Morocco sets new approval rules for gas stations from August 31

Morocco will introduce standardized approval procedures for new gas stations on August 31, setting processing deadlines and encouraging developers to consider renewable electricity without making its use mandatory.

The Energy Transition Ministry announced the circular on August 13, saying it was intended to harmonize decisions by regional and provincial services and give investors greater clarity.

Applicants are invited to assess during the design stage whether renewable energy could cover some or all of a station’s electricity needs. Options include on-site generation, such as solar panels, or purchasing electricity from renewable sources under existing regulations.

Projects containing a renewable-energy study, generation equipment or a green-electricity contract will be reviewed jointly by the ministry departments responsible for hydrocarbons and renewable energy.

The circular encourages developers to examine those options but does not require them to install renewable generation or purchase green electricity.

Opening or operating a gas station will continue to require prior authorization. Applications should be submitted primarily through the ministry’s electronic platform.

Authorities must notify applicants within 15 days if a file is inadmissible or requires additional information. Developers then have 30 days to submit missing documents.

Once an application is complete, the ministry must issue its decision within 30 days.

The circular also standardizes how required distances between stations are measured without changing the existing thresholds.

Within urban areas, a new station must remain at least 500 meters from an existing station or filling center. The distance is measured by road between the midpoint of each site’s frontage, considering both directions of travel and retaining the shorter route.

Outside urban areas, projects must generally remain 20 kilometers from an establishment operating under the same brand. A separate two-kilometer requirement applies in relation to the nearest station within a group of roadside stations.