What is a negative certificate in Morocco in 2026?

The negative certificate (also called "availability certificate", attestation de disponibilité) is an official document issued by OMPIC certifying that:

1. No company is registered in the central commercial register under the company name, trade name or business sign you are requesting
2. No name so similar as to cause confusion appears in it
3. The name is reserved for you for 90 days, while the company is being registered

The negative certificate does not amount to a trademark prior-rights search (recherche d'antériorité): also check OMPIC's trademark database before making a final choice of name.

The negative certificate states:

1. The applicant's identity: name and identity document
2. The chosen company name: exactly as it must appear in the articles of association
3. The declared legal form and business activity
4. The date of issue, which starts the 90-day period of validity
5. The OMPIC references of the certificate, which make it possible to verify its authenticity

OMPIC, a public institution created by Law 13-99, keeps the central commercial register and issues the negative certificate. Under Article 74 of the Commercial Code (Law 15-95), this certificate is mandatory for:

• Entering any company name, trade name or business sign in the Commercial Register
• Registering any company (SARL, SARL AU, SAS, SA)

A sole trader (natural person) only needs one when trading under a trade name or business sign different from their surname; the auto-entrepreneur (self-employed status) is not concerned.

Law 88-17 allows the formation formalities to be completed electronically; the negative certificate remains one of the documents in the registration file.

💡 Important distinction: The negative certificate is a preliminary step; registration is the final recording of the name in the Commercial Register. The trademark (logo, slogan, sign used with customers) requires a separate trademark filing with OMPIC, protected for 10 years, renewable. To find out what the negative certificate does and does not protect against a trademark, see our dedicated comparison.

Before applying, make sure your name complies with Moroccan legal criteria (no reserved or misleading terms, or terms contrary to public order), is accompanied by the legal form (SARL, SARL AU, SAS, SA) and is distinctive and original. These rules for choosing your company name are detailed in our dedicated guide.

💡 Tip: First check OMPIC's public databases (company names and trademarks) free of charge on the OMPIC website, following our method to check that a company name is available before reserving it.

Available options:

A single application may include up to three names in order of preference; only one certificate is issued. With Charikaty, the application is filed online for you as part of your company formation, and the certificate is obtained in about 24 hours (indicative timeframe, depending on OMPIC).

The certificate is delivered to you in electronic form, downloadable from your online account.

To apply for a negative certificate, prepare:

• A copy of your identity document (CIN national identity card, passport or residence card)
• The application form: proposed name(s), legal form, business activity, city of the registered office
• Payment of the fees (bank card online)

No proof of address or draft articles of association is required. The application may be written in French or Arabic, without a certified translation; the company name is entered exactly as you wrote it. A Moroccan living abroad (MRE) or a non-resident can file the application from abroad.