ATMs
» » ATMs (guichets automatiques) are the easiest way to access your money in Morocco.
» » A common sight even in the smallest towns, virtually all accept Visa, MasterCard, Electron,
Cirrus, Maestro and InterBank cards.
» » BMCE (Banque Marocaine du Commerce Extérieur), Crédit du Maroc, Banque Populaire,
BMCI (Banque Marocaine pour le Commerce et l’Industrie), Société Générale and Attijariwafa
Bank all offer reliable service.
» » ATMs sometimes run dry on weekends.
» » The amount of money you can withdraw from an ATM generally depends on the conditions
attached to your card.
» » The daily ATM limit on most cards is around Dh2000.
» » Most banks charge you for withdrawing money from foreign cash machines; check with
your bank.
Black Market
The easy convertibility of the dirham leaves little room for a black market, but you’ll find people
in the streets asking if you want to exchange money, especially in Tangier, Casablanca and on
the borders of (and just inside) the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Avoid these characters;
there’s no monetary benefit to be had from such transactions and scams are common.
Cash
Nothing beats cash for convenience – or risk. If you lose it, it’s gone forever and very few travel
insurers will come to the rescue. Nonetheless, you’ll need to carry some cash with you.
» » Keep a handful of notes of small denomination in your wallet, or just in a pocket (but never
a back pocket), for day-to-day transactions.
» » Put the rest in a money belt or another safe place.
» » If you’re travelling in out-of-the-way places, make sure you have enough cash to last until
you get to a decent-sized town.
» » Keep an emergency stash of euros in small denominations.
» » The endless supply of small coins may be annoying, but they’re handy for taxis, tips, guides
and beggars.
Credit Cards
» » Major credit cards are widely accepted in the main tourist centres.
» » They often attract a surcharge of around 5% from Moroccan businesses.
» » The main credit cards are MasterCard and Visa; if you plan to rely on plastic cards, the
best bet is to take one of each.
» » The best option is a combination of credit and debit cards plus cash; this gives you
something to fall back on if an ATM swallows your card or banks are closed.
» » Most large bank branches will give you cash advances on Visa and MasterCard.
» » For a list of usually reliable banks, see the ATM section.
Moneychangers
» » Any amount of foreign currency may be brought into the country.
» » It is illegal to import and export dirham.
» » Banks and exchange bureaus change most currencies, but Australian, Canadian and New
Zealand dollars are often not accepted.
» » Moroccan banking services are reasonably quick and efficient.