Sending a fax to Germany
Country code +49, variable-length numbers: fax a PDF to a German landline from your browser. 1 page free, live status, PDF receipts optional.
Every German town has its own Vorwahl, an area code that starts with 0 and runs from two to five digits: 030 for Berlin, 040 for Hamburg, 089 for Munich, 069 for Frankfurt, 0221 for Cologne. The subscriber number follows, often with a Durchwahl — a direct extension. Company fax numbers frequently end in something like -99 or -20 after a hyphen; that extension is part of the number and must be dialled.
Germany is still one of Europe’s heaviest fax users. Public authorities print a fax number on their decisions, doctors’ practices and pharmacies use it every day, and so do health insurers and law firms. For individuals it is a quick way to get a dated letter to its destination — an objection to an official decision before the deadline runs out, for instance.
Choose Germany and enter the number with the 0 of the Vorwahl, without +49, running the extension digits straight on; the table below shows the format the form expects.
One page goes out free; anything longer costs a flat €3.99 incl. VAT, whatever the page count. If you need proof you met a deadline, the PDF receipts (€2.99 incl. VAT) are billed after delivery, never before.
Fax numbers in Germany: what to type
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +49 |
| ISO code | DE |
| Supported numbers | 0, then 6 to 11 digits (2- to 5-digit area code + subscriber); 015, 016 and 017 are mobiles |
| Sample number | 03012345678 |
| Region | Europe |
Germany: numbers accepted and refused
| Number entered | Result | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 030 1234567 | Accepted | Berlin |
| 089 12345678 | Accepted | Munich |
| 0711 123456-99 | Accepted | Stuttgart |
| 0151 23456789 | Refused | Mobile number: a fax cannot reach it |
| 30 1234567 | Refused | The leading 0 is missing |
| 49 30 1234567 | Refused | Country code glued on without + or 00 |
Area codes of major cities
| City or line type | Area code |
|---|---|
| Berlin | 030 |
| Hamburg | 040 |
| Munich | 089 |
| Cologne | 0221 |
| Frankfurt am Main | 069 |
| Stuttgart | 0711 |
Germany: who still receives faxes?
- Tax offices (Finanzamt), Jobcenters and immigration offices (Ausländerbehörde) often still print a fax number in their letterhead, next to the file reference (Aktenzeichen) you should quote.
- Doctors’ practices, pharmacies and home-care services still fax referrals, test results and prescription requests, even though e-prescriptions became mandatory in 2024.
- Courts and public prosecutors accept faxes from private individuals; procedural deadlines are the usual reason, with the transmission record kept as proof.
- Statutory health insurers (Krankenkassen), insurance companies and banks sometimes accept signed forms or cancellations by fax — check the channel named in their terms.
We never publish an organisation’s fax number: use the one printed on a recent letter or on the recipient’s official website.
The official digital alternative
Germany built its digital channels profession by profession: the beA for lawyers, the eBO mailbox for citizens and organisations writing to courts, ELSTER for the tax authorities, KIM for secure messaging between healthcare providers, and the BundID account for many online procedures. All of them require prior registration; fax stays open to anyone who has none.
Germany: time zone and office hours
| Time zone | Central European Time: UTC+1 (CET), UTC+2 in summer (CEST) |
|---|---|
| Difference with Paris | None: same time as Paris |
| Usual office hours | Offices: generally 8 a.m.–5 p.m. on weekdays. Many public offices open to visitors only in the morning, with one longer afternoon (often Thursday); doctors’ practices frequently close on Wednesday afternoons. |
Germany: frequently asked questions
- Why are German numbers not all the same length?
- Area codes run from 2 to 5 digits and the subscriber number adjusts around them: big cities have short codes and long numbers, small towns the opposite. The form accepts 6 to 11 digits after the leading 0.
- The number ends with a hyphen and two digits — do I type them?
- Yes. That suffix is the Durchwahl, the direct line of the fax extension inside the company or agency. Without it the call lands at the switchboard. You may keep the hyphen; it is ignored.
- Does a fax to a German court count?
- For a private individual, yes: the German Code of Civil Procedure (§ 130 ZPO) names fax among accepted forms. Lawyers must use the beA instead. Send well before the deadline and keep the transmission receipt.
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- Dial code +33 — 10 digits; prefix 01–05 or 09 (06 and 07 are mobiles)
- Check a country’s calling code, its common prefixes and the expected number length before faxing abroad.
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