Short answer: a transmission report shows that at a given date and time, a line dialled a specific number and the receiving machine accepted a certain number of pages. It does not prove who read the document, nor, on its own, what it said. With FaxTelecom, the PDF receipts option (€2.99 including VAT, payable only on successful delivery) gives you two PDFs: a request receipt and a transmission receipt. Keep them together with the exact PDF you sent, because we delete the document after sending. In court, the set is evidence weighed case by case, not a guarantee on a par with registered post.
FaxTelecom sends faxes from a web browser to landlines in seven countries. It does not receive faxes and does not issue numbers. This article offers general pointers, not legal advice: if you are in a dispute, talk to a lawyer.
A familiar scenario
A letting agency faxes a lease termination notice to a commercial tenant on the last day of the notice period. Three months later the tenant objects: "We never received that document." The agency digs out its report. The question is no longer "did the fax go?" but "what exactly does this sheet show, and what is missing to be convincing?"
What a transmission report contains
On an office fax machine, the report (sometimes called the activity log or send journal) usually lists:
- the date and time the call started;
- the number dialled, and sometimes the identifier returned by the remote machine;
- the number of pages sent and the call duration;
- a result: "OK" or an error code;
- on some models, a thumbnail of the first page.
"OK" has a precise technical meaning. It means the modem at the far end confirmed it received each page correctly during the protocol exchange. It does not mean a page was printed and seen, let alone read.
FaxTelecom's PDF receipts
When you tick the option while filling in the form, you receive two documents by email.
| Document | When it arrives | What it confirms |
|---|---|---|
| Request receipt | Once your send is validated | That your request was recorded: sender, recipient, subject, timestamp |
| Transmission receipt | The moment delivery succeeds; also available on the tracking page | That the recipient's fax machine accepted the transmission, with date and time |
The €2.99 fee is charged only if the fax is actually delivered. If the line is busy or does not answer, you do not pay for the option. Where relevant, it comes on top of the €3.99 for a send of two pages or more. A single-page send stays free.
What these documents prove, and what they do not
They establish:
- that a transmission took place to the stated number at a dated moment;
- that the remote machine technically acknowledged the pages sent;
- that the step was taken on a precise date, which matters when a deadline is running.
They do not establish:
- that the number really belonged to the intended recipient: one wrong digit, and the fax sits with a stranger;
- that an authorised person read the document;
- that the paper came out legible, if the receiving machine was short of ink or memory;
- on their own, the exact content of the pages, if you did not keep the file you sent.
Hence the importance of the complete file described below.
Evidential value, in a few pointers
In France, a legal fact can be proved by any means, and between traders evidence is free. For some deeds between private individuals, however, the law requires a written document, and a fax report then only plays a supporting role. The judge weighs it all: a consistent report, a verified number and a copy of the document add up to a serious body of evidence. Our page on fax as evidence in France goes into these rules. The other countries we serve take their own approaches, summarised on our page on fax evidence across Europe.
When the law or a contract requires a specific form, such as recorded delivery with proof of receipt or a qualified electronic registered delivery service, fax does not replace it. Our fax, email and post comparison helps you choose the right channel for what is at stake.
Filing a send so it can be used
An evidence file is built at the time of sending, not on the day of the dispute. Here is the method we recommend.
- Check the number before sending against a dated source: a letter, an official website, a contract. Keep a screenshot or copy of that source.
- Keep the exact PDF you uploaded, and do not edit it afterwards. A legible file also helps at the receiving end: see our tips to prepare a PDF before faxing it.
- Store together the PDF sent, the request receipt, the transmission receipt and the confirmation email.
- Name the files explicitly, for example
2026-11-04_lease-notice_recipient_transmission-receipt.pdf. - Back up in two separate places: a shared company drive and offline storage.
- Keep everything for at least the applicable limitation period, often five years for civil matters in France. Your adviser can confirm the right duration for your situation.
A confirmation phone call, noted with the date, time and the name of the person you spoke to, strengthens the file further. So does a follow-up email that mentions the fax.
Answers to the questions we get
Can I get a receipt after the fact? No: the option is chosen in the form, before sending.
Does FaxTelecom keep a copy of my document? No. The file exists on our side just long enough to be transmitted, then it is erased automatically. Keeping the original is up to you.
Does the recipient get a cover page? Yes. It is generated from the form fields and precedes your document. It identifies the sender and the subject, which also helps if the send is disputed.
For anything else, our help center covers the most common cases.
In a nutshell
A well-documented fax is solid proof of transmission, not proof of reading. Take the receipts option when the send matters, verify the number, keep the original PDF and file everything in one place. And when the law demands registered post, send registered post.
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