AMMPS cosmetic product registration in Morocco: 2026 guide

Since AMMPS took over the process in 2024, cosmetic product registration through the agency has been essential for brands selling legally in Morocco. The procedure has three stages: establishment declaration, submission of the safety sheet to Morocco’s Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Center (CAPM), then product registration, now exclusively online through TARKHISS. This guide explains each step using official texts, with references, required documents and pitfalls we encounter at the lab.

For context, Morocco imported 5,08 billion dirhams worth of cosmetics in 2025, according to our study of cosmetics imports into Morocco.

Key takeaways

• Three steps in sequence: declare the establishment to AMMPS, submit the safety sheet and formula to CAPM (acknowledgment of receipt with CAPM code), then apply for the product registration certificate.
• The reference text is Circular no. 771 D/DMP/18 of October 25, 2023 on registration procedures for cosmetic and personal care products (PCHC). It replaces Circular no. 79 DMP/00 of December 29, 2016.
• Since March 31, 2026, all PCHC applications must go through TARKHISS, with electronic payment. Paper submissions are no longer accepted.
• The registration certificate is valid for five years. Apply for renewal at least 90 days before expiry; AMMPS recommends preparing six months in advance.
• The substance lists (prohibited, restricted, colorants, preservatives and UV filters) are those in Annexes II to VI of Regulation (EC) no. 1223/2009, updated as amendments take effect.
• Local manufacturing must follow GMP or ISO 22716; retain the product’s technical documentation for ten years after the last batch.

Who does what: AMMPS, CAPM, ANRAC and OMPIC

Until 2024, the Ministry of Health’s Directorate of Medicines and Pharmacy (DMP) reviewed cosmetic applications. Law no. 10-22, promulgated by Dahir no. 1-23-54 of July 12, 2023, established the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AMMPS). Article 26 states that any reference to DMP in existing regulations ‘shall be deemed a reference to the Agency’: cosmetic circulars still naming DMP therefore apply to AMMPS. Order no. 683-25 of October 27, 2025 subsequently placed ‘personal care and cosmetic products’ first on the list of other health products under the agency’s remit.

Carmel Cosmetics Labs has experience with these authorities: the lab obtained AMMPS status as a medical device manufacturer, exporter and distributor, as well as authorization to manufacture and export cannabis-based products.

The legal framework: laws, decrees and circulars

An important point when interpreting the procedure: Morocco currently has no law or decree specifically dedicated to cosmetics. The circulars themselves establish the procedure ‘pending specific regulations for this field’. The system therefore relies on successive ministerial circulars, supported by the medicines code for the boundary between cosmetics and medicines, and a 2003 decree for fees.

This circular-based system has a practical consequence: AMMPS forms, checklists and notices guide day-to-day procedures. The current checklists are dated January 30, 2025 and, for establishment declarations, May 11, 2026. We cite them throughout this guide.

Step 0: establish your product classification and status

Before submitting, three questions determine the next steps.

Is it actually a cosmetic?

Circular 771 adopts the European definition: any substance or mixture intended for contact with the external parts of the human body, teeth or oral mucosa to clean, perfume, protect, keep them in good condition, change their appearance or correct body odors. A therapeutic claim can move a product into the medicines category (Law 17-04, Article 2-10°), requiring an entirely different procedure. Even its name must not be confused with a medicine or disease. Our advice on cosmetic claims applies here too.

Which category and range?

Annex E classifies PCHC into 15 categories (skin products, nail products, perfumes, hair care, hair dyes, deodorants, shaving, hair removal, makeup, styling, dental care, bath additives, skin disinfectants, natural products and others). A ‘range’ groups products in the same category under one brand; a ‘product reference’ identifies a specific shade, scent or pack size. Registration is by product reference, but one product information form can cover all references in a range. A kit whose components are not sold separately is registered as one reference.

What is the product’s status?

The checklists distinguish four statuses, which determine the required documents: ImF (imported finished product), ImV (imported in bulk and filled in Morocco), FL (locally manufactured) and FE (contract-manufactured abroad for a Moroccan brand). A brand using a cosmetics manufacturer in Morocco falls under FL.

Step 1: declare the establishment to AMMPS

Article 2 of Circular 771 is explicit: every PCHC manufacturing, importing or exporting establishment must be declared ‘before registering its products’. The AMMPS notice of May 22, 2026 adds that ‘no registration certificate will be issued unless the applicant establishment first provides its valid declaration’, and establishments with submission acknowledgments predating January 2025 must resubmit their declaration through TARKHISS.

