How to send a fax to Germany

Why fax to Germany?

Germany is one of the last major economies where fax remains a standard business tool. Government offices (Behörden), courts, law firms, hospitals, insurance companies, and tax offices still accept, and in many cases require. Documents by fax. The German public sector in particular treats a fax as a legally acknowledged form of written communication, on a par with a posted letter.

If you need to reach a German institution and they list a fax number, it is almost always the fastest and most reliable way to get your document through.

What you need

To send a fax to Germany with unofax you need four things:

• Your document: PDF, Word, image, or any supported file. PDF gives the best results.
• The German fax number: Germany's country code is +49. A typical number looks like +49 30 1234567 (Berlin) or +49 89 1234567 (Munich). Drop the leading zero from the area code when dialling internationally.
• A payment method: credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
• Your email address: for delivery confirmation and proof of receipt

No account, no subscription, no fax machine required.

Step by step

Sending a fax to Germany with unofax takes about two minutes:

• Upload your document: drag and drop or tap to select your file.
• Select Germany and enter the fax number: choose Germany from the country list. Type the number without the leading zero (e.g. 30 1234567 for Berlin). unofax adds the +49 country code automatically.
• Enter your email: provide your email address for delivery confirmation and proof of receipt.
• Preview: check each page in the preview. Add a free cover sheet if the recipient requires one.
• Pay: the per-page price is shown upfront. Pay with card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
• Done: your fax is sent immediately. You receive a delivery confirmation once the receiving machine acknowledges receipt.

Tips for faxing to Germany

A few things to keep in mind when faxing to Germany:

• Business hours: German offices typically operate 08:00 – 17:00 CET (UTC+1), or CEST (UTC+2) in summer. Faxes sent outside these hours will queue at the receiving machine and be picked up the next working day.
• Include a reference number: German government offices and courts almost always assign a file reference (Aktenzeichen). Include it on your cover sheet or the first page of your document so your fax reaches the right department.
• Cover sheets help: large German offices share fax machines across departments. A cover sheet with the recipient's name and department makes routing faster. unofax lets you add one for free.
• Use PDF for best quality: German institutions often print and file incoming faxes. A clean, high-contrast PDF ensures your document is legible after printing.
• Toll-free numbers supported: unofax can send to German toll-free fax numbers. Supported prefixes:
  • 0800: toll-free (kostenlose Rufnummer)
  Enter the number without the leading zero (e.g. 800 1234567). unofax adds the +49 country code automatically.

Common questions

Quick answers about faxing to Germany:

• Can I fax to any German number? — Yes. unofax can deliver to any active fax line in Germany, including landline-connected fax machines and online fax services.
• How long does delivery take? — Most faxes are delivered within one to three minutes. Delivery time depends on the number of pages and the speed of the receiving machine.
• Do I need to speak German? — No. unofax handles the transmission; the interface is in English. If you are sending to a German government office, writing your cover sheet in German (or including a German translation) can help ensure your fax is processed promptly.
• How much does it cost to fax to Germany? — Faxing to Germany with unofax costs $0.29 AUD per page (≈€0.17). The price in your local currency is displayed before you pay. There are no subscriptions, setup fees, or hidden charges. You only pay for the pages you send.