1. RCAR: who is covered and how the scheme works
The RCAR is one of Morocco's three main basic pension schemes, alongside the CNSS (private-sector employees) and the CMR (tenured civil servants). It has legal personality and financial autonomy, and is managed by the Caisse Nationale de Retraites et d'Assurances (CNRA) within the welfare division of the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG).
| RCAR fact sheet | Detail |
|---|---|
| Creation | Dahir-law No. 1-77-216 of October 4, 1977 |
| Manager | CNRA — CDG welfare division |
| Covered population | Non-tenured State and local-government employees, staff of public bodies under State financial control |
| Architecture | Mandatory general scheme + supplementary points-based scheme |
| Financial technique | Defined benefits: 2/3 funded, 1/3 pay-as-you-go |
| Contributing members | ≈ 122,000 in the general scheme (2023, CDG figures) |
| Pensioners served | ≈ 151,000 retirees and survivors (2024) |
| Reserves | ≈ 142.8 billion MAD at end-2025 (per CDG) |
Source: Wafir.ma — August 19, 2026
In practice, RCAR members include contractual and temporary staff of the State and municipalities, and employees of public establishments and enterprises — offices, agencies, distribution utilities and State-owned companies under State financial control. The scheme guarantees an old-age pension, a disability pension, a survivors' pension (reversible 50% to the spouse and 50% to orphans) and family allowances for retirees.
The RCAR stands out for its mixed financial technique: two thirds of its commitments are funded (contributions are invested and generate financial income) and one third runs on pay-as-you-go. This explains the relative strength of its reserves: about 132.7 billion dirhams at end-2024, then close to 142.8 billion at end-2025 with a net result of around 1.7 billion, according to CDG results reported by the business press.
RCAR ≠ CMR: don't confuse the two public funds
The CMR (Caisse Marocaine des Retraites) covers tenured civil and military servants; the RCAR covers non-tenured staff and public-establishment employees. The rules differ sharply: a 28% contribution and retirement at 63 at the CMR, versus 18% and 60 at the RCAR (pre-reform). Upon tenure, your RCAR rights are transferred to the CMR — see the dedicated section.
2. 2026 contributions: general and supplementary schemes
The RCAR has two tiers. The general scheme is mandatory for all members; the supplementary scheme covers the salary bracket above the general scheme's ceiling, provided the employer has signed the membership agreement.
| Scheme | Base | Employee share | Employer share | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General scheme (mandatory) | Fixed emoluments, capped at 4 times the scheme's average salary | 6% | 12% (6% pay-as-you-go + 6% funded) | 18% |
| Supplementary scheme (points-based) | Salary portion above the general scheme's ceiling | 3% | 3% | 6% |
Source: Wafir.ma — August 19, 2026
The general scheme's contribution base consists of all fixed emoluments, excluding expense allowances and family benefits. It is capped at four times the scheme's average salary, a parameter set and periodically revised by the RCAR: above that ceiling, the upper salary bracket no longer contributes to the general scheme — which is precisely what the supplementary scheme is for.
The supplementary scheme works on points, much like the CIMR: each year, contributions are converted into points using a reference salary set annually by the RCAR, and the supplementary pension equals the number of accumulated points multiplied by the point value of the settlement year. A minimum of 1,000 points is required to receive an annuity; below that, the member receives a one-off lump sum.
Executives and higher earners: check your supplementary coverage
If your salary exceeds the general scheme's ceiling, the portion above it earns no rights unless your employer has joined the supplementary scheme. Check your payslip (3% supplementary contribution line) or your career statement in the rcar.ma member area: it directly affects your future replacement rate.
3. Calculating your RCAR pension: formula, SAMCR and examples
The general scheme's pension is set at 2% of the revalued career-average salary per year of valid service. Unlike the CNSS (average of the last 96 months) or the CMR (average of the last 8 years), the RCAR uses the entire career.
The official formula is: gross annual pension = SAMCR × pension rate. The SAMCR (revalued career-average annual salary) is the average of all salaries subject to contribution over the whole career, each adjusted by the scheme's annual revaluation rates up to the settlement year. The pension rate is 2% per year of valid service — years of membership, plus validated, transferred or bought-back periods (once the pension rate exceeds 60%, years from the validation of prior service count for only 1% per year, per rcar.ma).
Two worked examples (illustrative)
These amounts are arithmetic illustrations of the formula, before tax and before any supplementary pension. Because the SAMCR averages the whole career — including early, often low-paid years —, the actual replacement rate relative to the final salary is generally below the headline rate: a member with 30 years of service receives 60% of their revalued career-average salary, which can be considerably less than 60% of their last salary.
| Profile | Monthly SAMCR | Years of service | Rate | Gross monthly pension |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public-office employee, full career | 8,000 MAD | 30 years | 60% | 4,800 MAD |
| Contract worker, average career | 6,000 MAD | 25 years | 50% | 3,000 MAD |
| Same profile, retiring 3 years early (18% reduction) | 6,000 MAD | 25 years | 50% × 0.82 | 2,460 MAD |
Pension revaluation: now capped at inflation
Historically, RCAR pensions were revalued each year in line with the scheme's average salary growth. Since the parametric reform of decree No. 2.20.935 of July 27, 2021, the annual revaluation follows current regulations and is capped at the inflation rate: +1.4% in 2022 and +2.74% in 2024, per the notices published on rcar.ma. Each year's rate is announced by the RCAR once that cap is applied — check the rcar.ma news section for the current rate.
