Guide: Starting a Business in Rabat
Navigating the administrative setup process (SARL) in the capital.
The Role of the CRI
The Centre Régional d'Investissement (CRI) of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra is your primary point of contact. The process has been heavily digitized over the last five years, though physical visits to a notary or fiduciary are still common for the drafting of statutes.
Standard Setup Steps (SARL)
- Negative Certificate (Certificat Négatif): Reserving the company name via OMPIC (can be done online).
- Drafting Statutes (Statuts): Defining the company's rules, capital, and manager (Gérant).
- Blocking Capital: Opening a provisional bank account and depositing the initial share capital (though this requirement is often waived for SARLs with capital under 100,000 MAD, banks still prefer it).
- Registration: Filing documents with the tax authority (Direction Générale des Impôts) and the Commercial Court (Tribunal de Commerce).
| Requirement | Estimated Cost (MAD) | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Certificat Négatif | 230 | 48 Hours |
| Registration Fees (Timbres) | ~1,500 | N/A |
| Fiduciary / Accountant Fees | 3,000 - 6,000 | 1-2 Weeks (Total) |
Common Mistakes
- Choosing the wrong legal address (Domiciliation): You must have a commercial lease or a valid domiciliation contract to register. A residential lease in a non-commercial zone will be rejected by tax authorities.
Next Steps
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