Guides Faxing the IRS

How to confirm a fax was received

By Or Barda, founder of HonestFax4 min read

You sent the fax, and now an office says they can't find it. Or you just want proof before a deadline. Here is what a fax confirmation actually tells you, and how to get one you can rely on.

What "delivered" means

A fax is a phone call between two fax machines (or fax services). When every page goes through, the receiving side confirms each page as it arrives. That handshake is what a fax confirmation is based on.

So a delivered fax means: the machine or service at that number accepted every page. It doesn't mean a person has read it yet, or that it reached the right desk inside the office.

What a good confirmation shows

Whatever you use to send, look for these details:

  • The number it was sent to. One wrong digit is the most common reason a fax "disappears".
  • Date and time it went through.
  • Number of pages sent, compared with the number you meant to send.
  • The result. Delivered, or the reason it failed.
  • The pages themselves. The best proof is a copy of exactly what was transmitted, not just a status line.

How to check in HonestFax

  1. Open the Sent tab. Every fax is listed with its status: Sending, Retrying, Delivered, or Failed.
  2. While a fax is on its way, the send screen shows each step: uploading, dialing, transmitting. You can leave the app; with notifications on, you get one when it's done.
  3. Delivered means every page was accepted by the fax machine at that number.
  4. Tap a fax to open the exact pages that were transmitted, as a PDF. If an office says a page is missing or unreadable, this is what you show them.

If a fax can't be delivered, the send screen says why (busy line, no answer, not a fax number), Sent shows it as failed, and your credits come back automatically. See why a fax fails, and how to fix it.

The office says they never got it

A delivered fax that "never arrived" is usually sitting somewhere on their side. Before you send it again:

  1. Check the number. Compare the number in your Sent list with the one the office gave you, digit by digit.
  2. Ask where faxes land. Many offices receive faxes into an email inbox or a shared folder, not a machine. Ask them to check there, and to search for the time you sent it.
  3. Give them the details. Tell them the date, time and page count from your confirmation. That makes it much easier to find.
  4. Send it again with a cover sheet that names the person it's for. It helps the fax reach the right desk. See what to put on a fax cover sheet.
  5. Call to confirm for anything with a deadline. A one-minute call is the only way to know a person has it in hand.

When you need proof for a deadline

For applications, claims or legal deadlines, keep:

  • the confirmation with date, time, number and page count, and
  • a copy of the pages you sent.

In HonestFax both are in the Sent tab for as long as you keep the fax in your history. If you need a copy outside the app, take a screenshot of the status and the pages.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a confirmation page like a fax machine prints? Fax machines print a transmission report with the number, time, pages and result. A fax app shows the same details on screen, and HonestFax also keeps the pages that were transmitted.

Does "delivered" mean they read it? No. It means their fax machine or fax service accepted every page. Only the recipient can tell you it was read.

How long does it take for a fax to arrive? Usually under a minute per page. A busy line can add a few minutes while the fax is retried. More in is a fax received immediately?

Is it safe to send the same fax twice? Yes, if the first one failed. If it was delivered, ask the office to check their side first, so they don't end up with two copies of a form.