Public-sector minimum pension: 1,500 MAD
The minimum pension of the public and semi-public schemes (CMR and RCAR) was raised progressively from 1,000 to 1,500 MAD per month between 2016 and 2018 (1,200 MAD in September 2016, 1,350 MAD in 2017, 1,500 MAD since 2018). Parliamentary proposals aim to lift minimum pensions towards the minimum-wage level (3,422 MAD) in stages — a process started on the CNSS side with law 65-25, whose extension to the public pole remains to be confirmed.
4. Retirement age, early retirement and proportional pension
The normal RCAR retirement age is 60 for sedentary jobs and 55 for active (arduous or hazardous) jobs. Three exit routes exist before the normal age, each with its own cost.
| Scenario | Conditions | Effect on the pension |
|---|---|---|
| Normal retirement | Age 60 (55 for active jobs), minimum 3 years of valid service | Full pension: SAMCR × 2% × years |
| Early retirement | Between 55 and 60 | Reduction of 0.5% per month of anticipation, capped at 30% (5 years) |
| Proportional pension | 21 years of valid service, no age condition | 30% abatement: SAMCR × rate × 70% |
| Deferral | Postponing settlement beyond the normal age | Increase of 0.4% per month, capped at 24% (per the ACAPS fact sheet) |
Source: Wafir.ma — August 19, 2026
Reduction example: leaving at 57 instead of 60, i.e. 36 months early, costs 36 × 0.5% = 18% of the pension, for life. A member whose full pension would be 4,800 MAD would receive 3,936 MAD. The proportional pension, meanwhile, targets members with 21 years of service who leave the public sector before retirement age: the pension is calculated normally then reduced by 30% — in our 21-year example (42% rate), an 8,000 MAD SAMCR yields 8,000 × 42% × 70% ≈ 2,352 MAD per month.
Before deciding, compare all three scenarios against your career statement: between retiring at 55 (maximum 30% reduction) and deferring by two years (roughly +9.6%), the monthly pension gap can exceed 50% for the same account of rights. Our dedicated early-retirement guide details the equivalent trade-off on the CNSS side.
5. The 2026 pension reform: what changes for RCAR members
The systemic reform bill presented by the government on May 12, 2026 reorganizes Morocco's schemes into two poles: a public pole grouping CMR and RCAR, and a private pole grouping CNSS and CIMR. The parliamentary vote is announced for October 2026, with entry into force on January 1, 2027 — so every parameter below remains subject to final adoption of the texts.
| Parameter | RCAR | CMR (civil pensions) | CNSS | CIMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | Non-tenured staff and public bodies | Tenured civil servants | Private-sector employees | Private-sector supplementary (employer membership) |
| Pension contribution | 18% (+6% supplementary where applicable) | 28% (14% + 14%) | 11.89% capped at 6,000 MAD | Contractual points-based rates |
| Calculation base | SAMCR — revalued full career, 2%/year | Average of last 8 years, 2%/year since 2017 (1.5% if early; 2.5% for pre-2017 service) | Average of last 96 months, 50% to 70% | Points |
| Retirement age | 60 (55 for active jobs) | 63 (born 1962 or later) | 60 → 63 progressively from 2027 | Follows the base scheme |
| Minimum pension | 1,500 MAD | 1,500 MAD | 1,590 MAD (minimum-wage alignment planned, law 65-25) | — |
Source: Wafir.ma — August 19, 2026
Announced measures affecting the public pole
- Creation of the CMR-RCAR public pole: progressive harmonization of the two funds' rules within a single group
- Legal age: progressive shift from 60 to 63 starting in 2027 (the 1967 generation: 60 years and 6 months in 2027, then +6 months per generation through 2031; generations born before 1967 are unaffected) — the CMR has applied 63 since its 2016 reform, and the precise alignment timetable for RCAR members will be set by the implementing texts
- Harmonized calculation method across schemes, with a converging reference salary — the bill reportedly refers to the 10 best years, according to the specialized press, to be confirmed in the texts
- Portability of rights between the public and private poles, for mixed public-private careers
- Mandatory supplementary pension for higher earners (above 25,000 MAD/month) from 2028, through the supplementary pole — per the bill as presented
What does not change (at this stage) for an RCAR member
The +8% revaluation over three years (2027: +3%, 2028: +2.5%, 2029: +2.5%, with an extra +5% from 2027 for pensions below 2,000 MAD) announced as part of the reform applies to CNSS pensions; its possible extension to public-pole pensions had not been detailed at this guide's publication date. RCAR pensions remain governed by the annual, inflation-capped revaluation mechanism. Likewise, rights already acquired (contributed years, accrued SAMCR) are preserved: a parametric reform changes the rules going forward, not the counter of past rights.
