Leaving France for Morocco: terminate contracts, recover deposit, close accounts
Move to Morocco: terminate lease (1-3 mo), energy/telecom (30 days), insurance after inventory, close bank accounts (free 30 days). Keep French account for CAF, deposit, tax refunds. Car: inspection <6 mo, ANTS removal, customs 30 days. Prove residence: lease, school, bank, consulate.
Leaving France for Morocco: cancelling contracts, getting your deposit back and closing accounts
A definitive return to Morocco requires closing around twenty contracts and subscriptions, each governed by its own rules. The tenancy agreement kicks off the process: the statutory notice period runs for three months, reduced to one month in a tight‑housing area or for a legitimate reason such as a professional transfer abroad. The clock starts on the date the landlord receives the letter, which is why an electronic registered letter (LRE) – legally equivalent to a paper one and costing only a few euros – is advantageous. A joint exit inventory is essential: without it, the landlord can withhold the entire deposit without justification. If the inventory is clean, the deposit must be returned within one month, or two months if deductions are made, failing which a penalty of 10 % of the rent per month of delay applies.
Regarding suppliers, the Chatel law sets a maximum 30‑day deadline after notification for energy, water, internet and mobile. The final meter reading takes place within two weeks, and the balance is settled within four to six weeks onto a Moroccan RIB or a return address. For the phone, porting to an eSIM or a low‑cost operator lets you keep your French number from Morocco. Home insurance is cancelled after the exit inventory, not before, to cover the last day of occupation.
The bank cannot refuse to close an account; the operation is free by law and must be completed within 30 days. Before requesting closure, you must cancel all direct debits, wait for the last deferred card payments and withdraw your savings (Livret A, LDDS). Keeping a French account, ideally with a fee‑free online bank, remains the safest way to receive pending refunds: social security, CAF, tax overpayments, rental deposit. Transfers to Morocco go through international SEPA channels such as Wise or Revolut, at 0.5‑1.5 % of the amount.
Notifying the CAF of your departure is done immediately on caf.fr to stop any payments; any overpayment after the effective date must be repaid, otherwise it may be classed as fraud. At the CPAM, declaring your departure makes the Carte Vitale legally unusable, but the 1965 Franco‑Moroccan convention allows you to aggregate contributed quarters for retirement: requesting your career statement before you leave avoids complex searches later. On tax, the following year’s 2042 return, with box 8UU ticked, will settle tax on income received up to the departure date; French‑source income after that (rents, dividends) remains taxable in France.
For the vehicle, export requires a technical inspection less than six months old and deregistration via ANTS. On arrival in Morocco, the customs declaration at the ADII must be made within 30 days for permanent import; without an active MRE exemption, duties rise from 17.5 % to 40 % depending on age and engine size. The French tax authorities scrutinise the reality of the change of domicile: a Moroccan lease, children’s schooling, a local bank account and consular registration constitute tangible proof that rules out any risk of a fictitious tax residence.
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