Electronic declaration of overnight stays in Morocco: what accommodation operators should prepare
E-declaration of overnight stays in Morocco: decree 2-15-865, daily deadline before 8 a.m., DGSN or Gendarmerie, dongle, outages and police form.
The guest file is complete. One question remains: what information must be sent to the authorities, by whom, and before what time?
In Morocco, the electronic declaration of overnight stays (télédéclaration des nuitées) is the electronic transmission of guest data by tourist accommodation establishments and other forms of tourist accommodation. This guide sets out what the texts say, what your team should organise and what you still need to check for your own situation.
The reference framework
The Ministry of Tourism website refers to two texts:
- Decree No. 2-15-865 of 9 June 2016, which sets the procedures for the electronic declaration of guest data and the model of the individual accommodation form (bulletin individuel d’hébergement, annex No. 1);
- Joint order No. 3171-16, on registration with the e-declaration system and the authentication certificate or security dongle.
An online portal for declaring overnight stays exists for tourist accommodation professionals.
Who is concerned?
The decree covers tourist accommodation establishments and the other forms of tourist accommodation it lists. The exact scope depends on the category and status of your activity: hotel, riad, guesthouse, residence or furnished rental.
If you rent out an apartment on Airbnb, do not assume the rule is the same as for a classified hotel. Have your situation confirmed by the competent services before building your procedure.
A daily declaration before 8 a.m.
The decree provides that guest data is declared electronically by the operator every day before 8 a.m., following guests’ arrival and departure, to the competent services of the DGSN (national police) or the Royal Gendarmerie.
In practice, a late arrival the evening before must be ready early the next morning. This is often where errors appear: details copied by hand, an unreadable ID document, a guest linked to the wrong stay.
Registration, certificate and security dongle
The decree provides for registration with the e-declaration system and for receiving and renewing an authentication certificate or security dongle. The procedures are set by joint order No. 3171-16.
A few good internal habits:
- know who holds the access method and where it is kept;
- note the certificate renewal date;
- never write a password in a shared document or a WhatsApp group.
What if the system is unavailable?
The text covers a system outage lasting more than 24 hours. It then describes filing copies of the forms with the competent services and, depending on the situation, a statistical form for overnight stays that could not be declared.
Once the system is restored, the decree sets a deadline to declare the data that could not be sent during the outage. Your procedure should therefore say who files the copies, where, and who catches up afterwards.
Collecting is not transmitting
Two steps are often confused:
1. Collecting the guest’s information and completing the individual accommodation form. For an occasional need, the free online police form generator prepares this form as a PDF, without an account. See also our guide to the individual accommodation form. 2. Transmitting this data in the official e-declaration system, under the operator’s responsibility.
DarID works on the first step: the guest completes an online check-in before arrival, the information stays linked to the stay, and the team has a complete, readable file when entering it in the official system. Discover the DarID digital check-in features. DarID does not replace the official e-declaration system and is not connected to it.
Turn the text into a team procedure
Write a one-page internal sheet with:
- the role responsible for the declaration and their backup;
- the daily check time, before 8 a.m.;
- how the team confirms the declaration was made, to avoid duplicates or omissions;
- the procedure in case of an outage;
- useful contacts.
Ask a colleague who does not do the declaration every day to read it. If they cannot tell what to do next, simplify it. Date it, so you know when it was last checked.
Protect guest data
The information sent is personal data. Limit access to the people who need it, and keep documents within the framework of law 09-08. Our article on guest data and law 09-08 covers these points.
Check before applying
Texts can stay the same while interfaces and technical procedures change. Before training your team or changing your process, check the official ministry page and the instructions of the competent authority. This article is a general guide and does not replace advice suited to your situation.
Frequently asked questions
Does DarID automatically send the official declaration?
No. DarID helps prepare and gather the stay and guest information. The declaration is made in the official system, under the operator’s responsibility.
Before what time must the declaration be made?
Decree No. 2-15-865 provides for a daily declaration before 8 a.m. for the scope it covers. Always check the official version in force.
Which authority receives the declaration?
The decree mentions the competent services of the DGSN or the Royal Gendarmerie. The authority depends on where your accommodation is located; have it confirmed locally.
What if the system goes down?
For outages over 24 hours, the decree provides for filing copies of the forms with the competent services, then catching up once the system is restored.
What is the difference between the police form and the e-declaration?
The police form, or individual accommodation form, is the document containing the guest’s information. The e-declaration is the transmission of this data in the official system.