The wafir.ma reflex: decide nothing on announcements alone
Until the law is voted (vote announced for October 2026) and its decrees published, neither your generation's exact age nor the harmonized formula is final. If you are within 5 years of retirement, run one simulation under current rules AND one under a 63-year scenario, then compare: the wafir.ma multi-scheme simulator lets you test both.
6. Claiming your pension: procedure, deadlines and e-services
Settlement is not automatic: the member (or their employer) must file the claim with the RCAR. The filing date directly affects when the pension starts.
- Who files: the employer submits the file for an active member; a member removed from the payroll (resignation, end of contract) can file directly with the RCAR
- Key deadline: a claim filed within 3 months of removal from payroll = pension due from the day after removal; beyond that, the pension only runs from the first day of the filing month
- Usual documents: signed settlement request, copy of the national ID card, bank details (RIB), birth certificates of dependent children where applicable, residence certificate if the pension is paid abroad — the exact list per benefit is published on rcar.ma
- Online member area (rcar.ma): login with RCAR number + electronic national ID, career statement, pension simulation, downloadable electronic membership card
- SMART RCAR mobile app (CDG): file and payment tracking; beneficiaries view transfers and certificates in the beneficiary area
Good practice: six months before your target departure date, download your career statement from the member area and check line by line the periods declared by your successive employers. Missing periods (secondment, change of organization, old years) are regularized before settlement, not after — every forgotten year costs 2% of SAMCR, for life.
7. Changing status: transferring rights and mixed careers
A contract worker granted tenure, a public-office employee moving to the private sector, a civil servant hired by a public establishment: Moroccan careers are increasingly mixed. What happens to your RCAR rights depends on the direction of the move.
Tenure in the civil service: transfer to the CMR
Upon tenure, rights built up in the RCAR are transferred to the CMR: the member sends the RCAR a certified copy of the tenure decision together with a copy of their national ID, and their RCAR years are taken over in their CMR account. Conversely, a member who previously contributed to another scheme can request the validation or buy-back of those services with the RCAR, subject to the original scheme's approval.
Moving to the private sector: RCAR rights are preserved
Rights acquired with the RCAR by an employee who joins a private company are not transferable to the CNSS or the CIMR: they remain on the RCAR's books and will, at retirement age, produce an RCAR pension based on the contributed years — payable alongside the CNSS pension earned afterwards. Since the coordination and data-exchange framework agreement signed on July 17, 2017 between the CNSS, the CMR and the RCAR, the funds exchange career data directly, simplifying settlement for mixed careers. A member with 21 years of RCAR service can also opt for the proportional pension (see above).
Mixed career: add up your future pensions, not your regrets
12 RCAR years + 18 CNSS years produce neither a full RCAR pension nor a full CNSS pension, but two partial pensions paid by two funds. Simulate each block separately with the wafir.ma multi-scheme simulator: it is the only way to know whether a buy-back, a validation or supplementary savings are needed.
8. RCAR + retirement savings: close the gap before it is too late
At 2% per year of service computed on the full-career average, an RCAR pension rarely replaces more than 50 to 60% of the final salary — often less for short or fast-rising careers. Three levers help close the gap.
- RCAR supplementary scheme: if your salary exceeds the general scheme's ceiling, your employer's membership in the points-based scheme is the first tier to secure (3% + 3%)
- Individual retirement savings plan (bank or insurer pension product): free or scheduled payments, tax-deductible under duration and settlement-age conditions — see our comparison of Morocco's 5 main retirement-savings providers
- CIMR if you move to the private sector: if your new employer is a member, CIMR points stack on top of your two basic pensions
- Rule of order: secure mandatory rights first (complete career statement, regularizations, RCAR supplementary scheme), and only then voluntary savings
Order of magnitude: a 40-year-old member targeting an extra 2,000 MAD of monthly income at 60 needs to save roughly 1,000 to 1,500 MAD per month over 20 years, depending on the net return of the chosen vehicle. The later the start, the steeper the monthly effort — which is exactly the gap measured by the wafir.ma multi-scheme retirement simulator: it projects your RCAR pension (and CNSS or CMR where relevant), then quantifies the monthly savings required to reach your target income.
9. FAQ
Q.What is the RCAR in Morocco?
Q.What is the difference between the RCAR and the CMR?
Q.How is an RCAR pension calculated?
Q.What is the retirement age under the RCAR?
Q.Can you retire early under the RCAR?
Q.What is the RCAR contribution rate in 2026?
Q.What happens to my RCAR rights if I am granted tenure?
Q.What happens to my RCAR rights if I move to the private sector?
Q.Does the 2026 pension reform affect the RCAR?
Q.How do I check my RCAR account online?
How much will you get at retirement?
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