By Michael Chen · Published April 30, 2026 · Updated June 8, 2026 · 8 min read
Sending a fax internationally sounds complicated — exit codes, country codes, area codes, and time zone math before you even click Send. In reality, once you understand the two-part formula (dialing format + the right service), you can fax internationally in under two minutes from your phone or computer, at a fraction of what a physical fax machine would cost.
This guide covers every step: how to format the number, which method is cheapest, the mistakes that cause 90% of failed sends, and what to know about time zones, compliance, and receiving faxes from abroad.
What You Need to Fax Internationally
You need three things:
- The document — a PDF is the universal standard. If you have a Word file, image, or other format, convert it first (our free document converter handles this at no cost).
- The recipient's full international fax number — local formats will not work. You need the country code, area code (without its leading zero), and local number. More on this below.
- A fax service that supports international sending — a traditional fax machine incurs high per-minute international call charges. An online fax service like mFax.to routes the same fax digitally for a fraction of the cost.
Skip the fax machine
The average 5-page international fax costs $15–$50 in phone charges on a traditional line. The same send via an online fax service typically costs under $1. See our international fax rates guide for a full country breakdown.
The International Fax Number Format
The single most important thing to get right is the number format. A single wrong digit — or a leftover leading zero — means your fax goes nowhere (or worse, to the wrong recipient).
The universal format:
+ [Country Code] [Area Code without leading zero] [Local Number]
Example — faxing a London office from the US:
| Component | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Country Code | +44 | United Kingdom |
| Area Code | 20 | London — the local format is 020, drop the leading zero |
| Local Number | 1234 5678 | Enter without spaces |
| Full number | +44 20 1234 5678 | Enter this into your fax service |
The + symbol is universally accepted by online fax services and modern fax machines as a shorthand for whatever exit code applies in your country (011 in the US and Canada, 00 in most of Europe and Asia, 0011 in Australia). Always use + format — it removes any ambiguity.
For a complete list of country codes and dialing formats, see our complete international faxing guide.
Quick Country Code Reference
| Country | Country Code | Drop leading zero? | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States / Canada | +1 | No | +1 212 555 1234 |
| United Kingdom | +44 | Yes (020 → 20) | +44 20 7123 4567 |
| Australia | +61 | Yes (02 → 2) | +61 2 9876 5432 |
| Germany | +49 | Yes (030 → 30) | +49 30 12345678 |
| France | +33 | Yes (01 → 1) | +33 1 42 86 82 00 |
| Japan | +81 | Yes (03 → 3) | +81 3 1234 5678 |
| China | +86 | Yes (010 → 10) | +86 10 1234 5678 |
| Mexico | +52 | No | +52 55 1234 5678 |
| India | +91 | Yes (011 → 11) | +91 11 2345 6789 |
| Brazil | +55 | Yes (011 → 11) | +55 11 1234 5678 |
The #1 mistake: keeping the leading zero
Most failed international faxes come from entering +44 020 ... instead of +44 20 .... The leading zero is a domestic trunk prefix — it does not exist at the international level. Always remove it.
How to Fax Internationally: Step-by-Step
The easiest method is an online fax service. Here is the full process using mFax.to:
Prepare your document
Save your document as a PDF. This ensures correct formatting across international printers and machines. If your document is a Word file, image, or another format, use the free mFax document converter to convert it before sending. A4 (210×297mm) page size is the standard in Europe, Asia, and Australia — use A4 if your recipient is outside the US or Canada.
Sign in or open the mFax app
Open mFax.to in your browser or launch the mFax app on your iPhone or Android. If you don't have an account, you can send immediately with a pay-per-fax option — no monthly commitment required.
Upload your document
Tap or click the upload area and select your PDF. mFax supports multi-page documents — you can attach several files and they will be merged into one fax transmission automatically.
Enter the international fax number
Type the recipient's number using the +[country code][local number] format. For example: +44 20 7123 4567 for a London office. Do not include the exit code (011, 00, 0011) — just the + and the country code. Spaces and dashes are ignored, so enter the number however it is easiest to read.
Add a cover sheet (recommended)
International faxes — especially for legal, medical, or financial purposes — should include a cover sheet with sender name, recipient name, and a confidentiality notice. Use the free mFax cover sheet generator to create one in seconds.
Send and save your confirmation
Click Send. mFax routes the fax digitally to the destination country. Once delivered, you receive a timestamped delivery confirmation. Save this receipt — it is your proof of delivery for audit or legal purposes.
Sending from a Traditional Fax Machine
If you are using a physical fax machine, the number format is slightly different — you enter the exit code for your country instead of +:
| Sending from | Exit Code | Example (to London +44 20 ...) |
|---|---|---|
| USA / Canada | 011 | 011 44 20 7123 4567 |
| UK / Germany / France | 00 | 00 44 20 7123 4567 |
| Australia | 0011 | 0011 44 20 7123 4567 |
| Japan | 010 | 010 44 20 7123 4567 |
Traditional fax machines are still capable of sending internationally, but call charges make them expensive — and slow. A 10-page document to Europe can take 5–10 minutes of international line time at $2–$15 per minute.
