Land words, explained simply.

Approved plans stamped “ne varietur”, notified with the authorisation. They are the reference for comparing the actual building with the authorised project; the seller of an apartment must hand a copy to the buyer.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Building permit (permis de construire), Co-ownership plans

Professionals who draw up adoul deeds: melkia, deed of inheritance, sale, partition. Like the notary or the authorised lawyer, they can draw up the deed of sale of land. Their profession is now governed by Law No. 51-26.

Explained in the guide : Inheriting land and dividing it: undivided ownership, plot division, separate titlesSee also : Adoul deed, Notary, Lawyer accredited to the Court of Cassation

A deed drawn up by adouls, such as a melkia or a deed of inheritance. It must be approved by the judge responsible for authentication.

Explained in the guide : Inheriting land and dividing it: undivided ownership, plot division, separate titlesSee also : Adoul, Melkia, Deed of inheritance

Outside urban perimeters, its acquisition is reserved for Moroccan natural persons and certain legal persons (dahir of 23 April 1975, as amended). A foreigner cannot acquire it; a non-agricultural project requires an AVNA.

Explained in the guide : Buying, building on or dividing agricultural or rural land in MoroccoSee also : Certificate of non-agricultural purpose (AVNA), Melk

An expert assessment requested outside any lawsuit, by one party or by both. The report can be produced in court; it carries more weight if made in the presence of both parties, by a registered professional.

Explained in the guide : Land and topographic expert assessment: what it is for, who can carry it outSee also : Land expert assessment, Court-ordered expert assessment

The National Agency for Land Registration, Cadastre and Cartography, created by Law No. 58-00. It brings together the land registry, the cadastre and cartography; its only official portal is www.ancfcc.gov.ma.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Land registry (conservation foncière), Cadastre, Mohafadati

The person who files the registration application. On the day of boundary marking, they show the boundaries they claim; their absence without valid excuse can make the application void.

Explained in the guide : Land registration in Morocco, step by stepSee also : Registration application (réquisition), Boundary marking for land registration

A professional registered with the Order, mandatory for any new building in urban municipalities, delimited centres and their surrounding zones. The architect designs the project, draws up the plans filed and monitors the works until the occupancy permit; the contract is included in the file.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Building permit (permis de construire), Rokhas (urban planning permit platform), Surveying engineer (IGT)

The area of a plot as stated in the application, the title and its plan. It may differ from the area measured on site; the ANCFCC offers online an area calculation document drawn up by the cadastre.

Explained in the guide : ANCFCC online services: certificate of ownership, file trackingSee also : Title plan (plan foncier), Land expert assessment

A georeferenced plan of the works actually built (roads, networks), with invert levels, depths and manhole levels. For a subdivision, it proves that roads and networks are where and at the levels authorised. Not to be confused with the final inspection committee.

Explained in the guide : Roads and utility networks (VRD): the role of surveying in roads and networksSee also : Provisional acceptance, VRD (roads and utility networks), Final inspection (récolement)

A fixed mark that shows a boundary on the ground. Registration markers, marked « I.F », are supplied and placed at the applicant's expense; destroying or moving them is punished under Article 606 of the Criminal Code.

Explained in the guide : Boundary marking, missing markers and property boundariesSee also : Boundary marking for land registration, Boundary marker reinstatement

An operation on land that is already titled: finding on site the boundaries shown on the title plan and replacing missing or doubtful markers, without redefining the boundary. It is the work of a surveying engineer registered with the ONIGT.

Explained in the guide : Boundary marking, missing markers and property boundariesSee also : Boundary marker, Title plan (plan foncier), Encroachment

The stage of land registration where boundaries are fixed on site, with the applicant and the summoned neighbouring owners. Directed by the registrar, it is carried out by a sworn cadastre engineer or technician, not by a private surveyor.

Explained in the guide : Boundary marking, missing markers and property boundariesSee also : Registration application (réquisition), Neighbouring owner, Boundary marker reinstatement

A document describing how the boundary marking went, the markers, the boundaries, the documents produced and any agreements reached. The parties present sign it, or their refusal is recorded.

Explained in the guide : Land registration in Morocco, step by stepSee also : Boundary marking for land registration, Neighbouring owner

The boundary between the public road and the adjoining properties, set by the development plan or by an alignment order of the president of the municipality. No new building is allowed within the road area thus defined.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Setbacks, Reserved sites, Development plan (plan d'aménagement)

An authorisation issued by the president of the municipal council, after the urban planning agency's opinion, before building or altering a building. Mandatory in towns, delimited centres, authorised subdivisions and other zones; it lapses if foundations have not started within a year.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Occupancy permit and certificate of compliance, President of the municipal council, Rokhas (urban planning permit platform)

Building without a permit, departing from the approved plans (height, floor, area, siting), altering a façade without authorisation or occupying without an occupancy permit are offences: works stopped, fines, and demolition ordered by the court upon conviction.

