Bulk SMS in Morocco is legal for promotions when the recipient gave prior consent, or when you collected their number during an earlier sale of similar products, and you have declared the processing to the CNDP, as Law 09-08 and the CNDP's direct marketing guidance set out. Every promotional SMS must give a free, easy way to object, and since 2019 Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi have agreed with the regulator ANRT to include opt-outs in SMS marketing on their networks.
Last reviewed: 28 October 2026
This guide is for Moroccan retailers, banks, insurers, schools, clinics and e-commerce sites, and for foreign companies sending to Moroccan customers. Our bulk SMS Morocco overview and Morocco compliance summary give the short version. Here we cover what the CNDP expects in detail, the three networks, choosing between Arabic, French and Darija, the cost of each, and a checklist.
Who regulates what
| Body | Role for SMS senders |
|---|---|
| ANRT (Agence Nationale de Réglementation des Télécommunications) | Telecoms regulator; oversees the networks and their handling of marketing SMS |
| CNDP (Commission Nationale de contrôle de la protection des Données à caractère Personnel) | Enforces Law 09-08 on personal data, including direct marketing by SMS and email |
The CNDP's rules for SMS prospecting
The CNDP publishes a fact sheet for advertisers on direct marketing by SMS and email. It defines prospecting as any message meant to promote, directly or indirectly, goods, services or the image of a business, and answers four questions:
- Can I send marketing SMS? Yes, if you have the recipient's prior consent to receive advertising and you declared the processing to the CNDP before starting. Consent is not required if you collected the number directly from the person during an earlier sale of products or services similar to those you are promoting.
- What rights do people have? In all cases a person can object to prospecting messages free of charge, and you must make that easy, for example with a phone number, email address or unsubscribe link.
- Can I outsource a campaign? Yes, under a contract that guarantees confidentiality, security and data protection. If you use a database belonging to the subcontractor, you must also check that it was lawfully built.
- What are the risks? Article 59 of Law 09-08 provides for three months to one year of imprisonment and a fine of MAD 20,000 to 200,000, or either penalty, for processing data for prospecting despite the person's objection.
The third point matters if you are offered a "ready list" of Moroccan numbers. You are responsible for checking how that list was built, and lists without consent expose you to the Article 59 penalties.
The ANRT opt-out arrangement
In May 2019 Morocco World News reported that ANRT announced an opt-out for SMS marketing sent through third-party providers, and that Maroc Telecom, Orange Morocco and inwi agreed to include opt-outs in all SMS marketing on their networks. In practice, every promotion should end with a clear opt-out route. If you send from a one-way alphanumeric sender ID, use a short link or a phone number for opt-outs rather than "reply STOP", which needs a two-way number.
Networks and number format
Morocco has three mobile networks: Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi. Mobile numbers are ten digits locally, starting with 06 or 07. In E.164 drop the 0 and add +212, so 0661 23 45 67 becomes +212661234567. Customers can keep their number when they switch network, so do not infer the network from the prefix. Our E.164 guide shows how to clean exports from a CRM or spreadsheet.
Sender IDs
Use an alphanumeric sender ID of up to 11 Latin characters that matches your trade name, for example ATLASMODE. Customers in Morocco expect banks, insurers and retailers to send from a brand name, and a recognisable name helps you meet the CNDP's expectation that the advertiser is identifiable. eSMS Africa handles registration with the networks, and you can test on the eSMS default sender while yours is set up. Steps and the current fee are on the Morocco sender ID page.
Arabic, French or Darija: what each costs
Language choice in Morocco affects both reach and price per message, because encoding decides how many characters fit in one SMS.
| Language | Encoding | Characters per SMS (single / per part) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| French without circumflexes | GSM-7 | 160 / 153 | é, è, à and ù are in GSM-7 |
| French with ê, â, î, ô, û or ë | Unicode | 70 / 67 | One "prête" or "fête" switches the whole message |
| Standard Arabic | Unicode | 70 / 67 | Formal; suits banks, government, healthcare |
| Darija in Latin script | GSM-7 | 160 / 153 | Informal and friendly; test with your audience |
| Darija in Arabic script | Unicode | 70 / 67 | Warm and local; shorter messages |
French remains common for banking and business messages, Arabic for public-facing services, and Darija for consumer brands that speak casually. A useful pattern is French or Darija for promotions (one segment) and Arabic for important service messages where clarity matters more than cost. Proofread French templates for circumflexes: "votre commande est prête" costs more than "votre commande est disponible".
