Foreign trade and customs in Morocco: PortNet, BADR and import-export procedures

Practical guide to foreign trade in Morocco

Importing goods, preparing an export or moving a file through customs quickly becomes stressful when you do not know which portal to use. Between shipment, commercial documents and administrations to consult, one forgotten formality can delay the entire operation.

In Morocco, a large part of the pathway for foreign trade and customs is now digital. Customs has its own services and the BADR system, while PORTNET Foreign Trade orchestrates many import and export procedures in an environment connected to different partners. TheOffice des Changes offers SMART for several procedures relating to authorizations and foreign-exchange operations. This page helps you understand the role of each tool before starting.

Foreign trade and customs in Morocco: which portal should you use?

The first reflex is not to treat import-export as a single procedure. Your operation may include a commercial formality, a customs declaration, a sectoral authorisation, a sanitary inspection, a foreign-exchange formality or a logistics step. Each digital service addresses a different part of this process.

Customs and BADR: customs procedures

The Customs and Indirect Tax Administration provides operators with digital services for customs operations. The Automated Network Customs Database, BADR, is one of the systems used for paperless processing of operations according to the user’s profile and authorizations.

If your need directly concerns a declaration or customs-clearance operation, Customs and BADR are therefore among the references to identify. Your freight forwarder or declarant may also be involved depending on your company’s organization.

PortNet: the digital foreign-trade single window

PORTNET Foreign Trade serves as the national reference platform for orchestrating, digitising and integrating import and export procedures. It is intended in particular for importers, exporters and customs brokers, and connects many public authorities to the foreign-trade ecosystem.

Its benefit for you is to reduce fragmentation among several contacts: the portal provides access to import-export formalities, licences and authorizations while ensuring traceability of many files and exchanges.

SMART: procedures with Office des Changes

Your transaction with another country may also fall under foreign-exchange regulations. The platform Office des Changes SMART notably digitizes submission of authorization requests and allows the operators concerned to make certain declarations online.

SMART guides you in preparing the request from the data and documents required for the selected operation. Once the file is submitted, the service also provides remote tracking of its processing.

12 foreign-trade and customs e-services to know

The selection above brings together different entry points. The following table helps you quickly understand when each may be useful.

How can an import into Morocco be prepared?

A well-prepared import starts before the goods arrive. Before transport begins, determine the formalities that apply to the product and identify the administrations likely to be involved.

1. Identify the goods precisely

The commercial description used on your invoice is not always sufficient to determine the regulatory treatment. You need to know the nature of the product, its origin, its use and the applicable classification. This information notably affects the duties, controls, licences or authorisations that may be required.

Check sector-specific regulations

Certain products may be subject to a specific control or authority: food products, plants, medicines, vehicles, regulated equipment, protected species or other goods subject to authorisation. PORTNET Foreign Trade connects several authorities and sector partners for precisely this reason.

2. Prepare your digital access

If you are a new operator, plan ahead for the creation of the necessary accounts and authorisations. A PortNet subscription is an entry point for accessing the platform's services and connected services. Depending on your role, specific customs access or authorisation may also be required.

3. Prepare your commercial and customs file

Gather documents corresponding to your transaction and goods. Do not start from a generic list found online: importing raw materials does not necessarily follow the same process as a food product, vehicle or regulated goods.

4. Follow formalities through customs clearance

PortNet facilitates information exchange between different foreign-trade stakeholders, while strictly customs-related operations form part of the Customs and BADR ecosystem. Keep the references for each file so that you can track applications, respond to any requests for additional information and coordinate with your customs broker or declarant.

How can an export from Morocco be prepared?

For exports, your objective is twofold: comply with Moroccan requirements and prepare the documents expected at destination. Again, the nature of the product determines the process.

