So, you’re trying to figure out the time in Morocco now. It sounds simple. You check your phone, look at a world clock, and expect a straight answer. But if you’re actually on the ground in Casablanca or planning a trek through the High Atlas, you’ll quickly realize that time in this corner of North Africa is a bit of a moving target.
Morocco doesn't play by the usual "spring forward, fall back" rules you might be used to in London or New York. Instead, the country has a unique, almost rhythmic relationship with the clock that revolves around the lunar calendar and the holy month of Ramadan.
The Current State of Time in Morocco Now
Right now, for the vast majority of the year, Morocco sits at UTC+1. This is technically Western European Summer Time (WEST). Back in 2018, the Moroccan government decided to stop switching back to GMT (UTC+0) in the winter. They effectively made "summer time" the permanent standard.
Why? It was mostly about energy saving and staying in sync with European markets. If you're doing business with France or Spain, being in the same time zone makes life a lot easier.
But there is a massive exception.
Every year, when Ramadan approaches, the entire country literally hits the "rewind" button. For roughly 30 days, Morocco drops back to UTC+0. In 2026, this shift is scheduled to happen on Sunday, February 15. At 3:00 AM, the clocks will turn back to 2:00 AM.
Why the sudden change?
It’s honestly a matter of mercy and practicality. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset. By moving the clock back one hour, the sun sets "earlier" on the clock. This means people can break their fast at 6:00 PM instead of 7:00 PM. It makes the long days of fasting feel just a little bit shorter and allows families to gather for iftar (the breaking of the fast) at a more manageable hour.
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Then, once the month is over, the country jumps back forward. For 2026, the clocks are expected to spring forward again on Sunday, March 22.
Navigating the Ramadan Time Warp
If you're traveling during this period, things get weird. Your smartphone might update automatically, or it might not. I've seen travelers miss flights because their "smart" device didn't get the memo about the temporary Moroccan shift.
Kinda frustrating, right?
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The best advice is to always double-check with your hotel or a local. Don't just trust the clock on your laptop. In the weeks leading up to the change, you'll hear people talking about "GMT" versus "Moroccan Time." Locally, the UTC+1 period is often called "l-weqt l-idafi" (extra time).
What else changes besides the clock?
It's not just the digits on your watch. The whole rhythm of the country shifts.
- Business Hours: Most offices and shops open later—think 10:00 AM—and close early, usually by 3:00 PM or 4:00 PM.
- The Afternoon Lull: About an hour before sunset, the streets get hectic as everyone rushes home. Then, at the moment of the sunset call to prayer, the streets go ghostly quiet.
- The Nightly Buzz: After iftar, the cities wake up. Cafes stay packed until 2:00 AM. Markets thrive under the moonlight.
Time Zones and Geography
Morocco is a big country. While the official time in Morocco now is uniform from Tangier to Dakhla, the actual position of the sun varies.
In the eastern city of Oujda, the sun rises and sets significantly earlier than it does in Laayoune in the south. This doesn't affect the legal time, but if you're a photographer or a hiker, those extra 30–40 minutes of daylight in the west make a huge difference.
A Note on the "Border" Time
Interestingly, Morocco shares the same time zone as many European countries for most of the year, but geographically, it sits directly south of the UK and Portugal. This puts it "ahead" of its natural solar time. When it's noon in Rabat, the sun hasn't actually reached its highest point yet. This is why summer evenings in Marrakech feel so incredibly long, with light lingering well past 8:00 PM.
Practical Steps for Staying on Schedule
If you're coordinating a business call or a tour, here is how to handle the time in Morocco now without losing your mind.
- Check the Islamic Calendar: Always know when Ramadan starts. In 2026, it's expected around February 18. The clock change usually happens a few days before.
- Manual Overrides: On the night of the change, manually set your phone's time zone to "Casablanca" and ensure "Set Automatically" is toggled on. If it looks wrong, switch to manual.
- Confirm Transportation: If you have a train or flight on the Sunday of a time change, arrive early. The ONCF (the national railway) usually keeps its schedules consistent, but it's better to be safe.
- Expect "Insha'Allah" Time: In Morocco, time is often seen as more fluid. A meeting set for 10:00 AM might start at 10:30 AM. It’s not necessarily rudeness; it’s just a different cultural relationship with the clock.
The most important thing to remember is that Morocco is currently on UTC+1. If you are reading this between mid-February and late March 2026, verify if the Ramadan rollback has occurred.
Keep your eye on the moon and your clock on the local news. The shift back to UTC+0 is a tradition that isn't going away anytime soon, and being aware of it is the difference between a smooth trip and a missed connection. Always verify your flight times directly with the airline's app 24 hours before departure, as these systems sometimes struggle with Morocco's unique temporary DST suspension.
Ensure your devices are updated to the latest OS version, as time zone database updates (known as tzdata) are what actually tell your phone when the Moroccan government has finalized the change dates.