Labor law in Mauritania governs formal private employment, including contracts, working time, pay, workplace safety, representation, disputes and termination. Permanent civil servants and public contractual employees follow separate statutory rules. Immigration law regulates entry, visas, residence, work, study, family-based stay, protection and naturalisation; entry generally involves an electronic visa through ANRPTS, an official border crossing and a passport valid for at least six months unless a bilateral exemption applies. Criminal law covers offences, investigations, trials, sanctions and the rights of accused and harmed persons, with sources including the Code pénal, the Code de Procédure Pénale, Islamic law and ratified international treaties. Consumer protection concerns goods and services, prices, safety, contracts, digital offers and complaints, but no general statutory return or refund right was identified in the reviewed framework. Civil law governs private relationships involving people, families, companies, property, contracts, inheritance, liability and civil disputes. Courts, labor inspectorates, immigration authorities, sector regulators, état civil services, land authorities and other bodies handle different matters, so a legal issue should first be classified by its subject and the responsible authority.
Law in Mauritania
Law in Mauritania covers the rules and procedures governing employment, entry and residence, criminal offences, consumer transactions and private relationships. Each area uses different legislation, authorities and dispute procedures. The correct legal procedure depends on the subject, the parties involved and the type of remedy sought.
Classify your legal issue in Mauritania before contacting an authority, because employment, immigration, criminal, consumer and civil matters follow different rules and procedures. Record the facts, parties, documents and remedy you seek, then use the authority responsible for that specific area. Treat criminal accusations, uncertain immigration status and disputes involving significant rights or property as matters requiring prompt local legal assistance.
Labor law
Labor law in Mauritania governs formal private employment, including contracts, working time, pay, workplace safety, representation, disputes and termination. The main framework is the Code du Travail, while permanent civil servants and public contractual employees follow separate statutory rules. The Direction Générale du Travail and regional labor inspectorates supervise compliance and help resolve employment disputes.
Immigration law
Immigration law in Mauritania regulates entry, visas, residence, work, study, family-based stay, protection, naturalisation and responses to violations. Entry generally uses an electronic visa through ANRPTS, an official border crossing and a passport valid for at least six months, unless a bilateral visa exemption applies. Residence status depends on purpose-specific evidence, while refugee protection follows a separate decree-based system. Mauritania has no separate permanent-residence procedure identified in the reviewed official procedures; longer-term settlement may instead involve residence-card renewal or naturalisation.
Criminal law
Criminal law in Mauritania defines offences, criminal responsibility, investigations, trials, sanctions and the rights of accused and harmed persons. Its main sources include the Constitution, the Code pénal, the Code de Procédure Pénale, Islamic law and ratified international treaties. The system covers ordinary offences, Houdoud, Ghissass and Diya, as well as terrorism, slavery, trafficking, road offences and cybercrime. Formal rights may differ from practical outcomes because access to lawyers, interpreters, legal aid and courts varies.
Consumer protection
Consumer protection in Mauritania covers paid or free goods and services intended for human or animal consumption, including price information, product safety, contracts, digital offers and complaints. Loi n°2020-007 is the general framework, but enforcement is divided among sector authorities, regional delegations, providers and consumer associations. The reviewed sources show no general statutory return or refund right, so the responsible body and available remedy depend on the product or service.
Civil law
Civil law in Mauritania governs private legal relationships involving people, families, companies, property, contracts, inheritance, liability and civil disputes. The rules are distributed across the Code des Obligations et des Contrats, the Code du Statut Personnel, land legislation and the Code de procédure civile, commerciale et administrative rather than one unified civil code. Courts, état civil services, land authorities, accredited Mouslih conciliators and enforcement officers handle different matters, so the correct authority depends on the issue.
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