Explained in the guide : Unauthorised or non-compliant construction: risks, inspections and regularisationSee also : Law No. 66-12 (planning offences), Urban planning inspector, Regularisation permit (permis de régularisation)

The assembly of the title plans of an area, tied to the geodetic network and kept by the cadastre service. It is used to place a plot among its neighbours and identify adjoining titles.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Cadastre, Title plan (plan foncier)

The common name for the official plan issued by the ANCFCC for a title or application number, including through the « E-Plan cadastral » online service. Strictly speaking, the plan annexed to the title is the title plan.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Title plan (plan foncier), Cadastral map

The set of plans describing properties: boundaries, shape and area. It does not say who the owner is. The cadastre service checks title plans and transfers them onto the cadastral map.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Cadastral map, Title plan (plan foncier), ANCFCC

A certificate a foreigner needs for a non-agricultural project on land lying wholly or partly outside the urban perimeter. The application goes through the regional investment centre; an AVNA does not make the land buildable.

Explained in the guide : Buying, building on or dividing agricultural or rural land in MoroccoSee also : Agricultural property outside urban perimeters, Zoning and development regulations

An extract of the land title issued by the land registry, at the counter or online (E-Certificat). It shows the registered owner and the encumbrances on its date of issue; it only concerns registered property.

Explained in the guide : The certificate of ownership in Morocco: what it says, how to get it, how to read itSee also : Land title, Provisional entry (prénotation), Mohafadati

The right of joint owners to buy back the share sold by one of them, by repaying the buyer the price and costs. Time limits: thirty clear days after notification, one year without notification, four years at most.

Explained in the guide : Inheriting land and dividing it: undivided ownership, plot division, separate titlesSee also : Joint ownership (indivision), Partition

The status of a building owned by several persons by lots, governed by Law No. 18-00 as amended by Law No. 106-12. Each lot combines a private part and a share of the common parts; the law also covers unregistered buildings.

Explained in the guide : Co-ownership: obtaining a land title for each apartmentSee also : Private part, Common parts, Co-ownership regulations

Plans drawn up by a surveying engineer that mark out, level by level, the private and common parts with their area and numbering. They form part of the technical file checked by the cadastre and are used to calculate the shares.

Explained in the guide : Co-ownership: obtaining a land title for each apartmentSee also : Title per lot and parent title, Share of the common parts (tantièmes), Surveying engineer (IGT)

A mandatory document for every co-owned building: use of private and common parts, shares, running of the association and general meeting, appointment of the property manager, sharing of charges. Failing that, standard regulations set by decree apply.

Explained in the guide : Co-ownership: obtaining a land title for each apartmentSee also : Owners' association and general meeting, Share of the common parts (tantièmes), Title per lot and parent title

Land belonging to an ethnic community, under the State's administrative supervision provided for by Law No. 62-17. It cannot be acquired through possession, and its transfer does not go through a simple sale between individuals.

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Guich land, Habous, State domain

A collective procedure under the dahir of 25 July 1969 for rural properties outside urban municipalities. In its original wording, formalities are free if the application is filed within a year of the order, except costs linked to objections.

Explained in the guide : Buying, building on or dividing agricultural or rural land in MoroccoSee also : Land registration, Compulsory registration zone

The parts of a co-owned building that belong to everyone: ground, structure and foundations, load-bearing walls, façade, stairs, entrances, lifts, shared roofs, common equipment. They cannot be divided or sold separately from the lots.

Explained in the guide : Co-ownership: obtaining a land title for each apartmentSee also : Private part, Share of the common parts (tantièmes)

A zone opened by an order published in the Official Bulletin, where a local commission oversees a plot and legal survey and applications are enrolled free of charge. Plots whose owner is not identified are enrolled in the name of the State's private domain.

Explained in the guide : Land registration in Morocco, step by stepSee also : Land registration, State domain

The proportion of the land that the building may cover on the ground, set by the development plan regulations. Its exact definition is given in the regulations of each plan: read it before calculating.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : CUS (coefficient d'utilisation du sol), Zoning and development regulations

The court where the land lies, which rules on outstanding objections in a land registration and on the rejection of an application; its judgment can be appealed. Its president is also petitioned to exercise chefaa.

Explained in the guide : Land registration in Morocco, step by stepSee also : Objection (opposition), Reporting judge, Chefaa (pre-emption)

An expert assessment ordered by the court during a lawsuit. The judge defines the task and appoints an expert on an official roll, who measures, hears the parties and files a report; the judge alone decides.

