How to Send a Fax to Germany

Using a Fax Machine

Put your document into the feeder. The feeder is the tray sticking out from the top of the fax machine. You may see a small icon on the side of the feeder that will tell you which side of the document to enter first. If you don’t see this icon, refer to the fax machine’s manual to determine how to load the paper into the tray. Some machines may need to be loaded backwards or upside down. If you don't have a fax machine, you can find one at most libraries, office supply stores, and shipping stores.

Enter the dial-out code if your fax machine is on a switchboard. Some businesses may have internal switchboards. If this is the case, enter your company’s dial-out number to send a fax outside of the company. Ask human resources, IT, or your boss to learn this code. If you are using a home fax machine or if you don’t have a switchboard, you don’t need to do this.

Dial the exit code for your country. This tells the fax machine that you're about to send an international fax. In the United States and Canada, the exit code is 011. In Mexico and most European countries, the exit code is 00. Find a list of other country exit codes at HowtoCallAbroad.

Dial "49" to send the fax to Germany. This number tells the fax machine that you are sending the fax to a German destination. It comes immediately after the exit code for your country. For example, if you’re faxing from the U.S. to Germany, your number would look like this so far: 01149.

Dial the area code for the German city you're calling. Each German region has an area code. The area code may be 2 to 5 digits long. If the area code starts with a 0, drop the 0 and start dialing with the next nonzero digit. If you are sending a fax from the U.S. to Dresden, Germany, your number would now look like this: 01149351. For a list of major German area codes, see FaxAsia.

Enter the recipient's fax number and press send. German fax numbers may be anywhere from 3 to 7 digits long. Enter the appropriate fax number and press "Send" when you are done. The fax machine may take a minute to connect before it sends your documents to Germany.

Sending a Fax Online

Select an online fax company. There are several companies that will transmit your documents to the recipient’s fax machine for you. Each service has different prices for international faxes. Some companies include FaxZero, RingCentral Fax, and HelloFax. Some may charge a fee for each fax sent. This is a good option if you rarely send faxes. These may cost between $2-5 USD for an entire document or $0.07-0.10 USD a page. Some companies will have a monthly fee, but you will be allowed to send a certain number of faxes a month. This is ideal if you need to fax to Germany often. These generally start around $8-10 USD a month. Even “free” fax companies may charge a $1-2 USD fee for international faxes.

Upload your document on their website. Follow the website’s instructions for sending a fax. In most cases, you will choose the file you want to send and upload it to the site. If your document is not on the computer, use a scanner to scan it in. Some sites may allow you to upload multiple documents at once. Some services may require that you upload a PDF or .doc file. Make sure that your file is the right format before you try to send it.

Enter your personal information into the proper boxes. For most services, provide your name, email, and phone number. You may also enter in your company name if needed.

Add in the recipient’s fax number. Enter the recipient’s name or company in the proper boxes. Below that, enter the fax number. First put in your country’s exit code followed by Germany’s country code, the area code, and the fax number itself. Your country’s exit code comes first. In the U.S. and Canada, the exit code is 011. In most European countries, the exit code is 00. Find more exit codes at HowtoCallAbroad. Next, use Germany’s country code, which is 49. After that, enter the area code for the German region. Find a full list of area codes at Fax.Asia Finally, enter the recipient's fax number. This may be between 3-7 digits.

Pay with a card or online payment service. Once you have entered in the number, click “Next” or "Send fax" to get to a payment screen. The website will calculate any international fees for sending a fax to Germany.

Send the fax. Press the “Submit,” “Send,” or “Confirm” button to send the fax. It may take a few minutes to send. You may receive an email confirmation once the fax was sent.

Troubleshooting

Attach a cover page to make sure the fax gets to the right person. In an office setting, you may need to specify who the fax is for. If you don’t, the recipient may never receive their fax. To avoid this, make a fax cover page that includes: The name of the recipient The number of pages in the fax Your name Your contact information.

Avoid sending complex or dark graphics. Dark or shaded areas can cause delays or errors when faxing. Make sure that there are no complicated graphics like a photograph on the fax. On graphs, scanned receipts, or other images, make the background white, not gray or black.

Send faxes during normal business hours. If there’s a problem with the recipient’s fax machine outside of hours, they may not notice and your fax may be missed. To reduce the chances of a problem, send the fax during your recipient’s business hours. Generally, German offices work from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, although this can vary based on the company. German banks generally are open from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm. The German time zone is Central European Time (UTC +1).

Call or email to check that the fax arrived. Ask them to confirm when they have received the fax. If they have not gotten it, you may need to send it again.