Who is covered?

• Companies (SA, SARL, SARL AU, SAS) that manufacture, commission contract manufacturing, import or export finished products, bulk products or raw materials.
• Manufacturing and export cooperatives. The checklist states that ‘import activities are not provided for cooperatives’.
• Establishments importing raw materials for cosmetic manufacturing.

Documents for the establishment declaration

According to the AMMPS checklist DE RD-IS-PS/06 of May 11, 2026 and the declaration form:

1. The declaration form, completed, signed and stamped by the legal representative: identification (ICE, manufacturing and storage sites), activities, staff and equipment, declaration purpose (initial, change or cessation), product categories and the person responsible for cosmetovigilance.
2. Signed and stamped architectural plan. The checklist warns that ‘basements do not provide appropriate conditions’ for these activities.
3. Staff list with surname, first name, function and position.
4. For companies: court-approved articles of association covering declared activities, commercial register certificate (updated form 7) and the decision appointing the legal representative. Circular 771 also requests the ICE and, where applicable, a CNSS affiliation certificate.
5. For cooperatives: articles of association, court filing or local register certificate, latest general meeting minutes, creation order or name-approval certificate.
6. For subcontracting: a note specifying outsourced operations and the receiving establishment, plus the subcontracting agreement or specifications.
7. ANRAC authorization for products containing cannabis extracts.
8. Sworn declaration confirming document authenticity.

Watch points

• Any change to declared details (registered office, sites, activities or cosmetovigilance contact) requires a new declaration within one month (Circular 771, Article 2), accompanied by the latest declaration and evidence of the change.
• The circular requires manufacturing, importing, quality control, safety assessment and stockholding to be ‘under the responsibility of qualified personnel’. Include these functions in the organization chart before submitting.
• Submit through TARKHISS, using an account created in the establishment representative’s name.

Already-declared establishments: requirements under the May 22, 2026 notice

Many companies declared under DMP assume they remain compliant. The AMMPS information notice of May 22, 2026 changes the requirements according to your declaration date:

The notice concludes: ‘no registration certificate will be issued unless the applicant establishment first provides its valid declaration’. Check your declaration’s validity before starting any product application.

Step 2: submit the safety sheet to the Poison Control Center

Project owners often overlook this step, even though it precedes registration: CAPM’s acknowledgment of receipt is document no. 8 on the registration checklist. The confidential formula submission enables CAPM to respond in the event of poisoning or adverse effects.

What you submit

According to the CAPM submission procedure and safety sheet (Annex D of Circular 771):

• One safety sheet per product: name, Moroccan company (manufacturer, filler or importer), status, category and use, shelf life, sensory characteristics, photos of presentations and pack sizes, plus the ‘designated qualified person assessing safety for human health’ and their direct contact details.
• Product toxicological data or a dated, signed and stamped analysis report.
• The qualitative and quantitative formula (FQQ), on a separate USB drive to protect confidentiality.
• An Excel list of submitted products and a prefilled acknowledgment of receipt for each product.

Files are PDFs named ‘Société_Produit_FS’, ‘Société_Produit_DT’ and ‘Société_Produit_FQQ’, on two USB drives (one for safety sheets and toxicological data, one for formulas) in sealed envelopes. Submit at CAPM, rue Lamfedel Cherkaoui, Rabat-Instituts, on Monday, Wednesday or Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more than five products, acknowledgments are collected one week later.

What the acknowledgment of receipt means

The acknowledgment template assigns a ‘CAPM code’ and states that it ‘is in no way a registration certificate or proof of product safety’. It does allow this useful packaging statement: ‘In the event of poisoning or adverse effects, call the Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Center, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on 0801000180 or 0537686464.’ Adverse effects reported to your company must then be submitted to the national pharmacovigilance center using the yellow notification form.

Two points to note. Any later formula change requires a notification letter to CAPM, and its submission acknowledgment is required to update the certificate. Pharmacovigilance and health-product monitoring are also being transferred to AMMPS, which already publishes its own adverse-effect notification form. The January 30, 2025 registration checklist and Circular 771 still require submission ‘to the Poison Control Center’: confirm the responsible office when submitting.