1. Check the product and destination country: check the applicable restrictions, controls or certificates.
2. Prepare commercial documents: ensure consistency between the invoice, logistics data and declared information.
3. Identify any required authorizations: certain goods require sector-specific validation.
4. Complete customs formalities: use the channels provided by Customs and the associated digital services.
5. Follow the operation: keep a record of references, decisions and electronic documents until the goods are released.

BADR Customs: what is online customs clearance used for?

BADR stands for Networked Automated Customs Database. The portal notably distinguishes access for declarants, customs officers and officers from other departments. For a business, the key point is that BADR is at the core of digital processing of customs operations.

PORTNET Foreign Trade: centralize your import-export procedures

PORTNET Foreign Trade aims to provide a unified environment for many procedures. The official platform highlights secure, continuous access and traceability of files and exchanges with administrations.

It brings together very different stakeholders: Customs, port authorities, control bodies, banks and sectoral administrations. For you, the main benefit is operational: instead of managing each interaction as an isolated procedure, you have a digital environment that orchestrates a significant part of the process.

PortNet subscription: start with the right profile

Before using the services, choose the profile corresponding to your activity. PORTNET distinguishes in particular between needs related to foreign trade, port operations and cargo. For the import-export formalities covered on this page, the Foreign Trade area directly concerns importers, exporters and customs brokers.

Office des Changes SMART: authorizations and foreign-exchange operations

An international operation is not limited to movement of the goods. Certain payments, transfers or arrangements may require a procedure with theOffice des Changes.

SMART notably allows users to submit authorisation applications and declare certain foreign-exchange transactions online. The service structures the required information and documents and then allows processing to be tracked remotely. The user may receive notifications relating to submission and completion of the processing of the application.

What documents should be prepared for SMART?

There is no single list for all applications. Supporting documents must correspond to the selected operation. For company registration, for example, the official interface requests company identification information and provides for documents such as a copy of the commercial register, updated articles of association and an ICE certificate. For a specific authorisation, always follow the list displayed in the relevant process.

E-CITES PortNet: when a specific permit is required

The module E-CITES is particularly important if your activity involves wildlife or plant species subject to the CITES Convention. PortNet publishes a dedicated guide to managing CITES permit requests, confirming the existence of a specific digital process.

Never assume that a product of animal or plant origin can be shipped with only the usual commercial documents. When CITES rules apply, the corresponding permit becomes a central part of the file.

Import-export and customs documents: practical table

The exact documents vary according to your operation. The table below helps distinguish the main families of documents or administrative results you may encounter.

Attention: this table is intended to guide you. It does not replace regulatory verification of your goods or the instructions provided on official portals.

Checklist before a foreign-trade operation

Before confirming your shipment, check these points:

• ✓ You know the exact designation and nature of the goods.
• ✓ You have identified any import or export restrictions.
• ✓ Your PortNet, Customs or other required service access is operational.
• ✓ The invoice information matches the data that will be declared.
• ✓ You have identified any sector-specific licences, permits or controls.
• ✓ You have checked whether a procedure with the Office des Changes is required.
• ✓ Your freight forwarder or declarant has all the necessary information.
• ✓ You keep the electronic references for each application.

Avoid preparing your file at the last minute

Goods already in transit leave little room when a prior authorization is missing. As soon as your international order is sufficiently precise, begin regulatory checks and identify the digital services to use.

— Commerce extérieur et douanes au Maroc FAQ

Conclusion: prepare your customs procedures before shipment

Foreign trade in Morocco relies on an integrated digital ecosystem, without making all formalities identical. PortNet centralises a significant part of the import-export process, BADR is involved in customs processing, SMART covers procedures of the Foreign Exchange Office, and E-CITES meets a specialised regulatory need.

Your best protection against delays is therefore preparation: identify the goods, check the regulations, open the correct access accounts and compile supporting documents before transport begins.

Official sources and useful resources

• PORTNET S.A. — Official portal
• PORTNET Foreign Trade
• BADR — Automated Network Customs Database
• Office des Changes — SMART
• Moroccan Agency for Logistics Development