Explained in the guide : Land and topographic expert assessment: what it is for, who can carry it outSee also : Amicable expert assessment, Partition

The total permitted floor area in relation to the area of the land, set by the development plan regulations. As with the COS, its exact definition appears in the regulations of each plan.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : COS (coefficient d'occupation du sol), Zoning and development regulations

The text that organises land registration, amended by Law No. 14-07. It sets the registration procedure and the effects of the land title, described as final and unassailable (Article 62).

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Land registration, Land title

An adoul deed that records the death, names the heirs and sets each one's share. For titled land, the heirs must then have their rights entered on the title (Article 82 of the dahir) before selling or partitioning.

Explained in the guide : Inheriting land and dividing it: undivided ownership, plot division, separate titlesSee also : Adoul, Joint ownership (indivision), Entry (inscription)

Handing in a deed or request at the land registry. A deposit is not yet an entry; during a registration application, a buyer can deposit their deed to take rank and have their right entered on the day of registration (Article 84).

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Entry (inscription), Registration application (réquisition)

Locating buried pipes and cables: collecting operators' plans, surveying visible features, electromagnetic detection, ground-penetrating radar and trial pits. No non-destructive method is exhaustive; only a trial pit gives a network's position, depth and type with certainty.

Explained in the guide : Roads and utility networks (VRD): the role of surveying in roads and networksSee also : VRD (roads and utility networks), Topographic survey

A document provided for by the dahir of 25 June 1960. For a rural settlement it plays a role comparable to the development plan, and must comply with the SDAU where one exists.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Development plan (plan d'aménagement), Urban development master plan (SDAU)

The urban planning document that matters for a plot in town. Through its maps and regulations, it sets the land use of each zone, non-building zones, roads, green spaces, sites for public facilities and building rules.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Zoning and development regulations, Planning information note (note de renseignements urbanistiques), Reserved sites

The DTM is a digital surface calculated from the surveyed points; it is used for gradients, catchments and earthwork volumes, that is cut and fill quantities. A DTM with too few points gives wrong volumes.

Explained in the guide : Roads and utility networks (VRD): the role of surveying in roads and networksSee also : Longitudinal and cross profiles, Topographic plan, Topographic survey

A copy of the title and its plan that only the owner can obtain; in joint ownership, a single duplicate is given to the appointed co-owner. It is only reliable if it has been brought into line with the title.

Explained in the guide : The certificate of ownership in Morocco: what it says, how to get it, how to read itSee also : Land title, Certificate of ownership

A real right burdening land, such as a right of way. On titled land, it can only be relied on against third parties if it is entered on the title: a right of way promised orally by the seller does not protect you.

Explained in the guide : Buying, building on or dividing agricultural or rural land in MoroccoSee also : Landlocked plot, Real rights

A neighbour's wall, fence or building that extends onto a plot. Measurement comes first, then an amicable agreement or, failing that, legal action with a lawyer. An old wall does not move a titled boundary.

Explained in the guide : Boundary marking, missing markers and property boundariesSee also : Boundary marker reinstatement, Prescription, Land expert assessment

A record of a right made on the land title: sale, mortgage, partition… A real right only exists with regard to third parties from its entry (Article 66 of the dahir); entry of a deed must be requested within three months.

Explained in the guide : Mohafadati: tracking a land title online without using the wrong serviceSee also : Deposit at the land registry, Provisional entry (prénotation), Land title

A check by the same committee one year after provisional acceptance, to verify that the subdivision's roads and networks have no defects. Any defects found must be remedied by the developer; otherwise the municipality carries out the work and recovers the cost.

Explained in the guide : Creating a subdivision in Morocco after Law No. 34-21See also : Provisional acceptance, VRD (roads and utility networks)

A visit by a committee (prefecture or province, municipality) that checks that a completed building complies with the plans and the permit, before the occupancy permit. If an architect supervised the works, the architect's certificate of compliance replaces it.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Occupancy permit and certificate of compliance, As-built plan (plan de récolement)

A domain declared inalienable by the dahir of 10 October 1917: land that belongs to it cannot be bought like private land.

Explained in the guide : Checking land before buying it: documents, checks and common scamsSee also : State domain

Said of a certificate of ownership that shows no encumbrance and no provisional entry. It still says nothing about the actual boundaries: a neighbour can encroach on land with a perfect title.

Explained in the guide : The certificate of ownership in Morocco: what it says, how to get it, how to read itSee also : Certificate of ownership, Provisional entry (prénotation)

Regulations approved by Decree No. 2-18-577 of 12 June 2019. They set the authorisation procedures: planning information note, filing, examination committees, small and large projects, occupancy permit. The file documents are specified by Joint Order No. 337-20.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Building permit (permis de construire), Small projects, Planning information note (note de renseignements urbanistiques)

The set of fixed reference points, for which the ANCFCC is responsible, to which official plans are tied in Lambert coordinates. An old plan in local coordinates, not tied in, does not overlay correctly on recent plans.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Lambert coordinates (Lambert Morocco, Merchich), Topographic survey

Land historically granted to tribes for their use in return for military service, often around the former imperial cities such as Fez. The occupier does not hold private property that can be freely transferred.