Sample messages
| Use case | Message |
|---|---|
| Promotion (French) | Atlas Mode: -20% sur la nouvelle collection jusqu'au dimanche, Casablanca et Rabat. Desinscription: go.esmsafrica.io/am-stop |
| Delivery (Darija, Latin) | Atlas Mode: Salam, commande dyalek ghadi twsel ghda. Montant: 349 DH. Suivi: go.esmsafrica.io/t/88 |
| Appointment (Arabic) | عيادة الأمل: موعدك غدا على الساعة 10:00. للإلغاء اتصل 0522000000 |
| Payment reminder (French) | Assurance Sahara: Votre echeance de 450 MAD est due le 05/11. Payez en agence ou sur votre espace client. |
The delivery sample reflects a common Moroccan habit: many online orders are still paid in cash to the courier, so the amount due on delivery is useful in the message. Card payment through bank cards is common too; keep the reference clear either way.
Timing
We found no Moroccan rule that sets fixed sending hours for business SMS. Use common sense: daytime for promotions, avoid late evening, and be aware of Friday midday prayers and Ramadan, when daily routines and peak shopping hours move into the evening. Service messages such as OTPs and delivery updates can go at any time they are needed.
Sending a campaign
Import a CSV or Excel file in the dashboard, map columns to merge fields such as {{name}}, choose your sender ID and schedule. Developers can call POST https://sms.esmsafrica.io/api/messages/send-bulk with a list of recipients and variables; see the API documentation and the Node.js guide. Campaign approvals and team roles let a manager check every promotion for the opt-out line before it goes out.
Pricing
A Morocco SMS starts at MAD 0.5411 ($0.055) per segment at the entry tier and MAD 0.5028 at the business tier. Arabic and accented French messages use more segments. Pay as you go from USD 20 by card in USD or crypto, with no monthly minimum. See pricing.
Checklist before your first campaign
- Declare your processing of customer data to the CNDP before you start.
- Mark each contact as consented (with date and source) or past customer of similar products.
- Check any third-party list for lawful origin, or do not use it.
- Register a sender ID that matches your trade name.
- Add a free opt-out route to every promotion and process opt-outs promptly.
- Choose the language per message type and check the encoding of each template.
- Normalise numbers to +212 and remove duplicates.
- Send a test to your own Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi phones.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need consent to SMS my existing customers?
According to the CNDP, prior consent is not required if you collected the number directly from the customer during a previous sale of similar products or services. They must still be able to object free of charge, and you must have declared the processing.
Is French or Arabic better for SMS in Morocco?
It depends on the audience and message. French without circumflexes and Latin-script Darija fit 160 characters; Arabic fits 70. Many brands use French or Darija for promotions and Arabic for important service messages.
Can a foreign company send SMS to Moroccan customers?
Yes. eSMS Africa bills in USD and handles sender ID registration, but Law 09-08 still applies to processing data about people in Morocco, so follow the consent and opt-out rules above.
What happens if I ignore opt-outs?
Article 59 of Law 09-08 provides for fines and imprisonment for processing data for prospecting despite a person's objection, as the CNDP's fact sheet highlights.
Sources
- CNDP - Prospection directe par SMS, emailing: vos obligations (PDF, French)
- CNDP - Commission Nationale de contrôle de la protection des Données à caractère Personnel
- Morocco World News - ANRT announces opt-out for SMS marketing (May 2019)
- ANRT - Agence Nationale de Réglementation des Télécommunications
- eSMS Africa - HTTP API documentation
Developers can start with the Morocco SMS API article and the Morocco OTP page; network coverage is on the Morocco SMS page. Create a free eSMS Africa account and send a test in French, Arabic and Darija to compare.