Step 3: assemble the product registration file

Article 3 of Circular 771 and registration checklist DE RD CM/01 require administrative documentation, technical documentation and an electronic version. The table below lists the administrative documents by product status.

Also required are an electronic version generated by AMMPS’s ‘automated module’ and the receipt for payment of the service fee.

Technical documentation: Morocco’s counterpart to the PIF

The circular lists the technical documentation: qualitative and quantitative formula; physicochemical and microbiological specifications for raw materials and finished product; raw-material safety datasheets; manufacturing method with flowchart and in-process controls; GMP compliance declaration; finished-product test methods; stability studies and protocol supporting shelf life; packaging description; human-health safety assessment certificate; evidence of the claimed effect where the product’s nature requires it; and the manufacturer’s analysis report.

If the technical file is not submitted, the establishment supplies the legalized sworn declaration (document 14) and commits to archiving it for at least ten years after manufacture of the last batch. AMMPS may request it at any time. In practice, it substantially overlaps with the European Product Information File: a brand preparing its cosmetic PIF for Europe already has much of the necessary material.

GMP and ISO 22716

The checklist is explicit: ‘every establishment with local manufacturing status must comply with GMP or the international cosmetics standard ISO 22716’. For imported bulk filled in Morocco, the manufacturer’s ISO 22716 GMP certificate is required. Your contract manufacturer therefore affects application admissibility: see our guide to ISO 22716 certification in Morocco and Carmel’s certifications.

Step 4: submit through TARKHISS, pay and respond to document requests

Since March 31, 2026, TARKHISS is the standard channel for PCHC: establishment declarations, product registration, free sale certificates for locally manufactured cosmetic exports and raw-material import authorizations. The March 31, 2026 notice sets these rules:

• An account in the establishment representative’s name, accessible Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• ‘No physical, postal or electronic submission is admissible’ outside the platform.
• Regulatory fees must be paid electronically before processing begins. The published rate remains that in Joint Order no. 783-06: 500 dirhams for a PCHC registration certificate.
• Incomplete applications are rejected with a reason. After a supplementary-document request, you have one month to submit the documents and three months in total to complete the file. Otherwise, it is rejected and a new application is required.
• Paper applications submitted in 2024, 2025 and 2026 must be retrieved and resubmitted through TARKHISS, without another payment if evidence of payment is provided.
• Temporary submission certificates (ATD) continue to be issued until December 31, 2026, on a reasoned request and subject to online submission.
• Support: guides, tutorials and toll-free number 08 00 00 80 19.

The texts set no application review deadline. AMMPS recommends starting procedures six months before a registration certificate expires and three months before an ATD expires.

Exception: product sets follow a transitional procedure

Cosmetic and personal care sets are not submitted through TARKHISS. The AMMPS information notice of August 17, 2026 establishes a transitional procedure ‘separate from the TARKHISS digital platform process’, exclusively for registration applications for sets:

1. download and install AMMPS’s automated application tool and generate the electronic set registration application;
2. email the generated application to [email protected];
3. pay the service fee ‘using the previously applied method’, by deposit slip, then confirm payment through the designated validation form.

All other products remain on TARKHISS. If your range includes individual products and holiday gift sets, plan for two submission channels and payment methods.

Step 5: maintaining your registration certificate

Content and validity

The registration certificate (Annex A) covers one or more product references in the same range. It lists the Moroccan-law certificate holder, commissioning company, manufacturer and sites, trade name and presentation, qualitative formula, category, storage conditions, period after opening, packaging, issue and expiry dates, and application number. It is valid for five years, renewable.

Five-year renewal

Submit at least 90 days before expiry (Circular 771, Article 8). The application repeats the administrative documents, supplemented by a sworn declaration that the product has not changed and a copy of the current certificate.

Updates for major variations

Major variations (Article 1 and checklist DE RD CM/03) include changes to trade name, commissioning company, manufacturer, composition, primary or secondary packaging, mandatory label wording, shelf life or period after opening. The file includes a letter explaining the variation, product information form, valid certificate, acknowledgment of the CAPM notification letter for formula changes, before-and-after photographs and artwork, and, for imports, an updated free sale certificate. The updated certificate covers the remaining validity period. Minor labeling changes require only a notification letter.

Transfer of certificate ownership

A change of certificate holder requires authorization (checklist DE RD CM/07): valid certificate, manufacturer consent, current holder consent, manufacturer declaration that the product is unchanged, list of transferred products and, for cannabis-based products, ANRAC authorization for the new holder.

