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Leaving a vehicle in Morocco Leaving a vehicle in Morocco
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Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 5 Nov 2007
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Red face Leaving a vehicle in Morocco
Hi

Just wanted to find out if it was possible to drive to Morocco from the UK and leave the vehicle there?

I have been across the border by motorcycle and had a vehicle stamp added to my passport - and cleared on the way out I presume. It was a while back so I am not too sure on the details.

Can you tell me the implications of leaving the country by air (returning to the UK) without the vehicle you arrived with.

The plan is a final drive for my Dad's (RIP) Merc 200E - currently starting to limp at 220k miles. He drove down there a few times and I thought it would be a nice final drive for it (I have 3 bikes which take up all my time and it doesn't get the care it needs to keep it running).

Car is probably worth about £600 so I could even contemplate the import duty if it wasn't too extortinate. I know a couple of people in Kasr el Kabir who I am sure would love it ... or I can just give the keys to a passing farmer.

Please get back to me with major ridicule and general hilarity ...

Cheers.
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  #2  
Old 9 Nov 2007
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hi,

no way selling a car in morocco.
they will arrest you at the airport if you just leave the car.

also, forget about paying import tax.
will cost you something about 8000,- - 9000,- euro !!!
calculation you can even do online :

Menu MCV

todo
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  #3  
Old 9 Nov 2007
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I've sometimes wondered what happens, in terms of paperwork, when a vehicle is "totalled" - completely written off - somewhere out in the desert say. Examples are those pics shown now and again of some vehicle bodywork that is pristine after years of lying about in the very dry Sahara.

So, the scenario is drive to somewhere as per the original question, give the vehicle away to someone, report it as a total write off (to who?) and fly home.
What issues are there with this?
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Dave
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  #4  
Old 9 Nov 2007
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hi dave,

talking about morocco:
if you totally wreck your car and have no report from
police/ customs, you can not leave the country without paying import tax.

if you report it, they want to see it, you probably even have to transport it
to the nearest customs parking.

all this happens because of the extremly high import tax f. second hand vehicles.

pics you are talking about mainly happen to be done in mauritania
or at the no mans land.
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  #5  
Old 9 Nov 2007
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oh ;o)

so I have to go to Mauritania then?

Thanks for the info chaps .. all the best, Lee.
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  #6  
Old 9 Nov 2007
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hi lee,

<so I have to go to Mauritania then?>

yes,
but talking about a probably right hand driven, petrol engine car...
and the petrol price at the moment...
you will loose money for sure.

todo
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  #7  
Old 9 Nov 2007
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Hi Todo

I am not looking to make money - I really was serious about giving the vehicle away when I got there.

Yep. It is a RHD and 2.0 petrol ... 124 Series ('89 200E) 220k miles on the clock, owned from new, one exhaust, one clutch, one clutch master cylinder ... they don't make 'em like that any more )

Just to clarify - if I go through Morocco I can get the vehicle cleared on the other side and there is nothing to stop me leaving it in Mauritania (I.e. no import duty or vehicle customs, etc).

Thanks again for the info.

All the best, Lee.
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  #8  
Old 10 Nov 2007
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hi lee,

<Just to clarify - if I go through Morocco I can get the vehicle cleared on the other side <and there is nothing to stop me leaving it in Mauritania (I.e. no import duty or vehicle <customs, etc).>

if you enter mauritania of course there is import tax and paperwork involved.
only that the import tax is much less than in morocco.
and if you do not know how to clear your passport you may even end up
with trouble.

only chance, after you cleared your vehicle at the moroccan side, you continue to the no mans land, a about 4 km long strip before you enter mauritania.
there are a lot of shady characters running around, they will approach you and offer you a ridiculous price.
as it sounds that you never have been there before, please inform yourself about the mine situation. parts of no mans land are heavily mined !!
if you do a search at `sahara `and `sub - sahara` board, you will find a lot about the minefield.

todo
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  #9  
Old 12 Nov 2007
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hey,
i'm in morocco right now on my bike and i'm pretty sure there's no vehicle stamp on my passport. So maybe it's just luck if you get one or not? or maybe the system is computerised now
it seems a long way to travel to risk it though!
all the best,
nick
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  #10  
Old 12 Nov 2007
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hi nick,

i bet you got an entry for your bike at your passport.

it´s no stamp, it´s only a combination of handwritten digits and letters,
usually not ! at the same page as your entry stamp.

since the system is computerised since many years, as you exit morocco they only enter this at the computer system, and all your vehicle dates, even from former trips,
will show up.

todo
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  #11  
Old 12 Nov 2007
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todo, you're right - it is there, hidden amongst some other stamps on a completely different page to my moroccan entry stamp. very strange!
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  #12  
Old 13 Nov 2007
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Great - my two favourite things - customs and landmines.

Thanks for all the information Todo ... have a good trip Nick ... You down there on a ZX6? Cool!!! Fit some knobblies for that Mission Impossible look ;-)

All the best, Lee.
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  #13  
Old 1 Dec 2007
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My bike is currently left in Maroc untill i go back in Jan to collect it with a trailer ( Its a very long story! ) Whilst i spent 2 hours in the customs office filling in forms and surrendering my keys, V5, insurance when it came to the national and international flights there was no question about my vehicle - i did not have to show the letter from the customs office to leave.
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  #14  
Old 5 Nov 2016
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Compulsory to leave van at the airport?
Hi all, I am flying home for a week and would like to leave my van in custody of a friend rather than take it to the airport and pay parking fees etc.

Dos anyone know if this is possible? Has anyone done this before?

--
Josh
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