Proforma invoice and commercial invoice in Morocco: how to write them
An exporter in Morocco usually sends two documents for the same shipment. The proforma invoice comes first: it is an offer that lets the buyer pay an advance, open a bank file or prepare the import. The commercial invoice comes last: it is the real sale, the one the tax code governs and customs reads. Here is how to write both in 2026, with a worked export invoice you can rebuild above.
Proforma invoice or commercial invoice?
The two look alike but do different jobs:
- The proforma invoice is a priced offer. It lists the goods, prices, delivery terms and validity. Buyers use it to send an advance, banks and importers to open a file. It records no sale and does not replace the final invoice.
- The commercial invoice is issued when the goods are sold and shipped. It takes a number from your continuous series and carries the mentions of article 145-III of the General Tax Code (CGI), including the VAT line or the exemption.
The generator has no separate proforma type. Build it in "Quote" mode, which carries a validity date, and write "Proforma invoice" in the notes if the buyer's bank wants that word.
Export invoice: VAT exempt with right of deduction
Goods delivered and services rendered for export by VAT-registered businesses are exempt with right of deduction (article 92-I-1°). You charge no VAT, yet you recover the VAT paid on your purchases. The exemption covers the last sale made on Moroccan territory that directly achieves the export: the exporter's invoice to the buyer abroad, not the invoices of local suppliers upstream.
The exemption depends on proof. For goods, keep the transport documents, customs receipts and other papers that travel with the shipment. For services used abroad, keep the invoice in the foreign client's name and proof of payment in foreign currency. On the invoice itself, article 145-III-6° replaces the VAT amount with a statement of the exemption: set each line to "No VAT" and write "VAT exemption, export, article 92-I-1° of the CGI" in the notes.
Importers: VAT at customs, then on resale
When you import, VAT is due at customs clearance (article 121) and collected by customs like a duty (article 122). Your customs broker usually advances it with the duties; the customs broker invoice page explains how those amounts are billed.
Reselling imported goods as is does not take you out of VAT: sales by importing traders are subject to it (article 89-I-3°), whatever your turnover. Your invoices to Moroccan clients show VAT at the product's rate, usually the normal 20% (article 99-A).
Details buyers and customs expect
None of these comes from the CGI, but buyers, banks and forwarders usually look for them on a commercial invoice:
- Currency: export prices are often agreed in euros or dollars. The generator prints dirhams, so state the agreed currency amount and the exchange rate you used in the notes.
- Incoterm: the delivery term from the International Chamber of Commerce rules (EXW, FCA, FOB, CIF, DAP...) with the named place, for example "FOB Nador".
- Customs details: the HS tariff code of each product, the country of origin, net and gross weights, and the number and type of packages.
Put the origin in the line description and the rest in the notes. The road leg to the port is billed by the carrier; see the transport invoice page.
Worked example: an export invoice after a proforma
A workshop in Nador sells 20 handwoven rugs at 2,500 MAD and 300 ceramic tagines at 60 MAD to a shop in Belgium, plus 1,500 MAD for export packing on 4 pallets, FOB Nador. The proforma went out first in Quote mode, and the buyer paid an advance of 20,000 MAD on it. Once the goods ship, the commercial invoice repeats the same lines, all set to "No VAT": the exempt base is 69,500.00 MAD, the total is 69,500.00 MAD, the advance received is 20,000.00 MAD and the balance due is 49,500.00 MAD.
| Description | Qty | Unit | Unit price excl. VAT | VAT | Total excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handwoven wool rug, 2 x 3 m, origin Morocco | 20 | unit | 2,500.00 MAD | Exempt | 50,000.00 MAD |
| Ceramic tagine, 30 cm, origin Morocco | 300 | unit | 60.00 MAD | Exempt | 18,000.00 MAD |
| Export packing and palletising (4 pallets) | 1 | flat fee | 1,500.00 MAD | Exempt | 1,500.00 MAD |
| Total excl. VAT | 69,500.00 MAD | ||||
| VAT-exempt lines | 0.00 MAD | ||||
| Total incl. VAT | 69,500.00 MAD | ||||
| Deposit paid | 20,000.00 MAD | ||||
| Balance due | 49,500.00 MAD | ||||
Common mistakes
- Recording the proforma as a sale: it is an offer, and the turnover is the commercial invoice.
- Leaving the VAT column blank with no word of explanation: the invoice must state the exemption (article 145-III-6°).
- Treating imported goods resold as is like a small retailer's sales: importers charge VAT on resale (article 89-I-3°).
Importing a car for yourself rather than for trade? The car customs calculator estimates the duties and taxes.
Questions
Is a proforma invoice a real invoice?
No. It is a priced offer used for an advance payment or a bank or import file. The sale is recorded on the commercial invoice issued later.
Do I charge VAT on an export invoice in Morocco?
No, if you are VAT-registered: exports are exempt with right of deduction under article 92-I-1°. State the exemption on the invoice and keep the export proof.
Does an importer have to charge VAT when reselling?
Yes. Sales of imported goods as is by importing traders are subject to VAT (article 89-I-3°).