Morocco’s tax administration improves since 2018, IMF says, but challenges remain

A new assessment of Morocco’s tax administration conducted by the International Monetary Fund between Sept. 30 and Oct. 13, 2025, finds significant progress since the previous review in 2018, while highlighting structural weaknesses that continue to weigh on performance.

In a context of slower economic growth estimated at 3.2 percent in 2024, Morocco’s tax authority collected 343.7 billion dirhams, equivalent to 21.53 percent of GDP. Value added tax remains the main revenue source, accounting for 37 percent of collections, followed by corporate tax at 22 percent and personal income tax at 18 percent.

Of the 32 performance indicators examined by the IMF, 18 showed improvement compared with 2018.

The report points to major reforms undertaken by the General Directorate of Taxes, including the generalization of electronic filing and payment through the SIMPL platform, which now handles more than 90 percent of tax declarations.

Risk based audit systems and advanced data analysis tools have strengthened compliance efforts, while taxpayer services have expanded through online portals, mobile applications and call centers.

However, the IMF identifies persistent weaknesses, notably the poor quality of the taxpayer registry, partly due to delays in removing inactive taxpayers. Filing compliance rates also remain below international benchmarks.

In 2024, only 57.3 percent of corporate tax returns were filed on time overall, compared with 93.3 percent for large taxpayers. Timely filing rates for personal income tax and VAT stood at 62.2 percent and 64.7 percent, respectively.

The stock of tax arrears remains high, averaging nearly 59 percent of annual collections, with two thirds of arrears older than 12 months. VAT refunds are another concern, with fewer than 10 percent processed within 30 days, largely due to mandatory full audits.

According to the IMF, the assessment provides a foundation for updating Morocco’s 2024–2028 tax strategy and aligning future reforms with international best practices.