Comprehensive guide detailing the official regulations, eligibility criteria, naming rules, domain lifecycle, and legal obligations established by the ANRT in Morocco.
The management and allocation of Moroccan top-level domain names (.ma and its variants) are regulated by the Agence Nationale de Réglementation des Télécommunications (ANRT) under the official Naming Charter and Moroccan Telecommunications Law 24-96. All registrars, registrants, and domain holders are legally bound by these terms.
Standardized criteria for selecting valid Moroccan domain strings.
A .ma domain name is the digital identity of Morocco on the global internet. To register a domain, the proposed string must strictly adhere to the technical and syntax rules defined by the registry:
Between 2 and 63 characters (excluding the extension string).
Standard alphanumeric characters: letters a-z (case-insensitive), digits 0-9, and hyphens -.
Cannot begin or end with a hyphen (e.g. -example.ma is prohibited).
Internationalized Domain Names in Arabic script (المغرب.) are supported under ANRT protocols.
Moroccan domains can be registered directly under .ma or specialized second-level extensions depending on entity type:
| Extension | Classification | Eligible Audience | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
.ma | Standard | Open to all individuals, businesses, and organizations worldwide | Most Popular |
.co.ma | Commercial | Commercial entities, corporations, and registered merchants in Morocco | Business |
.net.ma | Network | Internet service providers, telecommunications, and network infrastructure | Infrastructure |
.org.ma | Non-Profit | Non-governmental organizations, recognized associations, and foundations | NGO |
.gov.ma | Government | Exclusively reserved for Moroccan ministries and public administrative bodies | Restricted |
.ac.ma | Academic | Universities, academic research centers, and public/private higher education institutes | Education |
.press.ma | Press | Accredited newspapers, broadcast media, and official journalism outlets | Media |
Guidelines on who can register and what proof of identity is needed.
The .ma extension is open to both local and international registrants. To ensure accountability, fight cybersquatting, and uphold national internet hygiene, the ANRT enforces mandatory identity verification:
.ma.Terms reserved by public statute or prohibited by Moroccan naming regulations.
In accordance with Article 14 of the ANRT Naming Decision, certain categories of domain names cannot be registered freely on a first-come, first-served basis:
Names that contravene public order, morality, religious sanctity, or that incite racial discrimination, hatred, or illicit commerce are strictly banned.
Names of Moroccan cities, provinces, regions, national symbols, and historic monuments are reserved for designated public bodies unless exceptional clearance is granted.
Terms designating public services, ministries, royal institutions, and military branches (e.g. police.ma, ministere.ma) are strictly protected.
Registering trademarks without legitimate authorization or proof of ownership constitutes an infringement and exposes the domain to immediate dispute proceedings.
Commitments made by the registrant upon securing a Moroccan domain name.
The registrant (Domain Holder) is the sole legal custodian of the registered .ma domain. By completing registration, you formally commit to the following ongoing responsibilities:
You must provide accurate, complete, and verifiable information regarding your legal identity, physical address, phone number, and administrative contact email.
Any modification to administrative, technical, or billing contacts must be applied through your client dashboard within 15 days of the change.
The domain must not be utilized for malicious activity including phishing, malware distribution, botnet hosting, abusive spamming, or intellectual property squatting.
You must maintain at least two functioning authoritative nameservers permanently responding for the domain to preserve DNS routing integrity across Moroccan and global networks.
Understanding the full lifespan of a .ma domain name from creation to release.
.ma domain registrations run on annual cycles ranging from 1 to 5 years. To prevent unintentional loss of ownership, the ANRT establishes a defined lifecycle:
Domain resolves properly on the internet. All website, email, and DNS services function smoothly.
If not renewed prior to expiry, DNS delegation ceases immediately. Websites and corporate email stop operating.
The existing holder can renew the domain at standard cost (150 DH) with instant reactivation. No third party can register it.
Domain is placed on registry hold. Restoration requires standard renewal plus the statutory registry redemption fee.
The domain is deleted and returned to the public domain pool. It becomes openly available for anyone to register.
Registered domain holders receive automated email notifications at key milestones prior to expiration:
Procedures for moving registrars or assigning legal ownership rights.
The ANRT naming policy guarantees full portability for domain holders. You maintain sovereign ownership and can transfer your domain at any time under standard rules:
Transferring your domain from another provider to us:
Assigning legal rights of the domain to another person or enterprise:
Circumstances under which a domain can be locked or revoked.
The registry or accredited registrar may place a domain on serverHold (suspended) or revoke registration under specific regulatory triggers:
Failure to submit valid identification documents (CIN/Passport/RC) following repeated official compliance requests.
Receipt of an enforceable court ruling or formal administrative injunction issued by a competent Moroccan judicial authority.
Non-payment of mandatory initial registration, renewal, or redemption fees within prescribed regulatory windows.
Active participation in phishing, ransomware propagation, cyber fraud, or malicious network attacks reported by maCERT.
serverHold status due to missing documents, visit our Domain Suspension Checker to verify the cause and submit documentation immediately.How your information is protected and displayed in the public registry.
The collection and processing of personal data related to .ma registrations are strictly governed by Moroccan Law No. 09-08 relating to the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data, overseen by the CNDP:
To prevent identity harvesting and unsolicited marketing, personal contact details (home address, personal phone number, personal email) are masked in public WHOIS queries.
Company names, ICE numbers, official corporate addresses, and technical contact details remain public in WHOIS to ensure commercial transparency and consumer trust.
The legal arbitration framework for trademark conflicts and cybersquatting.
Conflicts involving conflicting intellectual property rights and .ma domain names are adjudicated through the Procédure Alternative de Résolution des Litiges (PARS) established by ANRT in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO / OMPI) Arbitration and Mediation Center.
For a complainant to succeed in obtaining the transfer or revocation of a disputed .ma domain, they must demonstrate all three elements:
The domain name is identical or deceptively similar to a trademark or protected sign recognized in Morocco.
The current domain holder has no legitimate rights, prior commercial interest, or bona fide offering associated with the name.
The domain was registered primarily to resell at extortionate pricing, disrupt a competitor, or deceive consumers.
Direct answers to common questions regarding Moroccan domain conditions.
Yes. Non-resident individuals can register a .ma domain by providing a valid Foreign Passport copy during the identity verification step. No Moroccan physical address is required.
If not renewed prior to expiry, your domain enters a 30-day Grace Period during which it can be renewed without penalty. If still unpaid, it enters a 30-day Redemption Period before being permanently purged and made available to the public.
Identity verification usually completes within 24 to 48 business hours. Domains are provisioned upon registration and remain fully functional during documentation review.
Yes. You can request your EPP Auth-Code at any time from your client area. Transfers add 1 additional renewal year and take 24–48 hours to finalize upon authorization confirmation.
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