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Collective land (soulaliyates), Habous

Property dedicated to a religious or public-interest purpose, governed by the Habous Code. It cannot be acquired through possession or by an ordinary sale; its removal from habous holdings follows specific procedures.

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Collective land (soulaliyates), State domain

Several owners of the same property, each holding a share (a quarter, an eighth…) without a plot of their own. No one can be forced to remain in it: any joint owner can request partition.

Explained in the guide : Inheriting land and dividing it: undivided ownership, plot division, separate titlesSee also : Partition, Chefaa (pre-emption), Deed of inheritance

Testimony given by a group of people, on which a melkia sometimes rests.

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Melkia

The system of Moroccan official plans: a Lambert conformal conic projection on the Clarke 1880 ellipsoid and the Merchich system, divided into zones; Fez is in zone I (Nord Maroc). It allows the property plan, development plan and project to be overlaid without offset.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Geodetic network (tie-in), WGS 84 (GPS coordinates)

A written technical opinion on a property: boundaries, area, encroachment, siting of a building, match between title and land, or value. Law No. 30-93 lists land expert assessment among the acts of the surveying engineer.

Explained in the guide : Land and topographic expert assessment: what it is for, who can carry it outSee also : Amicable expert assessment, Court-ordered expert assessment, Property valuation

The official in charge of the land registry: keeps the title, enters rights, directs boundary marking for registration and decides on registration. Objections are decided by the court, not by the registrar.

Explained in the guide : Boundary marking, missing markers and property boundariesSee also : Land registry (conservation foncière), Boundary marking for land registration, Entry (inscription)

The procedure that places land under the Dahir of 12 August 1913 and leads to a land title, clearing rights not mentioned in it. It involves an application, publication, boundary marking, objections, then issue of the title.

Explained in the guide : Land registration in Morocco, step by stepSee also : Registration application (réquisition), Boundary marking for land registration, Land title

An ANCFCC online service that publishes, by land registry, extracts of registration applications, notices of completion of boundary marking and other notices whose time limits are running. It is the simplest way to follow an application.

Explained in the guide : ANCFCC online services: certificate of ownership, file trackingSee also : Registration application (réquisition), Notice of completion of boundary marking, ANCFCC

The ANCFCC service that keeps land titles: it receives applications and requests, enters rights, publishes registration applications and issues certificates and plans.

Explained in the guide : ANCFCC online services: certificate of ownership, file trackingSee also : Land registrar, ANCFCC, Land title

Sums due to the land registry for an operation (filing, entry, certificate…), according to the tariff set by decree. For a filed request, the amount is calculated by the registry, then paid online with a « Fatourati » reference.

Explained in the guide : ANCFCC online services: certificate of ownership, file trackingSee also : Land registry (conservation foncière), Entry (inscription)

The register specific to a registered plot, kept by the land registry: number, name, annexed plan and recorded rights. Article 62 of the Dahir of 12 August 1913 describes it as final and unassailable.

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Land registration, Certificate of ownership, Title plan (plan foncier)

Land with no access, or insufficient access, to the public road. Its owner can obtain a right of way over neighbouring land in return for compensation; if a division created the situation, only over the lots resulting from it.

Explained in the guide : Buying, building on or dividing agricultural or rural land in MoroccoSee also : Easement, Partition

The procedure for bigger projects (subdivisions, taller buildings, premises open to the public, buildings outside any area covered by a plan, medinas…): the file is sent to the committee, which decides within 15 working days.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Small projects, Subdivision (lotissement)

A 1992 law, amended since, in particular by Law No. 66-12. It organises urban planning documents (master plan, development plan…), the building permit, the occupancy permit and the penalties for offences.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Development plan (plan d'aménagement), Building permit (permis de construire), Law No. 66-12 (planning offences)

The law on subdivisions, housing groups and plot divisions: subdivision authorisation, works, acceptance, sale of lots, penalties. Law No. 34-21, published on 10 August 2026, amends about thirty of its articles without replacing it.

Explained in the guide : Creating a subdivision in Morocco after Law No. 34-21See also : Subdivision (lotissement), Subdivision authorisation

A 2016 law on the control and punishment of offences in urban planning and construction. It rewrote the penalties of Law No. 12-90: recording of offences, stopping of works, demolition, fines, regularisation permit.

Explained in the guide : Unauthorised or non-compliant construction: risks, inspections and regularisationSee also : Building without a permit (planning offence), Urban planning inspector, Law No. 12-90 on urban planning

A lawyer authorised to draw up a deed with a certain date. Article 4 of the Real Rights Code requires, on pain of nullity, any transfer of ownership to be made by authentic deed or by such a deed, unless a specific law provides otherwise.

