Key points
- Status: published in the Official Bulletin No. 7533 of 10 August 2026, after promulgation by Dahir No. 1-26-61 of 28 July 2026.
- The law has been in force since its publication, except for the provisions awaiting a regulatory text, to be published within one year (Article 6).
- The validity of the subdivision authorisation now depends on the area: from 3 years up to 20 hectares to 15 years above 400 hectares.
- A site coordinator, who may be a surveying engineer, signs the certificate that the works comply.
- The plot division authorisation is deemed granted if the municipality has not ruled within 30 days of filing.
A text that is published and in force, but not yet complete
Law No. 34-21 was promulgated by Dahir No. 1-26-61 of 28 July 2026 and published in Official Bulletin No. 7533 of 10 August 2026, in the general edition in Arabic. It does not replace Law No. 25-90 of 1992: it amends some thirty of its articles and extends its title to large-scale development operations of public interest, which receive their own regime (Articles 62-1 to 62-5).
Its Article 6 provides for entry into force on the date of publication. Provisions that require a regulatory text apply only once that text is published, and the government must adopt it within one year of the law's publication, that is by August 2027 at the latest. At the time of writing, we have not found any published implementing decree.
Please note: we have not found an official French translation. The wording below is our own translation; only the Arabic text is authoritative.
Subdivision authorisation: a period based on area
Under the former text, the subdivision authorisation lapsed if the infrastructure works were not completed within three years. The new Article 11 sets a period according to the area of the land:
- 3 years up to 20 hectares;
- 5 years from more than 20 to 100 hectares;
- 7 years from more than 100 to 250 hectares;
- 10 years from more than 250 to 400 hectares;
- 15 years above 400 hectares.
A new Article 11 bis allows this period to be suspended if the works stop for reasons beyond the developer's control, after the opinion of a committee. Authorisations still valid when the law was published benefit from the new periods (Article 5 of Law No. 34-21). The administration's silence is no longer governed by the former three-month period: the new Article 8 refers to the texts in force, in particular on the simplification of administrative procedures.
Works and acceptance: a coordinator and shorter deadlines
The developer appoints a site coordinator (coordonnateur de chantier, منسق الورش) responsible for monitoring the works; the law names the surveying engineer among the possible profiles (Article 17). The declaration of completion must be accompanied by a certificate signed by this coordinator, certifying that the works comply with the authorised documents (Article 22).
Provisional acceptance must take place within 30 days of the declaration of completion (Article 23, compared with 45 days previously). The report automatically transfers roads, networks and open spaces to the public domain of the municipality (Article 24). Lots still may not be sold, let or divided before this acceptance (Article 33).
Plot division: tacit authorisation after 30 days
To divide land into lots not intended for building in the zones covered by the law, the plot division authorisation is still issued by the president of the municipal council. New in Article 59: it is deemed granted if the president has not ruled within 30 days of the filing of the application.
Outside these zones, adouls, notaries and land registrars may receive or enter the deed only on presentation of a certificate establishing that the operation does not fall within the scope of the law. On our reading of the text, this certificate now requires the prior agreement of a committee bringing together, in particular, the urban planning agency, the municipality and the prefecture or province. This directly concerns divisions between heirs.
What to remember in practice
If you have a subdivision authorisation in progress, check its new expiry date according to the area. If you are buying a lot, ask for a copy of the provisional acceptance report. If you are dividing inherited land, first find out about the zone and the authorisation or certificate to be obtained. The guides Creating a subdivision after Law No. 34-21 and Inheriting land and dividing it detail these steps.
Official sources
- Official Bulletin No. 7533 of 10 August 2026 (general edition in Arabic): Dahir No. 1-26-61 of 28 July 2026 promulgating Law No. 34-21 — General Secretariat of the Government (Official Bulletin), 10 August 2026
- Law No. 34-21: copy of the pages of Official Bulletin No. 7533 — Rea Consult, accessed 29 October 2026
- Law No. 25-90 on subdivisions, housing groups and plot divisions (original 1992 text) — Ministry of Justice (adala.justice.gov.ma)
- Law 34-21 on subdivisions: comparative analysis (Official Bulletin No. 7533) (article in French) — Rea Consult
This guide provides general information, up to date as of the date shown. It does not replace the official texts or a professional review of your file. Ask us about your situation.