Sending Money from the US to Morocco: Bank, Cash Pickup and Rates
A practical guide that starts with how your family in Morocco receives the money, compares what actually arrives in dirhams, then covers your US rights and taxes.
Update log
- : Rewritten around how money is received in Morocco (RIB bank account, Wafacash/Cash Plus/Barid Cash pickup, wallets), with a dated provider comparison for $500, the current ±5% dirham band, the 1% US remittance tax, gift tax and structuring rules.
In short: Start with how your family in Morocco will receive the money: a bank account (using a 24-digit RIB), cash pickup at an agent such as Wafacash, Cash Plus or Barid Cash, or a mobile wallet. Then compare the dirhams that actually arrive, not just the fee. In quotes we checked on October 29, 2026 for a $500 transfer, the gap between the highest and lowest amount received was about 700 dirhams. On the US side, a 1% federal tax applies if you fund the transfer with cash or a money order, but not if you pay from a bank account or with a US-issued card.
Enter the fee and rate from each app to see what your family actually receives versus today's market rate.
How does money arrive in Morocco?
Most problems happen at the receiving end, so pick the payout method first, then a provider that supports it.
| Payout method | What the recipient needs | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deposit to a Moroccan bank account | Full name and the 24-digit RIB | Large or regular amounts, rent or installments, tuition | A wrong digit or name delays the transfer; some banks charge a receiving fee |
| Cash pickup at an agent | Valid ID and the transfer reference | Recipients with no account or who need cash today | The name on the transfer must match the ID exactly |
| Mobile wallet | An active wallet on a Moroccan phone number | Small recurring amounts | Not every provider supports it; the wallet provider sets limits |
Bank accounts and the RIB
Moroccan account numbers are given as a RIB (relevé d'identité bancaire), 24 digits made up of a bank code, a city or branch code, the account number and a two-digit check key. Ask your family for a photo of the printed RIB statement.
Wise's Morocco page notes that some Moroccan banks, including Al Barid Bank and Attijariwafa Bank, may charge a receiving fee of up to 20 dirhams. If you send small amounts often, ask the recipient's bank.
If you are Moroccan yourself, Morocco's Office des Changes allows Moroccans living abroad to open a foreign-currency or convertible-dirham account at a Moroccan bank. You don't need one to send family a monthly allowance.
Cash pickup: Wafacash, Cash Plus, Barid Cash
Cash pickup is still the most common option. The Morocco pages of MoneyGram, Remitly and Xoom list pickup networks such as Wafacash, Cash Plus and Banque Populaire, and MoneyGram also lists Barid Cash, Al Barid Bank and Damane Cash.
The recipient needs a valid ID, usually the electronic national ID card (CNIE), or a passport or residence card for non-Moroccans, plus the transfer reference you receive. That is what Wafacash asks for on its own site for international transfers. Networks change, so check the provider's location finder, especially for rural areas.
Mobile wallets
Some providers pay out to Moroccan wallets: Remitly and Ria list Orange Money, and Western Union offers deposits to an "eligible mobile wallet" linked to the recipient's phone number. Check that your family's wallet appears as a payout option first.
How much actually arrives? A dated comparison
On October 29, 2026 we checked providers' public pages and calculators as a new visitor, for a $500 transfer funded from a US bank account. These are point-in-time quotes that can change after you log in or with promotions. The mid-market rate that day was about 9.83 dirhams per dollar, per Wise's calculator.
| Provider | Payout options in Morocco | Fee on $500 from a bank account | Approx. dirhams received | Rate shown before you pay? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remitly | Bank, cash pickup, wallet | $0 bank or wallet; $3.99 cash pickup | 4,850 | Yes |
| Western Union | Bank, cash pickup, wallet | $0.99 bank; $0 wallet; $4.99 cash pickup | 4,842 bank; 4,849 wallet; 4,147 cash | Yes |
| Wise | Bank account only | About $14 all-in | 4,775 | Yes, mid-market rate plus a separate fee |
| MoneyGram | Bank, cash pickup | Only a first-transfer promo was shown; check the regular price when you send | Yes, per its page | |
| Xoom | Bank, cash pickup | No live quote readable; check the rate when you send using our calculator | Yes, per its page | |
| Ria | Bank, cash pickup, wallet | Only a first-transfer promo was shown; check the regular price when you send | Yes | |
Checked October 29, 2026. Two things stand out: bank and wallet payouts landed close together, while cash pickup at one provider delivered about 700 dirhams less on the same amount. And Wise charged the highest fee but used the mid-market rate, so the fee column alone tells you little. Names are shown for illustration only, with no endorsement or affiliate links.
- Fix the dollar amount you'll pay, fees included.
- Get a dirham quote from three providers for the same payout method.
- Compare the final figure your family receives, using our money transfer calculator to see the gap from the market rate.
Why does the dirham move? Bank Al-Maghrib's band
The dirham is neither pegged to the dollar alone nor freely floating. Bank Al-Maghrib sets a daily central rate from a basket of 60% euro and 40% US dollar, and the rate may move up to 5% either side of it, a band in place since March 9, 2020, after a first phase in January 2018 set it at 2.5%.