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Notary, Real Rights Code (Law No. 39-08)

A plan for finding the land: orientation, access roads with their names, landmarks. It is part of the building permit file; for a plot division, it is drawn up by a surveying engineer at 1/2000 or 1/5000.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Topographic plan, Building permit (permis de construire)

VRD project deliverables: the longitudinal profile follows a road or network (natural ground, design line, gradients, invert levels, manholes); the cross profile shows widths, crossfalls, cut and fill slopes and the position of networks.

Explained in the guide : Roads and utility networks (VRD): the role of surveying in roads and networksSee also : Digital terrain model (DTM) and earthwork volumes, VRD (roads and utility networks)

The height a building may not exceed in a zone, often also expressed as a number of storeys: R+3 means ground floor plus three storeys. A house of up to R+3 and 15.50 m generally falls under “small projects”.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Zoning and development regulations, Small projects

Private property, titled (with a land title and plan) or untitled (proved by a melkia or adoul deeds). Only melk can be bought like private property, unlike collective, guich, habous or State land.

Explained in the guide : Buying, building on or dividing agricultural or rural land in MoroccoSee also : Land title, Melkia, Collective land (soulaliyates)

An adoul deed in which witnesses declare that a person possesses unregistered land as an owner, peacefully and continuously. It is proof that can be challenged, not a land title.

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Possession, Land title, Adoul

An ANCFCC alert service (« my registry ») that notifies you by text message and email of filings and entries on your titles or applications. Reserved for registered persons, it does not let you read a land title online.

Explained in the guide : Mohafadati: tracking a land title online without using the wrong serviceSee also : Entry (inscription), Certificate of ownership, ANCFCC

A right entered on the title that makes the property security for a debt. A sale remains possible, but the mortgage follows the property: its release and cancellation must be arranged before or at the time of payment.

Explained in the guide : The certificate of ownership in Morocco: what it says, how to get it, how to read itSee also : Release and cancellation, Special certificate of entry, Real rights

The owner of land next to a plot. Neighbouring owners named in the application are summoned to boundary marking for registration, where they make their observations; in a melkia, boundaries are often described by their names.

Explained in the guide : Boundary marking, missing markers and property boundariesSee also : Boundary marking for land registration, Encroachment

A professional who, like the adoul and the lawyer accredited to the Court of Cassation, checks the documents, draws up the deed of sale or partition in the form required by Article 4 of the Real Rights Code, then files it for entry.

Explained in the guide : Checking land before buying it: documents, checks and common scamsSee also : Adoul, Lawyer accredited to the Court of Cassation, Entry (inscription)

A notice published in the Official Bulletin after boundary marking for land registration. It opens a two-month period during which anyone claiming a right over the land can lodge an objection.

Explained in the guide : Boundary marking, missing markers and property boundariesSee also : Objection (opposition), Boundary marking for land registration, Land registration notices (Publicité foncière)

A challenge to a registration application: ownership, boundaries or a claimed real right. It is lodged within two months of the notice of completion of boundary marking; if it remains, the file goes to the court of first instance.

Explained in the guide : Land registration in Morocco, step by stepSee also : Notice of completion of boundary marking, Court of first instance, Registration application (réquisition)

The authorisation without which a completed building may not be used: occupancy permit for housing, certificate of compliance for another use. Issued by the president of the municipality after the final inspection; occupying without them is an offence.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Final inspection (récolement), Building permit (permis de construire), Building without a permit (planning offence)

The professional order governed by Law No. 30-93 (1994), whose roll, published online, lists the engineers authorised to practise. It ensures that fees are “fair and measured”, but the law forbids it to set their amount.

Explained in the guide : Surveying engineer fees: how they are setSee also : Surveying engineer (IGT)

A body with legal personality that the co-owners automatically form, from the entry of the first transfer. The general meeting takes the decisions; some, such as adding a storey, require unanimity.

Explained in the guide : Co-ownership: obtaining a land title for each apartmentSee also : Property manager (syndic), Co-ownership regulations

The original title of land that has been divided, subdivided into building lots or placed in co-ownership: it coexists with the new titles. Check that the number and index in the deed match the lot concerned, not just the parent title.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Title index, Plot division (morcellement)

The operation that ends joint ownership: each person becomes sole owner of a part. It is amicable if everyone agrees, otherwise by court order: the court rules on a plan by a topographic expert or orders a public auction.

