Sending a fax to Portugal
Country code +351 and a nine-digit number: fax a PDF to a Portuguese landline from your browser. 1 page free, PDF receipts optional.
Portuguese numbers are nine digits long and have no leading 0. Every landline starts with 2: 21 is Lisbon, 22 is Porto, and other areas use three digits — 239 for Coimbra, 289 for Faro, 291 for Madeira. A number starting with 9 is a mobile phone, so a fax will never get through to it.
Fax is still used there wherever a written trace matters: dealings with the conservatórias (civil, land and business registries), notaries and law offices, accountants working with the tax authority, private clinics and labs. In the Algarve and on Madeira, many hotels and travel agencies also keep a fax line for group bookings.
Pick Portugal in the form, then type the nine digits exactly as they appear on the recipient’s letterhead — no +351, no 00351. It is a quick way to get a signed power of attorney or a supporting document to Portugal without waiting for the post.
A single page costs nothing; a PDF of two pages or more is €3.99 incl. VAT in total. The PDF receipts (€2.99 incl. VAT) are only charged when delivery succeeds.
Fax numbers in Portugal: what to type
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +351 |
| ISO code | PT |
| Supported numbers | 9 digits starting with 2 (area code included); 9x numbers are mobiles |
| Sample number | 213456789 |
| Region | Europe |
Portugal: numbers accepted and refused
| Number entered | Result | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 21 345 6789 | Accepted | Lisbon |
| 22 123 4567 | Accepted | Porto |
| 253 123 456 | Accepted | Braga |
| 912 345 678 | Refused | Mobile number: a fax cannot reach it |
| 0213 456 789 | Refused | Extra 0: this country does not use one in front |
| 21 345 678 | Refused | One or more digits are missing |
Area codes of major cities
| City or line type | Area code |
|---|---|
| Lisbon | 21 |
| Porto | 22 |
| Braga | 253 |
| Coimbra | 239 |
| Faro | 289 |
| Funchal | 291 |
Portugal: who still receives faxes?
- Tax offices (AT), Social Security and town halls (câmaras municipais) point people to their portals, but some local desks keep a fax for occasional documents.
- Clinics, labs and pharmacies still exchange reports and requests by fax, even though paperless prescriptions (receita sem papel) are standard in the national health service (SNS).
- Lawyers file through Citius; registry offices (conservatórias — civil, land and commercial) and notaries still accept documents by fax in some cases.
- Banks, insurers and certified accountants sometimes accept signed authorisations or forms by fax.
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
The Portal das Finanças (with its e-Balcão for requests), Segurança Social Direta, the ePortugal / gov.pt public services portal with the Chave Móvel Digital or citizen card, Citius for legal representatives, and the single digital address for State notifications.
Portugal: time zone and office hours
| Time zone | Mainland and Madeira: UTC+0 (WET), UTC+1 in summer; Azores: UTC−1, UTC+0 in summer |
|---|---|
| Difference with Paris | 1 hour behind Paris (mainland, Madeira); 2 hours behind in the Azores |
| Usual office hours | Public services: generally 9 a.m.–4 or 5 p.m. local time on weekdays, often with a lunch break from 1 to 2 p.m. A fax sent at 5 p.m. Paris time lands at 4 p.m. in Lisbon. |
Portugal: frequently asked questions
- Do I add a 0 in front of a Portuguese number?
- No. Portuguese numbers have no leading 0: enter the 9 digits as they are, for example 21 345 6789 for Lisbon. The +351 is optional.
- Why is a number starting with 9 rejected?
- In Portugal, numbers starting with 9 are mobiles, and a mobile cannot receive a fax. Landlines always start with 2. Ask the recipient for their landline fax number.
- What time should I fax Portugal?
- Portugal is one hour behind Paris (two in the Azores) and five hours ahead of Toronto. Faxing at 9 in the morning from Paris means landing at 8 in Lisbon, before most offices open; for a same-day reply, aim for 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Paris time.
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