Because the euro dominates the basket, the dollar-euro rate also moves your dirhams. Bank Al-Maghrib plans to move toward inflation targeting, and press reports differ on when the band might widen again, so check the rate on the day you send.
How long does it take?
Xoom says cash pickup in Morocco is typically available in minutes and bank deposits typically arrive within two business days. Remitly and MoneyGram show an estimated delivery time before you pay. Morocco is several hours ahead of the US East Coast, so an evening transfer may be paid out the next morning.
Your rights as a US sender
The CFPB explains that federal remittance rules cover electronic transfers of more than $15 from providers that handle more than 500 transfers a year:
- Disclosures before and after you pay: fees, taxes, exchange rate and the amount expected to arrive in dirhams.
- Sometimes in Arabic: if the provider markets in Arabic where you send, you can get disclosures in Arabic.
- 30 minutes to cancel for free, unless the money was already picked up or deposited.
- 180 days to report an error from the promised availability date; the provider generally must investigate within 90 days.
If money doesn't arrive, keep the receipt, contact the provider in writing, and you can complain to the CFPB.
Do you owe tax on money sent to family?
The 1% remittance tax since January 1, 2026
According to the IRS, since January 1, 2026 a 1% tax applies to transfers abroad when you give the provider cash, a money order, a cashier's check or a similar paper instrument. The law exempts transfers funded from an account at a financial institution or with a US-issued debit or credit card. Sending $500 in cash adds about $5; from your bank account, nothing. Detailed regulations are still proposed (April 2026), so some details may change.
Gift tax and large amounts
Money you send family is a gift under US law. The 2026 annual exclusion is $19,000 per recipient. Above that for one person in a year, you generally file Form 709, which usually means no tax is due. Sending your mother $500 a month is $6,000 a year, so no report.
Banks report cash transactions over $10,000 in a day as routine. Deliberately splitting cash to avoid that report is "structuring," a federal crime according to FinCEN even if the money is clean. For large sums such as an apartment payment, send from your account and keep proof of where the money came from. If you hold an account in your own name in Morocco, see our FBAR guide, and for the basics our US taxes guide.
Scams and unregistered brokers
- FinCEN requires anyone transmitting money as a business, hawala included, to register. With an unregistered broker you lose your cancellation and error rights.
- Be wary of a "relative" with a new number asking for urgent money, or anyone asking for gift cards or crypto. Call your relative on their old number first.
Common mistakes
- Name spelling: Moroccan names have several Latin spellings; copy the name exactly as on the national ID.
- Comparing fees only and ignoring the exchange-rate gap, which can be larger than the fee.
- Defaulting to cash pickup without comparing bank or wallet payouts.
- Paying in cash and owing 1% you could avoid; see our guide to opening a US bank account.
- An incomplete RIB: ask for the printed statement.
What's next?
Agree on one payout method with your family, get a photo of the name as it appears on the ID and the RIB if they have an account, then compare three dirham quotes before each large transfer. See also our guide to sending money from the USA. If your family needs US documents for an official matter, Morocco is a party to the Apostille Convention; see our apostille guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does my family need to collect cash in Morocco?
A valid ID, usually the electronic national ID card (CNIE), or a passport or residence card for non-Moroccans, plus the transfer reference. The name on the transfer must match the ID exactly.
What is a RIB?
It is the Moroccan bank account number: 24 digits covering the bank code, city or branch code, account number and a two-digit check key. Ask your family for a photo of the printed statement.
Is the dirham pegged to the dollar?
No. Bank Al-Maghrib sets a central rate from a basket of 60% euro and 40% dollar, and the rate may move 5% either side since March 2020, so check the rate on the day you send.
Do I pay US tax on sending money to Morocco?
You pay the 1% remittance tax only if you fund the transfer with cash, a money order or a cashier’s check. Transfers from a bank account or with a US-issued card are exempt.
How long do I have to cancel a transfer?
30 minutes after paying, free of charge, unless the money was already picked up or deposited. You also have 180 days from the promised availability date to report an error, per the CFPB.
Official sources we reviewed
- Bank Al-Maghrib — Reform of the exchange rate regime ↗
- Bank Al-Maghrib — Calcul du cours central et des cours limites de la bande de fluctuation ↗
- Office des Changes — Ouverture de comptes en devises et/ou en dirhams convertibles (MRE) ↗
- Wafacash — Receiving an international transfer ↗
- CFPB — What are my rights when I send money internationally? ↗
- IRS — Treasury, IRS issue proposed regulations on the new remittance transfer tax (IR-2026-48, 10 April 2026) ↗
- Federal Register (govinfo) — Excise Tax on Remittance Transfers, proposed rule, 13 April 2026 ↗
- IRS — Frequently asked questions on gift taxes ↗
- FinCEN — Notice to Customers: A CTR Reference Guide (structuring) ↗
- FinCEN — Money Services Business (MSB) Registration ↗