Explained in the guide : Inheriting land and dividing it: undivided ownership, plot division, separate titlesSee also : Joint ownership (indivision), Provisional partition, Plot division (morcellement)

A document issued by the urban planning agency, within two working days at most, stating how a plot may be used: applicable document, land use, land coverage, siting, height, access. It is neither an authorisation nor an agreement in principle.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Urban planning agency (agence urbaine), Development plan (plan d'aménagement), Taamir (urban planning geoportal)

Dividing land into lots not intended for building. In the zones covered by Law No. 25-90 as amended by Law No. 34-21, it requires prior authorisation, deemed granted if the president of the municipal council has not replied within 30 days.

Explained in the guide : Inheriting land and dividing it: undivided ownership, plot division, separate titlesSee also : Partition, Parent title, Joint ownership (indivision)

Holding land as an owner, peacefully and continuously. For unregistered land, it gives a right to ownership until proven otherwise, if legal conditions are met, including a sufficient duration.

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Melkia, Prescription, Unregistered land

The effect of the passage of time on rights. On titled land, it gives rise to no real right against the registered owner (Article 63 of the dahir): an old fence in the wrong place does not move the boundary.

Explained in the guide : Boundary marking, missing markers and property boundariesSee also : Possession, Land title, Encroachment

The authority that issues the building permit, the occupancy permit, the subdivision authorisation and the plot division authorisation, and that may set the building line by order. The file is lodged with the municipality.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Building permit (permis de construire), Subdivision authorisation, Building line (alignement)

The part of a co-ownership lot owned exclusively by its holder: apartment, premises, possibly a cellar or garage. It may not be leased or mortgaged without its share of the common parts.

Explained in the guide : Co-ownership: obtaining a land title for each apartmentSee also : Common parts, Share of the common parts (tantièmes), Co-ownership (copropriété)

The person who carries out the decisions of the co-owners' general meeting. The property manager and deputy are appointed by a three-quarters majority, for two renewable years; failing that, the president of the court of first instance may appoint them.

Explained in the guide : Co-ownership: obtaining a land title for each apartmentSee also : Owners' association and general meeting, Co-ownership regulations

An estimate of the market or rental value of a property based on the market, its condition and planning rules. It differs from a topographic expert assessment, which measures and compares with official documents.

Explained in the guide : Land and topographic expert assessment: what it is for, who can carry it outSee also : Land expert assessment

A check by a committee, within 30 days of the declaration of completion, of a subdivision's servicing works. Its report automatically transfers roads and networks to the municipality; no lot may be sold, leased or partitioned before it.

Explained in the guide : Creating a subdivision in Morocco after Law No. 34-21See also : Final acceptance, Subdivision (lotissement), As-built plan (plan de récolement)

A temporary entry that reserves the rank of a right claimed by a person over the property (Article 85 of the dahir). Its duration is limited by law; while it is in force, do not buy without legal advice.

Explained in the guide : The certificate of ownership in Morocco: what it says, how to get it, how to read itSee also : Entry (inscription), Certificate of ownership

Sharing out among heirs the use of jointly owned land, in time or in space, without dividing ownership. It gives no one a title to their part.

Explained in the guide : Inheriting land and dividing it: undivided ownership, plot division, separate titlesSee also : Partition, Joint ownership (indivision)

Rights over a property. The Real Rights Code distinguishes main rights (ownership, easements, usufruct, surface right, habous…) from accessory rights that secure a debt (privileges, pledge, mortgage).

Explained in the guide : The certificate of ownership in Morocco: what it says, how to get it, how to read itSee also : Real Rights Code (Law No. 39-08), Easement, Mortgage

The law that governs, in particular, unregistered land, referring to Maliki Islamic law. Its Article 4 requires, on pain of nullity, a specific form for deeds transferring ownership and for the related powers of attorney.

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Real rights, Unregistered land, Lawyer accredited to the Court of Cassation

An application for land registration filed at the land registry where the land lies, with the deeds proving the right. Land under an application has no title yet, and a filed application can no longer be withdrawn.

Explained in the guide : Land registration in Morocco, step by stepSee also : Land registration, Applicant for registration, Objection (opposition)

A permit issued by the president of the municipality, with the urban planning agency's agreement, for a non-compliant building; it takes the place of the occupancy permit. Applications were time-limited: on our reading, the last window closed in May 2025.

Explained in the guide : Unauthorised or non-compliant construction: risks, inspections and regularisationSee also : Building without a permit (planning offence), Occupancy permit and certificate of compliance, Restructuring

Formalities that free the property from an encumbrance, such as a mortgage, and remove it from the title (Article 91 of the dahir). In a sale, they are arranged with the notary before or at the time of payment.

Explained in the guide : The certificate of ownership in Morocco: what it says, how to get it, how to read itSee also : Mortgage, Entry (inscription)

A judge appointed by the court hearing objections to a land registration. They may visit the site, hear witnesses and be assisted by a surveying engineer.

