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Fax explained

Cancelling a contract by fax: when it is valid, and how to prove it

A cancellation often comes down to a single day: the end of the notice period or the renewal date. So the channel matters less than the proof it leaves, and than the form the contract requires.

Short answer

In principle, a fax is valid if the contract provides for it or requires no particular form: you must use the method stated in the contract. If it requires a registered letter, a fax does not replace it. Since 1 June 2023, a French consumer contract that can be concluded online must also be cancellable online, in three clicks. If you fax, keep dated proof of the sending.

Cancelling by fax, in four steps

  1. 1

    Read the cancellation clause

    It sets the form (registered letter, in writing, any means), the notice period and the address or number for notification. If the contract was or can be concluded online, also look for the online cancellation button on the provider's website — on French sites it usually carries the word “Résilier” (cancel).

  2. 2

    Check the fax number

    The one the contract, the terms and conditions or customer service designate for cancellations — not a number found elsewhere. A fax sent to the wrong department may be valid on paper and lost in practice.

  3. 3

    Write a complete letter

    Name, address, customer or contract number, a clear intention to cancel, the desired effective date or the reason if one is needed, date and signature. Put any supporting documents required for early cancellation in the same PDF.

  4. 4

    Send it and keep the proof

    Choose the PDF acknowledgment of receipt (€3.99 incl. VAT, charged only if the fax goes out): it dates the transmission to the number entered. File it with the letter you sent, and wait for the provider's written confirmation.

When a fax is not enough

When the contract or the law requires a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, a fax does not replace it: it can only duplicate it, to give notice sooner. According to service-public.gouv.fr, this applies to immediate cancellation when you were not informed of tacit renewal. For broadband or mobile plans, the same site advises a letter, preferably registered; for insurance, the French Insurance Code sets its own methods of notification. This is general information: if in doubt, the contract clause and the service-public.gouv.fr page for your situation prevail.

Frequently asked questions

Can the provider refuse a cancellation by fax?
Yes, if the contract requires another form, such as a registered letter: you must use the method it provides. The rule is different for the right of withdrawal after a distance purchase: any written statement clearly expressing your decision is enough, and the seller cannot require a registered letter.
What is “three-click” cancellation?
Since 1 June 2023, under the French law of 16 August 2022, a business must let you cancel online any consumer contract that can be concluded electronically: a clearly labelled cancellation button (usually worded with “Résilier”), a summary page, then a notification, without having to create an account. It must then confirm receipt and tell you the date the contract ends.
What proof should I keep of a cancellation by fax?
The letter you sent, as a PDF, and the transmission acknowledgment that dates its sending to the number given. The acknowledgment does not reproduce the letter: keeping both together is what shows what was sent and when. Keep them at least until the contract has ended and the last payment has been settled, and for as long as a dispute remains possible.

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