Obligations of public administrations
- Each administration lists its procedures, publishes them on the national portal of administrative procedures and may not require documents or conditions that have not been published (Art. 2 et seq.).
- Applications are filed electronically or in person, and a receipt is issued; the administration may not request documents it already holds.
- Any refusal must state reasons and be notified, with an indication of the available remedies.
Time limits and administrative silence
- The administration decides within the time limit set for each act; where no specific time limit applies, a maximum time limit is set by law.
- Silence beyond the time limit amounts to acceptance for administrative acts, subject to listed exceptions (decisions relating to safety, health, the environment and, in certain cases, town planning).
- Users may appeal to the National Simplification Commission and to the administrative courts.
Key articles
Art. 2
« This law applies to procedures and formalities relating to administrative acts issued by State administrations, local authorities, public institutions and any legal person governed by public law, as well as by bodies entrusted with a public service mission. »
A lawyer's points to watch
- Keep the filing receipt: it marks the start of the time limit after which silence may amount to acceptance.
- Check the list of required documents on the national portal; a request for an additional document can be challenged.
- The rule that silence amounts to acceptance does not remove the need to have the act formally issued for third parties (permits, authorisations).
The English text on this page, including the quoted articles, is an unofficial translation. Information sheet prepared by Maître Lahfaia Law Firm, Rabat. It does not constitute legal advice. Only the text published in the Official Bulletin of the Kingdom of Morocco is authoritative; the articles cited may have been amended since this sheet was written.