Explained in the guide : Land registration in Morocco, step by stepSee also : Objection (opposition), Court of first instance

Parts of land that the development plan reserves for a road, a green space or a public facility. The text approving the plan counts as a declaration of public utility for them: it is the first thing to check before buying.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Development plan (plan d'aménagement), Building line (alignement)

An operation to upgrade a subdivision created without authorisation (health, safety, traffic, appearance), decided by the municipal council after the urban planning agency's opinion. It is a public decision, not an individual procedure, and comes before buildings can be regularised.

Explained in the guide : Creating a subdivision in Morocco after Law No. 34-21See also : Subdivision (lotissement), Regularisation permit (permis de régularisation)

The single digital platform for the whole Kingdom (rokhas.ma) where urban planning authorisation applications are filed and tracked online, usually by the architect, the surveying engineer or an authorised person.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Building permit (permis de construire), Architect and architect's contract, Taamir (urban planning geoportal)

A court measure entered on the title with a view to a forced sale. From its entry, no new entry can be made on the property during the procedure (Article 87): an amicable sale cannot be entered.

Explained in the guide : The certificate of ownership in Morocco: what it says, how to get it, how to read itSee also : Entry (inscription), Mortgage

Distances to be kept between the building and the road, the boundaries with neighbouring plots or another building on the same plot. They are set by the planning regulations and checked when the building is set out.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Building line (alignement), Setting-out, Zoning and development regulations

Transferring onto the ground, with markers, the exact position of the building (or roads and networks) shown on the authorised plans. The surveying engineer checks boundaries, building line, setbacks, dimensions and reference level; a mistake is paid for in demolition.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Setbacks, Building line (alignement), Spot-height plan (plan coté)

Networks that carry away wastewater and stormwater, with manholes and gullies. Under Article 47 of Law No. 12-90, the permit is refused for land not connected to sewerage or drinking water, unless an exemption is granted for an on-site solution meeting hygiene requirements.

Explained in the guide : Roads and utility networks (VRD): the role of surveying in roads and networksSee also : VRD (roads and utility networks), As-built plan (plan de récolement)

The portion of the common parts attached to each lot, often expressed in tantièmes or thousandths. Unless otherwise provided, it depends on the area of the private part relative to all private parts; it is used to share charges and votes.

Explained in the guide : Co-ownership: obtaining a land title for each apartmentSee also : Common parts, Private part, Co-ownership regulations

A professional appointed by the developer, who may be a surveying engineer, to monitor the subdivision works in line with the authorised documents. The coordinator signs the certificate of compliance attached to the declaration of completion.

Explained in the guide : Creating a subdivision in Morocco after Law No. 34-21See also : Subdivision authorisation, Provisional acceptance, Surveying engineer (IGT)

The procedure for residential buildings of no more than 15.50 m and R+3 (18.50 m and R+4 in an accepted subdivision): the examination committee reviews the file as soon as it is filed and decides at the same sitting.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Large projects, Maximum height and R+n (R+2, R+3…)

A certificate given to holders of real rights other than ownership, typically the creditor bank. Once the mortgage is entered, it has the force of an enforceable title.

Explained in the guide : The certificate of ownership in Morocco: what it says, how to get it, how to read itSee also : Mortgage, Certificate of ownership

Level information shown on a topographic plan to describe the relief. It is used to set levels, foundations and water drainage, and is required on the topographic plan of a subdivision application.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Topographic plan, Spot-height plan (plan coté)

A topographic plan showing dimensions (side lengths, distances between markers) and levels. It is the basis the architect needs to set out a building, set the levels and check the setbacks.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Topographic plan, Setting-out, Setbacks

The public domain (shores, watercourses, roads…) and the private domain of the State. Neither can be acquired through possession, however long it lasts (Article 261 of the Real Rights Code).

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Forest domain, Collective land (soulaliyates)

An authorisation issued by the president of the municipal council before creating a subdivision, on land that is registered or undergoing registration without objection. It lapses if the servicing works are not completed in time: 3 years up to 20 hectares, longer above.

Explained in the guide : Creating a subdivision in Morocco after Law No. 34-21See also : Subdivision (lotissement), Provisional acceptance, Site coordinator

The division of a property, by sale, lease or partition, into two or more lots intended for building, whatever their size. It requires a subdivision authorisation; a division into lots not intended for building is a plot division.

Explained in the guide : Creating a subdivision in Morocco after Law No. 34-21See also : Subdivision authorisation, Law No. 25-90 (subdivisions), Provisional acceptance

A plan of a building as it stands: plot boundaries, building footprint, setbacks, heights and levels. Prepared by a surveying engineer, it is the objective basis for comparing the building with the permit before bringing it into compliance or buying.

Explained in the guide : Unauthorised or non-compliant construction: risks, inspections and regularisationSee also : Surveying engineer (IGT), Regularisation permit (permis de régularisation), Topographic plan

A professional who measures land, draws up plans and technical files, sets out buildings and carries out land expertise. No one may practise or use the title without being on the roll of the Order; the engineer issues no authorisations and does not draft deeds.

