Fax Cover Letter: Definition, Template and Example

Updated July 31, 2023

A woman uses a fax machine to send a cover letter.

Some companies prefer faxed paper copies when receiving professional documents. A fax cover letter introduces the documents in a fax and helps you reach the right person. If you are applying for a new position, and a company states you should fax a resume, you can include a fax cover letter to keep your information organized. In this article, we explain what a fax cover letter is, when you can use one and what to include, along with tips, a template and an example.

What is a fax cover letter?

A fax cover letter is the page you send at the beginning of a fax. It tells your recipient what they'll find in the following documents and how they can contact you.

A fax cover letter, sometimes called a fax cover sheet, differs from a regular cover letter in several important ways. A traditional cover letter goes before your resume, introducing you and your qualifications. A fax cover letter only appears when sending a fax, and it states what information a recipient will find.

When applying for a job using a fax machine, you can include both a fax cover letter and a regular cover letter along with your resume. The order would be: fax cover letter, cover letter then resume.

When do you need a faxing cover letter?

You need a faxing cover letter when sending any professional documents through a fax machine. For example, if a company asks you to fax a signed copy of your contract, you can include a fax cover page letting them know what you are sending and why.

If job posting tells you how to apply for a position, try to follow these guidelines. If a company requires a paper copy of your resume and cover letter, sending them by fax can be quicker than mailing them. A strong fax cover letter can go before you fax to help your job materials make it to your potential employer safely.

Benefits of using a fax cover letter

There are many benefits to using a fax cover letter. When you include a clear cover letter before your documents, you can:

Help your fax reach the right person. Many employees share a fax machine in a common area. With a cover letter, your document is more likely to reach the intended recipient.
Keep information private. You can include a confidential statement in your cover letter to help keep your information safe when sending a private document.
Make it easier for your contact to respond to you. Your recipient may want to contact you with further questions or next steps. A fax cover letter can help them by showing all your contact information.

What is included in a fax cover letter?

A faxing cover letter may include any of the following sections:

Contact info

You can include any relevant contact information such as your name, company, address, phone number and email. This can help your recipient reach you if they need to. When applying for a new position, you can make it easier for a hiring manager to contact you for an interview by having your information organized on the fax cover sheet.

Recipient's name

If you are sending a document to one person, you can address them by name if you know it. When sending a fax to a company or large party, you can use the company name. When applying for a job, you can research the company or check the job posting to see if they list the hiring manager's name. Otherwise, use a general title such as, "Dear Hiring Manager."

Date and number of pages

After the recipient's information, add the date and the number of pages you're sending in your fax. This can help to make sure your recipient receives all of your documents.

Confidentiality statement

If your document contains any confidential information, you can state this at the top of your fax cover letter. If someone picks up your document from the fax machine, they'll see it contains information only for the intended recipient. You can usually skip this section when faxing a resume, unless it includes secure information.

Fax contents

In a few sentences, try to let the recipient know what they'll find in your fax. Your recipient is more likely to read a fax once they know what it contains. If you are sending multiple documents, such as your resume and cover letter, you can use this section to list all the included documents in the order that you're sending them.

Fax purpose

Here, you can tell your recipient why you're sending this fax. This can tell your recipient what you're expecting in terms of response or action. For example, you might need a signature on the documents you're sending. You could tell your recipient this in this section. If you are faxing a resume, you can include the position you are applying for here.

Relevant notes

At the end of your fax cover letter, you can include any other relevant notes. The standard fax notes include:

Urgent
For review
Please comment
Please reply

This section is helpful when sending company documents that need review, but you can usually leave this section out when sending a resume.

Tips for a fax cover letter

Here are some tips for sending a fax cover letter:

Write professionally and clearly

When sending a document to a company or professional contact, try to write your fax cover letter in a polite tone with clear sentences. Fax cover sheets tend to be more formal than other types of communication, such as email. If you're applying for a job, you'll be able to show more of your professional personality in the other documents.

Your recipient will read your fax cover letter before your document. You can help make a strong first impression by writing in a professional, direct way.

Keep it short

Try to keep the fax cover sheet as brief as possible while touching on any relevant information. When applying for a position, you can speak more about your qualifications in your job cover letter and resume that appear after the fax cover sheet.

Check for repeating information

A recipient will probably read your documents immediately after your fax cover letter, so try to check for any repeating information. Because you are listing your contact information at the top of your fax cover letter, it is standard practice to leave a formal signature out. This is only for a fax cover letter. In your job cover letter, include a signature at the end of your message.

Consider business hours

If possible, try to send a fax during business hours so that someone can see it during the day. Some companies may turn off their fax machines after business hours, or a machine may run out of paper when everyone is out of the office. If you send your fax during business hours, it's more likely to reach the correct recipient quickly.

Fax cover letter template

Here's a template you can use for your fax cover letter:

CONFIDENTIAL FAX (optional)

[Your name]
[Optional: your mailing address]
[Your phone number]
[Your email or website]

TO: [Recipient's name]
[Optional: company name]
[Recipient's fax number]

FROM: [Your name]
[Your fax number]

DATE: [Date]
Pages: [Number of pages] (including cover sheet)

REGARDING

[In a sentence or two, you can describe the contents of your fax here. If you are sending multiple documents in one fax, list each one.]

[In the second paragraph, you can tell the recipient why you are sending these documents. If you are sending a document for review or signature, you can mention that here. If you are faxing a resume, you can include a sentence saying you are qualified, but you'll want to talk more about your qualifications in a separate cover letter. You can end this section by saying, "I look forward to hearing from you." ]

[At the bottom of the document, you can mark if your fax is urgent or needs a reply.]

URGENT
FOR REVIEW
PLEASE COMMENT
PLEASE REPLY

Download Cover Letter Template With Example

To upload the template into Google Docs, go to File > Open > and select the correct downloaded file.

Fax cover letter example

If you are faxing a resume and cover letter for a job opening, your fax cover sheet might look something like this:

Bill Haddington 123 Main Street
Austin, Texas 73301
352-766-9873
bhaddington0@email.com

TO: Cathy Ramos
RetailLot
687-726-8476

FROM: Bill Haddington
352-766-9877

DATE: May 1, 2020
Pages: 3 (Including cover sheet)