Every summer, thousands of MREs transport cash between France and Morocco to help their families, invest or cover holiday expenses. Regulations are strict on both sides of the border and controls have been stepped up since 2020. This guide clearly explains what you can legally carry, when and how to declare it, and the penalties for non-declaration. Sources: Regulation (EC) No 1889/2005 on the European side, Office des Changes Instruction No. 01/2018 on the Moroccan side.
Costs & fees
| Non-declaration fine in France (minor) | From EUR 750 | For minor or good-faith breaches at customs officers' discretion |
| Non-declaration fine in France (serious) | 25% of amount or up to EUR 225,000 | In cases of deliberate non-compliance; funds may also be seized |
| Non-declaration fine in Morocco | Confiscation + fine of 25,000 to 200,000 MAD | Depending on the undeclared amount and circumstances |
| DALIA online declaration fee | Free | Free online service from French customs |
| Dirham conversion at airport | 1 to 3% commission | Variable by Moroccan bank or exchange office |
Timeline
French and EU rules: declare from EUR 10,000
Any traveller entering or leaving the European Union with EUR 10,000 or more in cash (or equivalent: bearer cheques, bonds, gold, prepaid cards) must declare it to French customs. The threshold is EUR 10,000 per person (not per family). A couple each carrying EUR 9,000 individually do not need to declare, but must do so if the funds are joint and exceed EUR 10,000. The declaration is made via the DALIA online service (douane.gouv.fr) before departure, or on a paper form at the border post, port or airport.
💡 Tip — The DALIA online declaration is simple and takes 5 minutes. Do it 24 to 48 hours before departure to have the digital receipt on your phone. Available on douane.gouv.fr under 'Déclarer des capitaux'.
⚠️ Warning — The rule also applies to amounts sent by post or parcel (without physical accompaniment). Bearer cheques, bearer bonds, gold ingots and loaded prepaid cards all count as 'cash' for French customs.
What to declare concretely: banknotes, cheques, prepaid cards
Counted within the EUR 10,000 threshold: (1) Banknotes (euros, dollars, pounds sterling, etc.) and coins. (2) Bearer cheques or unbarred order cheques. (3) Bearer bonds. (4) Gold ingots, coins or medals of high purity (>90%). (5) Anonymous prepaid cards loaded with more than EUR 1,000. NOT counted: standard bank cards (Visa, Mastercard debit/credit), bank transfers, named travellers' cheques (e.g. American Express Travellers Cheques).
💡 Tip — If you are carrying money for a third party (family transfer), the amount still counts towards your personal threshold. Nothing exempts you from the declaration.
⚠️ Warning — If checked without a declaration for an amount over EUR 10,000, French customs can withhold the funds and impose a fine ranging from EUR 750 to 25% of the undeclared amount (or up to EUR 225,000). Funds can be provisionally seized for 48 hours.
Moroccan rules: declare from 100,000 MAD
Both entering and leaving Morocco, any traveller carrying the equivalent of 100,000 MAD or more (in foreign currencies or dirhams) must declare it to customs (ADII). For foreign currencies (euros, dollars, pounds) entering Morocco: no legal limit, but declaration is mandatory from 100,000 MAD equivalent. Currencies declared on entry can be taken out of Morocco without restriction. If you do not declare on entry, you may legally only take out up to 100,000 MAD in foreign currencies.
💡 Tip — Keep the declaration slip given by Moroccan customs on entry. This document is your proof to take your currencies out at the end of your stay.
⚠️ Warning — Foreign currency transactions between residents and non-residents in Morocco are regulated by the Office des Changes. Direct payment in euros in shops is tolerated in tourist areas but merchants are not legally required to accept it.
Dirhams: what can you export?
The Moroccan dirham is a non-convertible international currency. Export rules are strict under Office des Changes Instruction No. 01/2018: (1) Non-residents (MREs) may take out up to 2,000 MAD in Moroccan banknotes per trip. (2) Beyond that, dirhams must be reconverted into foreign currency at an authorised bank or exchange office in Morocco before departure. (3) MREs who have opened a convertible dirham account (CDC) can make international transfers from that account without limitation for legally acquired funds.
💡 Tip — If you have unspent dirhams at the end of your stay, convert them at a Moroccan bank or at the airport before leaving. Keep the exchange receipt.
⚠️ Warning — Attempting to take out more than 2,000 MAD in Moroccan banknotes without prior reconversion is a violation of exchange regulations. Excess dirhams may be confiscated at the border.
Using bank transfers rather than cash
To send money to your family in Morocco from Europe, bank transfers and specialised services are often safer, cheaper and completely legal with no limit. Services available: Wise (formerly TransferWise), Remitly, Western Union, MoneyGram, CIH Bank Express, Attijari Cash, Banque Populaire Chaabi Net (preferential rates for MREs). A SEPA or international transfer from your European bank to a Moroccan account is possible without any limit (your bank may ask for documentation above certain thresholds).
💡 Tip — Compare exchange rates and fees via comparateur.ma or wise.com before sending. A 0.5% difference on EUR 5,000 equals EUR 25.
⚠️ Warning — Never use informal channels (unlicensed hawalas, individuals carrying money for payment) to send funds to Morocco. These practices are illegal on both sides and expose you to criminal prosecution as well as loss of funds.
In depth
## Detailed regulations **French/EU side (Regulation (EC) No 1889/2005, amended by Regulation (EU) 2018/1672):** The EUR 10,000 threshold has existed since 2005. The declaration is made to customs in any EU member state. If you are departing from France, it is French customs. The DALIA online declaration is available 24/7 and generates a digital receipt valid for the trip concerned. Declared funds are NOT taxed. The declaration is an administrative act, not a fiscal one. No tax is owed on legally transported cash. However, the Banque de France can inform Tracfin (anti-money laundering unit) if amounts are significant and justifications insufficient. **Moroccan side (Office des Changes Instruction No. 01/2018):** Tourists and non-resident MREs can enter Morocco with foreign currencies without limitation, but must declare them above 100,000 MAD equivalent. Currencies declared on entry are freely exportable on departure (within the limit of the declared amount minus expenses evidenced by receipts). **Non-convertible dirhams:** The Moroccan dirham cannot be legally bought or sold abroad. If you return to France with dirhams, they have no exchange value outside Morocco and cannot be exchanged at European banks or exchange offices. **Convertible dirham account (CDC) for MREs:** MREs can open a CDC at a Moroccan bank. This account allows incoming and outgoing transfers in foreign currencies, without limit, for funds legitimately earned abroad. It is ideal for MREs who regularly invest in Morocco.
❌ Common mistakes to avoid
- ✕Believing the EUR 10,000 rule only applies to euro banknotes: it covers all currencies (dollars, pounds, dirhams) converted to euro value
- ✕Thinking you can split EUR 20,000 between 2 family members to stay under the threshold: if the funds are joint, the declaration applies
- ✕Forgetting to declare bearer cheques or anonymous prepaid cards: they count as cash
- ✕Taking out more than 2,000 MAD in Moroccan banknotes without reconversion: a violation of Office des Changes regulations
- ✕Not keeping the Moroccan entry declaration slip and being unable to justify your currencies at departure
🔗 Official links and resources
DALIA — Online capital declaration (French customs)
Official French customs service for declaring cash of EUR 10,000 and above before international travel
Office des Changes Morocco — exchange regulations
Official Moroccan Office des Changes regulations on capital movements and currency exchange
ADII — currency declaration at the border
Moroccan Customs and Indirect Taxes Administration: currency declaration rules in Morocco
Regulation (EC) No 1889/2005 — EU cash controls
European regulation on the control of cash entering or leaving the European Union
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