Suspension and withdrawal

A certificate is withdrawn at the holder’s request or for a quality, safety or efficacy defect (Article 9). The minister may also suspend it temporarily; the holder then has 60 days to rectify the situation, ‘failing which withdrawal takes effect automatically’ (Article 13). AMMPS uses these powers: in July 2026, it suspended a gingival paste’s certificate and recalled all batches, and banned TPO-containing nail polishes and gels following the European ban.

Labeling requirements in Morocco

Article 10 of Circular 771 requires nine items on the container and packaging, ‘in indelible, clearly visible lettering’, available ‘in Arabic and/or French’:

1. product name, with no possible confusion with a medicine or disease;
2. name or company name and address of the manufacturer or party responsible for placing the product on the market;
3. country of origin;
4. nominal content by weight or volume, except packs below 5 g or 5 ml, free samples and single doses;
5. minimum durability date, ‘Best used before the end of…’ or the hourglass symbol;
6. for products lasting more than thirty months, the period after opening (open-jar symbol with duration in months or years);
7. specific precautions for use, on an accompanying leaflet or label if space is insufficient;
8. batch number;
9. ingredient list in descending weight order, preceded by the word ‘ingredients’.

The submitted artwork must represent the final retail product: the checklist states that ‘no modification may be made without prior administrative approval’. Cannabis cosmetics carry additional wording (ANRAC authorization number, name and amount of the raw material used, ‘cannabis product’ wording or logo, and space for the future registration number). For consistency across export markets, see our three essentials of cosmetic labeling.

After registration: vigilance, raw materials and exports

Cosmetovigilance

The cosmetovigilance contact named in the establishment form liaises with the authorities. The December 9, 2019 toxicovigilance circular includes cosmetics among products whose poisoning incidents must be reported to CAPM, immediately for serious cases and monthly for others. Adverse effects are reported through CAPM’s yellow form or AMMPS’s cosmetovigilance form.

Raw-material imports

Raw materials used in formulas require an import authorization (AIMP) valid for twelve months (Article 11; checklist DE RD CM/06): company declaration copy, sworn statement of exclusively cosmetic use, technical datasheets, conformity or sanitary certificate, analysis report and list of materials with scientific name, trade name, supplier and country of origin. Apply through TARKHISS.

Free sale certificate for exports

AMMPS issues a free sale certificate for registered PCHC manufactured in Morocco. The request specifies export countries and includes the registration certificate copy, a commitment that the file has not changed and, for cannabis, ANRAC export authorization (Article 12). Customs authorities and overseas distributors request this document; it complements each market’s own requirements, such as those in our guide to exporting cosmetics from Morocco to Europe.

Special cases: white label, cooperatives and cannabis

White label and contract manufacturing

In a white label cosmetics project, two establishments are involved: the brand, a Moroccan-law company applying for and holding the certificate, and the contract manufacturer, a declared establishment following GMP or ISO 22716. The registration file includes the manufacturing contract, the brand’s OMPIC certificate and the manufacturer’s GMP certificate. The brand’s establishment declaration lists ‘manufacturing through subcontracting’, with details of outsourced operations. The lab generally assembles the technical documentation because it holds the formula, specifications and stability studies. This is what our formulation lab does for the brands it supports.

Cooperatives

Manufacturing and export cooperatives, common in argan oil, black soap (beldi) and rose water, follow the same declaration-then-registration process, with documents adapted to their status (creation order, court filing and general meeting minutes). They cannot declare import activities.

Cannabis-derived cosmetics

These must meet both Law 13-21 and Circular 771 requirements: ANRAC authorization at establishment declaration, no therapeutic claims, finished product with no trace of THC demonstrated through analysis reports from an ANRAC-recognized laboratory, stability study, technical advisory committee opinion (Ministry of Health, AMMPS, Ministry of the Interior and ANRAC) and additional labeling.

Mistakes that lead to application rejection

• Applying for product registration before the establishment declaration is valid, using an acknowledgment predating January 2025 without TARKHISS resubmission, or a pre-2019 declaration that has never been updated.
• Submitting a set on TARKHISS, or an individual product by email: the two channels have been separate since the August 17, 2026 notice.
• Omitting CAPM’s acknowledgment, or submitting a CAPM safety sheet without toxicological data or a qualified safety assessor.
• Supplying provisional artwork: submitted labeling must be final.
• Using a product name or claim suggesting a medicine or disease.
• Choosing a contract manufacturer without GMP or ISO 22716 certification.
• Missing the one-month supplementary-document deadline, or the renewal filing deadline of 90 days before expiry.
• Changing a formula, packaging or manufacturer without applying to update the certificate.

