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Driving license needed? Driving license needed?
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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



Trans Sahara Routes.

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  #1  
Old 4 Sep 2006
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Driving license needed?
Hi all.. just 3 weeks to go before we're off to Maroc - getting a teeny weeny bit excited now!

Is a PhotoCard driving license madatory in Morocco, or will an old 'paper' licence be ok? I sent mine off for replacement a week ago but I'm getting the jitters in case there's a problem with the application and it comes back.. Any thoughts?

The other thing - I'm taking 2 bikes down in a van and the 2nd rider is flying into Marrakesh the week after, am I likely to encounter any problems buying insurance at the border (do I need to??)

Just got to fit a new set of TCK80's this week, fabricate some racks for my 5L jerries and I'm fit to go...

Greg
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  #2  
Old 5 Sep 2006
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<Is a PhotoCard driving license madatory in Morocco...>

In my experience I have never been asked to show a driving license in any Saharan country (even the international one that people sometimes buy).

What counts is the vehicle ownership document (carte gris) in your name and a passport.

have a great trip - it wont be cold...

Ch
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  #3  
Old 5 Sep 2006
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V5
Chris, does a normal garden variety V5 do the job as a "carte gris" ?
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  #4  
Old 5 Sep 2006
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Yes , its the same thing. But carte gris is what they call in most of the Sahara so its a word worth knowing.

Ch
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  #5  
Old 5 Sep 2006
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Thumbs up
Merci Chris, Cheers
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  #6  
Old 9 Sep 2006
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You will probably have some problems trying to get in with a car and two bikes. Car and one bike is no problem. At the worst you will have to deposit it at the border and pick it up later.

This was the situation a year or so ago. Maybe it has changed in the meantime, I don't know.

I have seen people in Morocco with loads of bikes but they were organised tours and had all the paperwork sorted out in advance. How this paperwork is done I don't know either.
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  #7  
Old 9 Sep 2006
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Kev ... I called the Moroccan Embassy and the transport consultation guy advised that as long as I had copies of all the necessary documents, V5, letters of authority (Rob's blagged a GS1200 on loan the lucky bleeder!) from BMM and copies of his air ticket I should be ok.

Let's hope so!!

Greg
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  #8  
Old 11 Sep 2006
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Hi Greg

Sounds good, I'd be interested to know how you get on.

Kevin
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  #9  
Old 12 Sep 2006
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>>In my experience I have never been asked to show a driving license in any ?>>Saharan country

Hi !!! . Well , I remember that there are some countries really interested in the driving license. for example : Senegal , Guineas , and probbably Burkina (not sure , can't remember for sure) but

if you are asking for a Passavant , they ask you for your driving license. Sometimes pretended not having it (to see what'd happened , just in casE) and they were really serious about that .Specially Senegal and G.Bissau

Indeed , in Burkina *I think* the military write down your passport , and the police write down your Driving license. No passport at all . Only the driving license.

Anyway ... Why bother ? I am sure anyone can get either a driving license
of if not... just http://www.driverlicense.net/pr2/index.html and have a trouble-free licensed trip.

Javier
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  #10  
Old 15 Sep 2006
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Lightbulb too many wheels
We did a trip in Mauritania 2 years ago, which involved driving through Morocco with 4 pax, 2 Land Rovers and 9 bikes. Moroccan customs initially told us we could only import vehicles with drivers (ie 2 cars and 2 bikes, or 4 bikes etc.). We had all the paperwork for the flights of the clients, cartes grises, permission letters from clients explaining why we had their bikes etc. etc. etc. etc.

Then we just sat and blocked up the customs area until they gave up and let us through (whole process took about 2 hours, but no cadeaux!).

I will admit though that a cold in the Ibis on the other side went down well!

Sam.
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  #11  
Old 15 Sep 2006
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Smile and coming back...
...they tried it again.

But I'd photocopied the original forms - proving that it was, in fact, possible...

Sam.
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  #12  
Old 2 Sep 2007
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Hi can anybody confirm if this is still the case i.e. I can drive in Morocco on a British driving license?

Many thanks

Nick
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  #13  
Old 2 Sep 2007
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Question
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Originally Posted by nickc View Post
Hi can anybody confirm if this is still the case i.e. I can drive in Morocco on a British driving license?

Many thanks

Nick
Hi Nick,
It has been more than a year since I have been in Morocco and I have a German driving licence. But are you seriously doubting that Morocco stopped accepting driving licences valid in the EU?
What would be the point of it?
There would have been a massive outcry at the HUBB, don’t you think so ?
And I am quite sure the foreign office would mention it in their travel advice for morocco.
Besides I always find it useful to carry an international driving licence because they are very easy to replace. Over here in Germany they issue them on the spot for approx. 20 Euro.

In short: check out the website of the foreign office, relax and enjoy your trip.

Hans
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  #14  
Old 3 Sep 2007
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I hired a 4x4 in Marrakech last week, with a UK driving licence.......so......
.
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