech for many years are asked about the market, the conclusion seems obvious: property prices have risen sharply. 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A new category of property is now taking up more space: residences directly associated with… [Read the article→](https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/en/branded-residences-marrakech-property-luxury-new-dimension/) Your project in Marrakech ### Moving from information to decision-making Get in touch with Cameron to buy, sell, let or get a valuation for a property in Marrakech. [Speak to an adviser→](https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/en/contact/) ## Language versions - [Français — HTML](https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/achat-immobilier-au-maroc-ce-qui-change-avec-le-nouveau-droit-denregistrement-de-2/) — [Markdown](https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/llms-content/post-159-fr.md) - [English — HTML](https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/en/buying-property-in-morocco-whats-changing-with-the-new-registration-fee-of/) — [Markdown](https://www.cameron-marrakech.com/llms-content/post-1542-en.md)