How many days of annual leave in Morocco?
An adult employee earns 1.5 working days of paid leave per month of service, i.e. 18 working days for a full year (article 231 of the Labour Code). Under 18, the employee earns 2 days a month, i.e. 24 days a year.
Public holidays and weekly rest days falling during the leave are not counted. Entitlement accrues from the first month, but leave can be taken after 6 months of continuous service (article 231).
How many days of leave after 5, 10 or 15 years of seniority?
| Seniority | Seniority bonus | Annual entitlement |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 years | 0 | 18 days |
| 5 to 9 years | + 1.5 days | 19.5 days |
| 10 to 14 years | + 3 days | 21 days |
| 15 to 19 years | + 4.5 days | 22.5 days |
| 20 to 24 years | + 6 days | 24 days |
| 25 to 29 years | + 7.5 days | 25.5 days |
| 30 to 34 years | + 9 days | 27 days |
| 35 to 39 years | + 10.5 days | 28.5 days |
| 40 years and over | + 12 days | 30 days (cap) |
Under 5 years
- Seniority bonus
- 0
- Annual entitlement
- 18 days
5 to 9 years
- Seniority bonus
- + 1.5 days
- Annual entitlement
- 19.5 days
10 to 14 years
- Seniority bonus
- + 3 days
- Annual entitlement
- 21 days
15 to 19 years
- Seniority bonus
- + 4.5 days
- Annual entitlement
- 22.5 days
20 to 24 years
- Seniority bonus
- + 6 days
- Annual entitlement
- 24 days
25 to 29 years
- Seniority bonus
- + 7.5 days
- Annual entitlement
- 25.5 days
30 to 34 years
- Seniority bonus
- + 9 days
- Annual entitlement
- 27 days
35 to 39 years
- Seniority bonus
- + 10.5 days
- Annual entitlement
- 28.5 days
40 years and over
- Seniority bonus
- + 12 days
- Annual entitlement
- 30 days (cap)
Annual entitlement of an adult employee: 18 days, plus 1.5 days per full 5-year period (article 232), up to 30 days.
Why do people talk about 21 days of leave in Morocco?
21 days is the entitlement of an employee with 10 years of seniority: 18 base days and 3 seniority days. After 5 years, the entitlement is 19.5 days.
A more favourable collective agreement, contract or company practice applies. In TEMPO, each leave policy carries its own values.
Can annual leave be carried over or split?
Yes, within limits. By written agreement, leave can be carried over across two consecutive years at most, and split provided at least 12 continuous working days are kept (article 240).
Leave cannot be replaced by a payment while the contract lasts (article 242). When the contract ends, untaken leave is paid (articles 251 and 252): see the final settlement guide.
Do you need to keep a leave register?
Yes, the employer keeps a paid leave register (article 246 of the Labour Code), with each employee’s days earned, days taken and balance. In TEMPO, the year’s Leave register exports to Excel.
How does TEMPO calculate paid leave?
Balances are calculated automatically, with no manual entry.
Monthly accrual
Each month, 1.5 days (2 under 18) are credited, prorated for the month of hiring or leaving.
Automatic seniority
The 1.5-day bonus per 5-year period is credited on each hiring anniversary.
Holidays and rest days excluded
A request only counts working days.
Requests and approval
Employees request leave from their portal, and their manager approves it.
Example: what balance for an employee hired on 16 March?
- 1
Hiring month prorated
March counts 16 days of service out of 31: 1.5 × 16 / 31 = 0.77 days.
- 2
Full months
From April to December, 9 months × 1.5 = 13.5 days.
- 3
End of the first year
On 1 January, she has earned 14.27 days, minus any days already taken since September.
- 4
Fifth anniversary
Five years after hiring, 1.5 seniority days are added for the coming year.
Further reading
- Leave management Leave management in Morocco: entitlements under the Labour Code, public holidays excluded, approval workflows, leave register and online balance.
- Absence management Authorized or not, certificates, exit slips: TEMPO links absences to time and attendance, gets them approved and sends them to payroll.
- Public holidays in Morocco Public holidays in Morocco in 2026 and 2027: fixed national holidays, estimated religious holidays, working on a holiday and handling it in attendance.
- Final settlement Final settlement in Morocco: pay in lieu of leave, severance pay (96 to 240 hours per year), IR and CNSS exemptions, worked example.
Questions fréquentes
How many days of leave per year in Morocco?
18 working days for a full year: the employee earns 1.5 days per month of service (article 231 of the Labour Code). Under 18, the employee earns 2 days a month, i.e. 24 days. Seniority adds 1.5 days per 5-year period, and the total is capped at 30 working days a year (article 232).
How many days of leave after 5 years of seniority in Morocco?
19.5 working days a year for an adult employee: the 18 base days and 1.5 days for the first 5-year period (article 232). After 10 years, the entitlement rises to 21 days, after 15 years to 22.5 days, and so on up to the 30-day cap. A more favourable agreement applies if there is one.
Can leave be taken before 6 months in Morocco?
Leave entitlement accrues from the first month, but the Labour Code allows it to be taken after 6 months of continuous service (article 231). In TEMPO, the months served before that date are credited to the balance as soon as the employee reaches 6 months of seniority.
Are public holidays during leave counted?
No. Leave is counted in working days: public holidays and weekly rest days falling during the leave are not deducted from the balance. In TEMPO, a leave request automatically excludes public holidays from the calendar and rest days from the employee’s schedule.
Can untaken leave be paid instead of granted?
Not during the contract: article 242 of the Labour Code prohibits replacing leave with a payment. Leave can be carried over across two years at most by written agreement (article 240). When the contract ends, however, days earned and not taken are paid as pay in lieu (articles 251 and 252).
Sources
Textes officiels d'où viennent les chiffres de cette page. Les valeurs proposées par le logiciel restent modifiables.
- Moroccan Labour Code (loi n° 65-99), articles 231 and 232: leave accrual and seniority
- Moroccan Labour Code (loi n° 65-99), article 238: the 26-day or 191-hour month
- Moroccan Labour Code (loi n° 65-99), articles 240 and 242: carry-over, splitting, no payment during the contract
- Moroccan Labour Code (loi n° 65-99), articles 246 and 249 to 252: register, leave pay and pay on leaving