Fax US government offices on a business day between 8 AM and 5 PM in the recipient's local time zone, and avoid federal holidays. Some offices switch fax machines off in the evening, so late faxes may not get through. With SendFaxFast (sendfaxfast.com) you can schedule the fax for office hours and get a delivery report by email.
At a glance
| Safest window | Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM recipient's local time |
| Avoid | Evenings after about 6–7 PM, weekends, federal holidays |
| Deadlines | Send at least one business day early; keep the delivery report |
| Tool | SendFaxFast scheduler – send now or at a set date and time |
| Price | From $2.49 per fax, no subscription |
Why timing matters for a fax
A fax is only delivered if a machine or fax server answers at the other end. Some agencies receive faxes on servers that run around the clock. Others use physical machines in an office that may be switched off, out of paper, or busy at peak times. From the outside you usually can't tell which is which.
The SendFaxFast send form warns about this: government offices and doctors' practices often switch off their fax machines after 6–7 PM, so the form recommends sending between 8 AM and 5 PM. If a fax fails anyway, the system waits and retries automatically, and you get a full refund if it can't be delivered.
US time zones: whose 9 AM is it?
Always think in the recipient's time zone, not yours. A fax from Los Angeles at 4 PM reaches a New York office at 7 PM – possibly after the machine has been turned off.
| Time zone | Example states | 9 AM there is … in New York |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | New York, Florida, Georgia, Ohio | 9 AM |
| Central (CT) | Texas, Illinois, Missouri | 10 AM |
| Mountain (MT) | Colorado, Utah, Arizona* | 11 AM |
| Pacific (PT) | California, Washington, Oregon | 12 PM |
| Alaska (AKT) | Alaska | 1 PM |
| Hawaii-Aleutian (HT) | Hawaii | 2–3 PM |
How to tell where a federal unit sits: the address on your letter or form usually names the city (for example Austin, TX or Andover, MA on an IRS notice). Use that city's time zone.
Federal holidays to avoid (rest of 2026)
Federal offices are closed on federal holidays. Faxes may arrive but often sit unread until the next business day.
| Holiday | Date in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Columbus Day | Monday, October 12 |
| Veterans Day | Wednesday, November 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, November 26 |
| Christmas Day | Friday, December 25 |
Agency by agency: what to keep in mind
- IRS: fax numbers depend on the form and processing location. A CP2000 response goes to the location printed on your notice. See IRS fax numbers by form.
- Social Security (SSA): there is no national SSA fax number. Local offices have their own numbers – use your letter or the SSA Office Locator, and send during that office's local hours. See the SSA directory page.
- VA, Medicare (CMS), FEMA, OPM: central intake units. Use the number for your exact purpose from the directory.
- State unemployment offices such as New York DOL, California EDD and Texas TWC: send in that state's time zone.
Faxing before a deadline
Fax is fast, but don't plan for the last minute:
- Send at least one business day before the deadline, during office hours.
- Check the page count before paying – 1–5 pages $2.49, 6–20 pages $3.49, 21–40 pages $4.99.
- Keep the delivery report that SendFaxFast emails you, plus a copy of the exact pages.
- Follow up by phone or online account if you don't hear back within the time the agency gives on its letter.
How to schedule a fax for office hours
- Open sendfaxfast.com and upload your PDF, JPG or PNG.
- Choose +1 and enter the fax number from the directory or your letter.
- Turn on "Schedule sending" and choose the date and time. It must be at least 15 minutes in the future. Check the time zone shown on screen and convert to the recipient's office hours.
- Pay once. A confirmation email arrives right away, and the delivery report follows after sending.
Pricing
| Pages | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| 1–5 pages | $2.49 |
| 6–20 pages | $3.49 |
| 21–40 pages | $4.99 |
| 41–100 pages | from $6.24 |
Prices in USD. One-time payment. No subscription required.
Frequently asked questions
What time should I fax the IRS?
On a business day between 8 AM and 5 PM in the time zone of the IRS unit you're faxing. Avoid federal holidays and late evenings.
Can I send a fax to a government office at night?
You can, but it's riskier. Some offices switch off their fax machines in the evening. Schedule the fax for the next morning instead.
Does a fax sent on a holiday arrive?
It may be received, but it usually isn't read until the next business day. If the machine is off, it fails – SendFaxFast then retries and refunds you if delivery isn't possible.
Can I schedule a fax with SendFaxFast?
Yes. In the recipient step, turn on "Schedule sending" and pick a date and time at least 15 minutes ahead.