How to Fax Your Absentee Ballot From Anywhere in the World
If your state takes a ballot by fax, you can send it online from any country, with no fax machine. This is a plain, nonpartisan guide. Your state and county set the rules, and each state’s page links them.
10 pages free every month · No fax machine · Works from any country
The free government fax relay ended in 2025
For years the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) ran a free email-to-fax relay (fax@fvap.gov) that overseas and military voters used to fax their ballots. It was discontinued on August 1, 2025. Voters who choose to return a ballot by fax now send it directly to their election office with their own fax tool.
FaxTerra is one way to do that online from anywhere. It is your choice, and FVAP’s guidance and your state’s rules always come first.
Find your state
Each state page says whether a faxed ballot is accepted, lists your county's ballot fax with a number to call first, and links the official instructions.
Of the 50 states, D.C., and 5 territories, 28 take a voted ballot by fax, 11 of them only from some voters. 18 do not, and 10 do not say either way.
D.C. and territories
Rules change between elections. Each state page quotes the state’s own instructions and links them; follow them where they differ.
How to fax your ballot
If your state takes a faxed ballot and you choose to use it, here is the process end to end.
Request and receive your ballot
Register and request your ballot as an overseas or military voter (the Federal Post Card Application) through FVAP.gov or your state. States send the ballot no later than 45 days before a federal election.
Check your state's rule and find your line
Your state's page says whether it takes a faxed ballot, under what condition, what goes in the fax, and your county's ballot fax where one is published.
Call to confirm, then fax
Call your election office to confirm the ballot fax number. Then upload your voted ballot and any oath or cover sheet your state requires, enter the number, and send.
Keep your confirmation
Save the delivery confirmation as your record that the pages were transmitted. If your state also asks for the paper original by mail, send that too.
Curious where faxed ballots come from? See the research map of the countries and states ballots were sent from over the last 30 days.
“…it recognized my county precinct’s fax number right away, showed the connection attempt, tracked the live transmission progress, and gave me a clear delivery confirmation. Seeing that step-by-step confirmation for something as critical as a ballot was a huge relief.”
What it costs
Every account gets 10 free pages a month, and a page to a US fax number counts as one. A ballot packet of up to 10 pages sends free, with no credit card.
Free pages reset on the 1st. If a second ballot in the same month takes you past 10 pages, a Lite pack covers it, with no subscription.
Some states fax the blank ballot on request. To receive it you need a fax number of your own. A One-Time Fax Number is $14.99 once and receives for 90 days, with 50 pages. Starter is $4.99 a month. A ballot sent to you by email needs neither.
Common questions
Can I return my absentee ballot by fax from overseas?
It depends on your state. Of the 50 states, D.C., and 5 territories, 28 take a voted ballot by fax, 11 of them only from some voters. 18 do not, and 10 do not say either way. Your state's page says which, quoting the state's own instructions, and lists your county's ballot fax where the state publishes one.
Where is a faxed ballot accepted?
Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia. Some of these take a faxed ballot only from some voters, such as military voters in a hostile fire area; each state's page leads with its condition.
The free FVAP fax service stopped. What do I use now?
The U.S. government's free email-to-fax relay (fax@fvap.gov) was discontinued on August 1, 2025. Voters who choose to fax now send directly to their county election office using their own fax tool. FaxTerra is one option: you can fax a U.S. county office online from any country, with no fax machine. FaxZero and Fax.Plus are other commonly used services. Whichever you use, follow your state's official instructions.
Is it free to fax my ballot?
With FaxTerra a ballot packet of up to 10 pages sends free, with no credit card. Free pages reset on the 1st of each month. If a second ballot in the same month takes you past 10 pages, a Lite pack is $1.99 for 10 pages, with no subscription.
Do I need a fax machine or my own fax number to send my ballot?
Neither. To send a ballot by fax you only need to upload your pages and enter your election office's fax number. A number of your own matters only if you want your state to fax you the blank ballot.
How do I find my county election office's fax number?
Open your state's page from the directory on this page. Where the state's directory publishes a ballot fax line for your county, it is in your county's row, with the office phone beside it. Call that number before you send: fax lines change, and an office's general fax is not always its ballot line.
Is faxing my ballot private?
Your ballot carries your name and your choices, so handle it carefully. FaxTerra is a U.S.-based service: your document is uploaded over an encrypted connection and transmitted to the number you enter, and sensitive details (like the cover message and your IP) are automatically purged on a schedule. We do not put ads on your fax or sell your documents. Some states ask you to waive the secrecy of a faxed ballot; your state's page says so where it does.
Does faxing work if I live outside the U.S.?
Yes. A U.S. county election office has a U.S. fax number, and sending to it works from any country. Delivery depends on the destination line, not on where you are.
Worldwide sending
A U.S. election office is a U.S. fax number. Sending to it works from anywhere; delivery depends on the destination line.
Private by default
Uploaded over an encrypted connection, never put behind ads, never sold, and sensitive details are purged on a schedule.
Delivery confirmation
You get a confirmation when your fax is transmitted, your record that the pages went through.
This guide is nonpartisan and for information only. FaxTerra serves all overseas and military voters and does not support or oppose any party or candidate. We do not recommend electronic ballot return over other methods; we explain how to fax where a voter’s state permits it. Eligibility, requirements, and deadlines are set by your state and county. Last updated September 30, 2026.
- "They sent the fax absolutely free. Kudos!" · Dan
- "No credit card required" · Rob
- "Receive faxes reliably, all for a great price" · R.A.
Fax your ballot
Upload the pages from your phone or computer, enter your election office's fax number, and send. 10 pages a month free, no credit card.
Filing US paperwork from abroad year-round? See how a US fax number works from any country.