Summary checklist

Frequently asked questions about AMMPS registration

Do you need to register a cosmetic product before selling it in Morocco?

Yes. Circular no. 771 D/DMP/18 of October 25, 2023 makes a registration certificate a prerequisite for placing cosmetic and personal care products on the market. Registration is now handled through AMMPS. The establishment must also have been declared beforehand.

How much does cosmetic product registration cost in Morocco?

The only published fee is in Joint Order no. 783-06 of April 24, 2006, implementing Decree no. 2-03-699: 500 dirhams for the registration certificate for a cosmetic or personal care product. Payment is now made online through TARKHISS. Check the amount shown on the platform when you submit, as Law 10-22 empowers the AMMPS board to set its fees.

How long does AMMPS registration take?

Public legislation sets no application review deadline. The only written deadlines apply to the operator: one month to submit requested additional information, three months in total to complete an application, and a renewal application at least 90 days before the certificate expires. AMMPS recommends preparing six months before expiry.

How long is the registration certificate valid?

Five years, renewable. Five-year renewal requires the administrative file and a sworn declaration that the product has not been modified. For an update or transfer of ownership, the new certificate covers the remaining validity period.

What exactly does the Poison Control Center do in the procedure?

CAPM receives the product safety sheet and qualitative and quantitative formula in a confidential sealed submission, then issues an acknowledgment of receipt with a CAPM code. This acknowledgment is a mandatory registration document, but is neither a registration certificate nor proof of product safety. It also permits the CAPM number to appear on the packaging.

Does a brand using contract manufacturing need to declare its establishment?

Registration is requested by a company incorporated under Moroccan law, which holds the certificate. The application includes its contract with the manufacturer. The manufacturer must be a declared establishment operating in accordance with GMP or ISO 22716. The exact division of responsibilities between the brand and contract manufacturer is agreed case by case with AMMPS, depending on who imports, manufactures or fills the product.

Getting support

The procedure is not inherently complex, but it follows a set sequence, requires documentation and is now fully digital. A robust technical file, a GMP-compliant contract manufacturer and final label artwork prevent most rejections. Carmel Cosmetics Labs, an ISO 22716 and ISO 9001 certified cosmetics lab in Agadir, prepares the technical file and safety data sheet components for the brands it manufactures for, and guides them through the procedures with the AMMPS and CAPM. For a launch in Morocco, start with our guide to starting your cosmetics brand or book a Free consultation with our regulatory team.

This informational guide was prepared on October 3, 2026 using texts and documents published by the Ministry of Health, AMMPS and CAPM. It does not replace official legislation or advice from the agency or legal counsel. Procedures have evolved rapidly since TARKHISS launched: always check the latest checklists on ammps.gov.ma.

Official references

• Circular no. 771 D/DMP/18 of October 25, 2023 on registration procedures for cosmetic and personal care products (Ministry of Health and Social Protection)
• Circular no. 104 DMP/00 of October 23, 2014 and Circular no. 48 DMP/20 (earlier texts)
• Law no. 17-04 establishing the Medicines and Pharmacy Code
• Law no. 10-22 establishing AMMPS and Official Bulletin no. 7462
• Order no. 683-25 of October 27, 2025 listing other health products
• Decree no. 2-03-699 of November 13, 2003 and Joint Order no. 783-06 of April 24, 2006 (fees)
• Circular no. 105 of October 3, 2025 on legal distribution channels
• AMMPS information notice of March 31, 2026 on TARKHISS, May 22, 2026 notice on health-product establishment declarations, August 17, 2026 notice on the transitional procedure for sets, and other AMMPS information notices
• AMMPS PCHC documents: establishment declarations, registration, updates, raw materials, ownership transfers, declaration form, product information form, safety sheet
• CAPM cosmetovigilance: submission procedure, safety sheet, acknowledgment of receipt
• Circular of December 9, 2019 on reporting poisoning cases
• IMANOR cosmetic GMP certification rules (NM ISO 22716)
• Regulation (EC) no. 1223/2009 on cosmetic products