Tangier Driver Guide
Driving in Tangier is easy once you know the local rules. This guide covers speed limits and radars, police checkpoints, parking, fuel, airport pickup and night driving, everything a visitor needs behind the wheel in northern Morocco.
Speed limits and radars
Urban areas: 50 km/h. National roads: 100 km/h. Highways (A1/A5): 120 km/h. Fixed radars are common on the N1 airport road, the Rocade expressway and the A5 toward Asilah, fines start around 300 MAD and are payable on the spot with a receipt.
Waze and Google Maps flag most fixed cameras. Keep to the limit downhill into the city: the descent from the airport toward Boukhalef is the most ticketed stretch in Tangier.
Police checkpoints and documents
Expect occasional checkpoints at city entrances and on the N2 toward Tetouan. Keep your driving licence, passport copy and the rental contract in the glovebox, officers almost always wave tourists through after a quick document check.
Your national licence is valid if held for at least 2 years; an international driving permit is recommended for non-Latin licences. Minimum driver age with L&M CAR is 21.
Parking in Tangier
Street parking downtown uses meters or blue-zone attendants (2–5 MAD/hour). For the medina and kasbah, park in guarded lots at the port or Marshan (10–20 MAD/day) and walk up, the old town streets are too narrow for cars.
At hotels and riads, ask about private parking before arrival. Never leave luggage visible, and always lock the fuel cap in unsupervised areas.
Fuel stations and prices
Afriquia, Shell, TotalEnergies and Petrom cover the city and highways; most accept cards. Diesel (~11 MAD/l) suits long loops to Chefchaouen; petrol (~13 MAD/l) for city cars. L&M CAR cars leave with a full tank, return it full or a refuelling fee applies.
Fill up before leaving Tangier for the Rif mountains: stations thin out past Tetouan on the N2.
Airport pickup at TNG
With L&M CAR there is no shuttle and no counter queue: we meet you inside Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport (TNG) terminal with the car ready, 24/7, with flight tracking for delays. The drive to the center is 12.7 km, about 30 minutes via Avenue Moulay Rachid.
Inspect the car together, sign the contract, and you are on the road. Returns work the same way, we meet you back at departures.
Night driving and emergencies
City driving at night is fine; mountain roads (N2, N16) deserve daylight and full fuel. Save 19 (police), 177 (gendarmerie) and 150 (ambulance). L&M CAR includes 24/7 roadside assistance and a WhatsApp line answered day and night.
Is my driving licence valid in Tangier?⌄
Yes if held for at least 2 years. Non-Latin licences should carry an international driving permit. Minimum age 21.
Are there speed cameras in Tangier?⌄
Yes, fixed radars on the N1 airport road, the Rocade and the A5. Fines from ~300 MAD, payable on the spot with receipt.
Where do I park for the medina?⌄
Use guarded lots at the port or Marshan (10–20 MAD/day) and walk up; the kasbah lanes are not car-friendly.
What fuel should I use?⌄
Diesel for long mountain loops, petrol for city cars. Cars leave full and must return full.