Faxing a landline in Germany
Fax a German landline from your browser. Area codes, number length, time zone and office hours explained. First page free, €3.99 from 2 pages.
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Germany has a reputation for holding on to the fax, and in doctors' medical offices, small firms and some offices the reputation is deserved. This page lets you send a document to a German landline without owning a machine or opening an account.
German area codes vary in length, which surprises many visitors. Berlin's code is 030 and Munich's is 089; Hamburg has 040, Frankfurt 069, Cologne 0221 and Stuttgart 0711, and small towns can have five-digit codes. Type the number with its leading 0, then the code, then the subscriber number. Direct-dial extensions can be added at the end.
Numbers starting with 015, 016 or 017 are cell phones and cannot receive a fax; codes beginning with 01 are rejected altogether. If a number comes in an international style such as +49 30 1234567, drop the +49 and put the 0 back before the 30.
A single page is free and longer documents cost a flat €3.99. Germany is on Central European Time, and most offices work early, from eight until five, with many medical offices closing at midday on Wednesdays or Fridays. From the United States, the form handles the international prefix (011) for you. Berlin is six hours ahead of New York.
Germany fax numbers: how to enter them
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dial code | +49 |
| ISO code | DE |
| Numbers accepted | Leading 0, area code starting with 2 to 9, then the subscriber number: 6 to 11 digits in all after the 0; cell phones (01xx) are refused |
| Example number | 03012345678 |
| Region | Central Europe |
Germany: what we accept and what we reject
| Number typed | Result | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 030 1234567 | Accepted | Berlin |
| 089 12345678 | Accepted | Munich, eight-digit subscriber number |
| 0711 123456-99 | Accepted | Stuttgart, with a two-digit extension |
| 0151 23456789 | Rejected | Cell phone number, which no fax can reach |
| 30 1234567 | Rejected | The leading 0 is left out |
| 49 30 1234567 | Rejected | Country code typed without a + or 00 |
Area codes for 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 takes faxes?
- Surgeries, care homes and laboratories regularly receive referral slips, certificates and prescriptions by fax.
- Some city halls and agencies still list a fax number for forms from residents who have no online access.
- Tradespeople, workshops and wholesalers use fax for order confirmations, delivery notes and quotes.
- Insurance agents and housing administrators handle signed forms and damage reports by fax in daily routine.
We don’t list organizations’ fax numbers. Take the number from a recent letter or from the recipient’s official site.
The official online alternative
Germany rolled out digital channels one profession at a time: the beA mailbox for attorneys, the eBO mailbox for citizens and organizations writing to courts, ELSTER for tax returns, KIM for secure messaging among healthcare providers, and the BundID account that opens many online services.
All of these require prior registration and usually an electronic identity, so they work only when both sender and recipient are enrolled. A fax stays available to anyone who has not signed up for any of them.
Germany: time zone and business hours
| Time zone | Central European Time |
|---|---|
| Gap with Paris | UTC+1 (UTC+2 during daylight saving time) |
| Typical business hours | Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. local |
Germany: common questions
- Why do German area codes have different lengths?
- Large cities have short area codes (030 for Berlin) and small towns longer ones (up to five digits after the 0), with a shorter subscriber number in the second case. The form accepts anything from 6 to 11 digits following the leading 0.
- Do I keep the 0 when I choose Germany?
- Yes. Type the number as you would dial it inside Germany, with the leading 0, for example 030 1234567. Do not add +49.
- Can I fax a German cell phone?
- No. Cell phone numbers begin with 015, 016 or 017 and cannot receive a fax. The form refuses any number starting with 01 before you pay.
Send a fax to Germany
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Keep exploring
A few pages that go well with the one you just read.
- Pick a country to see its dial code and the number format we expect, then send your fax to a landline.
- Look up a country’s code, its usual prefixes and how long its numbers are before you fax across a border.
- Choose the country, type the number, and find out at once whether it is ready to use.
- The current time where your recipient works, and the hours when every office is staffed together.
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