Fax to Germany from abroad: the 011 49 dialing format

Short answer: to fax Germany from another country, dial the international exit code (011 from the United States and Canada, 00 from most of Europe), then 49 for Germany, then the area code without its leading zero, then the subscriber number. In the form on our site you only type the national part, because the country selection adds the prefix for you.

Germany is one of the places where a fax still has real standing. Practices, small firms, trade bodies and a number of authorities keep a fax number on their letterhead. For a foreigner the difficulty is rarely the machine; it is the way German numbers are written.

The anatomy of a German fax number

A German number printed on a letter looks like this: (030) 9042 6718 or 030 / 90 42 67-18. Three parts hide in there.

• The trunk zero. The leading 0 is the "domestic dial" digit. You press it only when calling from inside Germany.
• The area code (Vorwahl). Here 30, the code for Berlin. Codes are two to five digits long once the zero is removed: Munich is 89, Hamburg 40, Cologne 221.
• The subscriber number (Rufnummer). The rest. Some include an extension after a hyphen, which is the department on the other side of a switchboard.

From abroad, the trunk zero is dropped and the country code takes its place. The number above becomes:

On a cell phone, or with some online tools, the + sign replaces 011: +49 30 9042 6718. The result is the same.

Typing it into the online form

You never have to build the international stcall yourself. On the home page:

1. Select Germany as the country. The prefix 011 49 is added behind the scenes.
2. Type the number without the zero: 30 90426718, or with the zero if it makes you more comfortable. The form strips spaces, hyphens and slashes.
3. Look at the example under the field. It shows the shape of a valid fixed-line number for the country, and the check rejects numbers that cannot be a landline.

If the check refuses your number, the most frequent causes are a missing area code, an extension typed as part of the number, or a cell number: a fax machine is attached to a landline.

Three mistakes that account for most failures

Keeping the zero. Dialing 011 49 030… sends the call to a number that does not exist. It is the single most common error, and it usually produces a "no answer" or a recorded message.

Using a cell or messaging number. A number starting 015, 016 or 017 belongs to a cell network and cannot receive a fax.

Copying the extension. A number such as 030 9042 6718-12 means a switchboard plus extension 12. Faxes normally go to the main number, or to a direct fax line the recipient printed separately. If the letterhead lists "Telefon" and "Fax" separately, always use the second.

Before you send

• Check the time. Most German offices run roughly 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. their time, and plenty shut earlier on Fridays. Depending on your US time zone, Germany is between six and nine hours in front of you, so a morning fax from New York lands in the afternoon over there. Use the time-zone tool to see when it is working hours over there.
• Warn the recipient. For anything personal, a short phone call or an email saying "a fax is coming" lets someone stand by the machine.
• Add a cover sheet. A one-line cover sheet with your name, the recipient and the page count helps a busy office route the pages. Our cover-page generator is free.
• Write in German when it helps. Many recipients understand English, but an administrative desk handles German faster.

What if it fails?

A fax can fail for reasons that have nothing to do with you: the machine is out of paper, someone is using the line, or the organization has moved to a different channel. The status page explains which stage was reached, and this guide to delivery evidence explains how to interpret the result. After two failed attempts, phone the organization and ask whether the fax number still works.

Frequently asked questions

Do I dial 011 49 or +49?

Either. 011 is the exit code used from the United States and Canada (most of Europe uses 00), and + is the universal shorthand on a cell phone. From the form you do neither: you pick the country.

Is the zero ever kept?

Only inside Germany. A few corporate numbers are written with a (0) in brackets, such as +49 (0) 30 9042 6718. The bracket tells you the zero is for domestic dialing and is omitted from abroad.

Can I fax a German authority this way?

You can send to its fax number, but check whether that office still accepts faxes and whether a secure electronic channel is preferred. When in doubt, ask. The Germany destination page gives the format and sample numbers.

What does it cost?

One page is free; longer documents have a single price. See pricing.

Key points

• International prefix, then 49, then the area code without its zero, then the number.
• In the form, choose Germany and type the national number; the prefix is added for you.
• Never use a cell number or an extension as the fax number.
• Check office hours and phone ahead when the document is sensitive.