5 Common Mistakes That Cause Failed International Faxes
1. Keeping the leading zero in the area code.
+44 020 1234 5678 is wrong. +44 20 1234 5678 is correct. This single error accounts for the majority of failed international transmissions.
2. Using the wrong exit code.
The exit code depends on where you are sending from, not where you're sending to. Dialing 00 from a US machine does not work — that machine expects 011.
3. Sending at the wrong time. A fax machine that is switched off, in energy-saving mode, or busy cannot receive. If you're sending from the US to Japan during your business day (9am ET), it's already midnight in Tokyo. Schedule delivery for the recipient's morning.
4. Sending high-density color documents. Fax transmits in black-and-white at 200 dpi. Colored text, gray backgrounds, and small fonts lose contrast in transit. Convert your document to high-contrast black and white before sending.
5. Sending large documents in one batch. International routing adds latency. Documents over 30 pages may exceed fax session timeout limits and fail mid-transmission. Split long documents into batches of 20–25 pages per send.
Time Zones: When to Send
Fax machines and VoIP fax adapters must be powered on and not busy to receive. Sending outside the recipient's business hours (typically 9am–6pm local time) risks a failed delivery or a document that sits unread until the next day.
| Destination | Local Business Hours | Send from US Eastern |
|---|---|---|
| UK (GMT/BST) | 9am–6pm | 4am–1pm ET |
| Germany / France (CET/CEST) | 9am–6pm | 3am–12pm ET |
| India (IST, UTC+5:30) | 9am–6pm | 11:30pm–8:30am ET (previous day) |
| Japan / Korea (UTC+9) | 9am–6pm | 8pm–5am ET (previous evening) |
| Australia East (UTC+10/11) | 9am–5pm | 6pm–3am ET (previous evening) |
| Mexico (CST/CDT) | 9am–6pm | 10am–7pm ET |
| Brazil (BRT, UTC-3) | 9am–6pm | 7am–4pm ET |
Tip: Most online fax services offer scheduled sending. Compose the fax now and schedule it to arrive at 10am the recipient's local time — you never have to stay up until 2am to reach Tokyo.
Receiving International Faxes
Your existing fax number — physical or virtual — can receive international faxes. The sender simply dials your full international number in their country's dialing format.
However, this creates a cost problem for your overseas contacts: calling your US number from Europe means paying international rates (or at least dialing the full international string). The solution is a local international number.
Online fax services let you provision a local fax number in a foreign country. For example:
- Get a
+49 30Berlin number so German clients dial locally - All incoming faxes arrive in your email inbox as PDF attachments, regardless of where you are
mFax.to includes virtual fax number options in its plans. Services like eFax and Fax.Plus offer local numbers in 180–200+ countries.
Compliance: HIPAA and GDPR
If your international fax contains sensitive data — patient records, financial information, personal data — compliance is non-negotiable.
HIPAA (US Healthcare): Faxing Protected Health Information (PHI) internationally is permitted under HIPAA, but you must use a service with a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA), always verify the recipient number before sending, and keep delivery confirmations as audit records. Learn more in our HIPAA compliant fax guide.
GDPR (EU/UK): Several German and Austrian data protection authorities have ruled that unencrypted fax is inadequate for transmitting sensitive personal data under GDPR. Use an online fax service that offers end-to-end encryption and GDPR-compliant data processing if you are sending personal data to or from EU/UK recipients.
One wrong digit = a potential data breach
Under both HIPAA and GDPR, delivering sensitive documents to the wrong fax number is a reportable incident. Always verify the international number with the recipient before sending sensitive documents for the first time.
Other regional laws to know:
- China (PIPL): Strict requirements govern personal data leaving China. Verify compliance before faxing personal data out of China.
- India (DPDP Act): India's 2023 data protection law applies to cross-border transfers of personal data.
- Brazil (LGPD): Similar to GDPR — cross-border data transfers require appropriate safeguards.
The Cheapest Way to Fax Internationally
You have four options, ranked by cost:
| Method | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Online fax subscription | $0.05–$0.20/page | Regular international senders |
| Pay-per-fax (no subscription) | ~$5 flat per send | Occasional one-off sends |
| Retail store (FedEx, UPS) | $3–$6 first page + $1–$3 each additional | No internet access |
| Traditional fax machine | $2–$15/minute in call charges | Legacy setups only |
For anyone who faxes internationally more than once a month, an online fax subscription pays for itself after the first or second send. mFax.to offers pay-per-fax and subscription options — no fax machine, no dedicated phone line, works from any phone or browser.
Send Your International Fax Now
Faxing internationally does not require expensive hardware or complicated setup. Format the number correctly, use an online fax service, and send from wherever you are.
Try mFax.to — upload your document, enter the international number, and send in under 2 minutes. Over 5 million users rely on mFax for fast, reliable fax delivery worldwide.
For business teams sending internationally on a regular basis, mFax Business gives you virtual international fax numbers, HIPAA compliance features, team accounts, and full delivery audit trails — starting at about $9/mo (billed annually). Rather than forcing you into a fixed tier, mFax lets you build your own plan with a live calculator, dialing in the exact seats and pages your team needs and paying only for what you use.