Explained in the guide : Surveying engineer fees: how they are setSee also : ONIGT (National Order of Surveying Engineers), Topographic plan, Setting-out

The national geoportal (taamir.gov.ma), public and free, for consulting approved urban planning documents: you locate your plot, its zone and the regulations. It is information only and replaces neither the planning information note nor the permit.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Planning information note (note de renseignements urbanistiques), Development plan (plan d'aménagement), Rokhas (urban planning permit platform)

A file drawn up by a surveying engineer registered with the ONIGT for a plot division, subdivision, co-ownership, merger, updating of the title plan or reinstatement of markers. It is lodged with the cadastre department, which checks, plots, approves and archives it.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Surveying engineer (IGT), Co-ownership plans, Updating of the title plan

An addition to a land title number, in particular for a title resulting from a division or a co-ownership. It must be copied exactly: a wrong index points to another property.

Explained in the guide : The certificate of ownership in Morocco: what it says, how to get it, how to read itSee also : Parent title, Certificate of ownership

For a titled building, the land registrar creates a separate land title for each lot once the co-ownership regulations and the technical file are entered. The original or parent title keeps only the common parts and passes to the owners' association.

Explained in the guide : Co-ownership: obtaining a land title for each apartmentSee also : Co-ownership regulations, Co-ownership plans, Technical file

The official plan of land that is registered or being registered, drawn up after boundary marking, tied to the geodetic network, checked and signed by the cadastre service, then annexed to the land title.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Land title, Cadastral plan, Cadastre

A plan that describes the land as it is: boundaries, markers, levels (spot heights, contour lines), buildings and plantings. Drawn up by a surveying engineer, it is the architect's tool, not proof of ownership.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Topographic survey, Spot-height plan (plan coté), Spot heights and contour lines

On-site measurement of land (relief, boundaries and markers, buildings, roads, visible networks) used to draw up the topographic plan. For unregistered land, it is the document required instead of the ANCFCC plan in the building permit file.

Explained in the guide : Roads and utility networks (VRD): the role of surveying in roads and networksSee also : Topographic plan, Lambert coordinates (Lambert Morocco, Merchich), Detection of existing networks

Land with no land title and no registration application, whose ownership rests on deeds: most often a melkia, sometimes successive purchase deeds or a deed of inheritance. It is governed by the Real Rights Code.

Explained in the guide : Buying land in Morocco: melkia, registration application or land title?See also : Melkia, Land registration, Real Rights Code (Law No. 39-08)

Bringing the title plan into line with the actual state of the land, for example after building. It relies on a surveying engineer's technical file checked by the cadastre; in practice the land registry asks for the occupancy permit.

Explained in the guide : Building permit in Morocco: application, steps and topographic planSee also : Technical file, Occupancy permit and certificate of compliance

An urban planning document that sets the broad orientations for an area (zones to be urbanised, agricultural and forest land to be preserved, major facilities) for no more than 25 years. It is not read plot by plot.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Development plan (plan d'aménagement), Law No. 12-90 on urban planning

The body that issues the planning information note and gives an opinion on authorisation applications, which the president of the municipality must follow. Law No. 64-23 provides for its replacement by a regional urban planning and housing agency in each region.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Planning information note (note de renseignements urbanistiques), Building permit (permis de construire)

An authorised official with the status of criminal investigation officer who records planning offences, draws up a report and immediately orders work in progress to stop. The inspector may act on a complaint from anyone.

Explained in the guide : Unauthorised or non-compliant construction: risks, inspections and regularisationSee also : Building without a permit (planning offence), Law No. 66-12 (planning offences)

All the works that make land usable: roads, wastewater and stormwater sewerage, drinking water, electricity, street lighting and telecommunications. The law entrusts their design to specialist engineers.

Explained in the guide : Roads and utility networks (VRD): the role of surveying in roads and networksSee also : Sewerage, As-built plan (plan de récolement), Subdivision (lotissement)

The latitude and longitude system given by a phone's GPS. These coordinates cannot be compared directly with Lambert coordinates: a conversion is needed, and a phone's accuracy, measured in metres, is not enough to find a boundary marker.

Explained in the guide : Cadastral plan, title plan, topographic plan: which plan for which purpose?See also : Lambert coordinates (Lambert Morocco, Merchich)

The development plan divides the area into zones (housing, business, facilities, agricultural, non-building…). For each zone, the development regulations set the land use (permitted, prohibited or conditional uses), height, buildable area, setbacks and easements.

Explained in the guide : Development plan, zoning, Taamir: knowing what you can build on a plot of landSee also : Development plan (plan d'aménagement), COS (coefficient d'occupation du sol), Setbacks