By Alexey Spasskiy · Published April 11, 2026 · Updated June 8, 2026 · 8 min read
Quick Answer: USPS post offices do not offer public fax services. The handful of exceptions are unofficial and unreliable. Your nearest in-person option is The UPS Store, FedEx Office, or Staples — all within a few miles of most post offices. For the fastest route, skip the trip and fax directly from your phone with mFax.to in under 2 minutes.
Many people head to their local post office hoping to send a fax — it seems logical. Post offices handle mail and documents, so why not fax? The answer is frustrating: USPS does not offer fax services at the vast majority of its 31,000+ locations across the United States.
This guide explains exactly why post office faxing isn't a thing, how to find the nearest real alternative, what you'll pay, and how to fax from your phone without the trip.
Does the Post Office Offer Fax Services?
No. USPS does not operate a nationwide public fax program. Most post office locations have fax machines for internal administrative use — scheduling, interdepartmental communication — but those machines are not accessible to customers.
A small number of individual branches in rural areas may informally fax a document as a courtesy, but:
- There is no official policy authorizing this
- There is no published pricing
- Availability is not listed anywhere on the USPS website
- Calling ahead gives no guarantee the clerk will agree to help
Do not drive to the post office expecting to fax. You'll likely make a wasted trip.
PostalAnnex ≠ Post Office
Many people confuse private postal stores — PostalAnnex, Postal Connections, "Goin' Postal," and similar franchises — with official USPS post offices. These private businesses do offer fax services, printing, and mailbox rental. They look similar from the outside but are entirely separate companies. If a Google result says "postal store near me has fax," verify it's a private store, not a USPS branch.
Why USPS Doesn't Fax Anymore
Post offices in the U.S. did offer fax services during the late 1980s and 1990s, alongside postal services in other countries. As email replaced fax as the standard business communication tool through the early 2000s, demand dropped sharply. USPS — already under financial pressure — stopped maintaining fax infrastructure for public use.
The result: the equipment was repurposed for internal use or removed entirely. By the mid-2000s, in-person faxing had moved entirely to private copy centers like Kinko's (now FedEx Office), The UPS Store, and Staples.
Which Stores Near You Do Offer Fax Service?
Here's a clear breakdown of who faxes and who doesn't:
The three most reliable chains for walk-in faxing are The UPS Store, FedEx Office, and Staples. All three are widespread and consistently stocked with fax machines.
CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and USPS post offices do not offer public fax services — despite common assumptions.
Post Office Fax Pricing: What Alternatives Actually Charge
Since USPS has no fax service, here's what you'll pay at the stores that do:
| Location | Local (First Page) | Local (Each Additional) | International (First Page) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The UPS Store | $2.00 | $1.50 | $3.00–$5.00 |
| FedEx Office | $1.89 | $1.59 | $5.99 |
| Staples | $1.79 | $1.59 | $5.99 |
| PostalAnnex | ~$1.50–$2.00 | ~$1.00–$1.50 | Varies by location |
| Library | $0.50–$1.50 | $0.50–$1.00 | Rarely available |
| mFax.to (online) | $6.99/week unlimited | Included | Included |
Prices vary by location and are subject to change. Always confirm at the counter before handing over your documents.
The Hidden Cost of Driving
A 10-page national fax at FedEx Office costs roughly $17. Add 30–45 minutes of travel time and parking, and the real cost is closer to $25–$30. Use the calculator below to compare your specific situation.
Retail Fax Cost Calculator
How to Find the Nearest Fax Location
If you need to fax in person, here's how to find a location quickly:
Try The UPS Store first
Go to theupsstore.com/tools/find-a-store and enter your ZIP code. Filter for "Business Services" and look for the fax icon. Most UPS Store locations offer faxing — but call ahead to confirm the machine is working.
Check FedEx Office
Open local.fedex.com and search your ZIP code. FedEx Office locations (formerly Kinko's) are self-service and widely available in urban and suburban areas.
Search Staples
Go to stores.staples.com and find a location near you. The Copy & Print center has self-service fax machines. No clerk needed — you operate the machine yourself.
Try your public library
Many public libraries offer fax service at $0.50–$1.50 per page — the cheapest walk-in option. Hours are limited (usually 9am–5pm on weekdays), and not all branches have machines. Call ahead.
Or skip the trip entirely
Download the mFax app on iOS or Android and send from your phone right now. Upload a PDF, enter the fax number, hit Send — done in under 2 minutes. No driving, no per-page fees, no waiting in line.
How to Fax From Your Phone Instead
mFax.to is the fastest alternative to any in-person fax location. Over 5 million users have switched from store faxing to mFax — and the math makes it obvious why.
Install mFax or open the website
Download the mFax app from the App Store or Google Play, or visit mFax.to in your browser. Create a free account in 30 seconds.
Add your document
Import a PDF from your phone's Files, Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox. No PDF? Use the built-in scanner to photograph paper pages — mFax optimizes them for clean fax output automatically.
Add a cover page (optional)
Enter your name, recipient name, date, and a short message. Or use our free fax cover sheet generator to create a professional one in seconds.
Enter the fax number and send
Type the full number in domestic or international format. Hit Send Fax. mFax shows real-time delivery status and emails you a transmission confirmation — no paper receipt to lose.
| Feature | Retail Store (UPS/FedEx/Staples) | mFax.to Online |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $1.79–$5.99 per page | $6.99/week unlimited |
| Setup | Drive to store, wait in line | Download app, 30-second signup |
| Hours | Store hours only | 24/7 |
| Receiving faxes | Not available | Yes — dedicated fax number |
| Confirmation | Paper receipt | Digital + email |
| Privacy | Public environment | Private, encrypted |
| HIPAA-ready | No | Yes |
For a single 5-page local fax, a retail store costs roughly $8–$10 before travel. For $6.99 a week, mFax gives you unlimited faxing — plus the ability to receive faxes on a dedicated number.
Preparing Your Document Before You Go
Whether you're using a retail store or mFax, a well-prepared document sends on the first try:
- Use PDF format — universal, layout-preserving, compatible with every fax machine and online service
- Convert to black and white — faxes convert to grayscale anyway; sending B&W reduces file size and transmission errors
- Check your margins — text and signatures too close to the edge may be cut off by older machines
- Combine multi-page documents into one PDF — avoids skipped pages
- Double-check the fax number — read it digit by digit before sending; a wrong number means a wasted transmission (and at retail stores, you'll still pay for it)
- Add a cover page — include sender, recipient, date, and page count; use our free cover sheet generator
Privacy and Security Considerations
In-store faxing at public retail locations carries real privacy risks:
- Other customers can see what you're scanning at the glass
- Documents accidentally left on the scanner are a common issue
- Standard fax over PSTN is not encrypted in transit
- Store staff may handle your pages before or after transmission
Faxing Medical or Legal Documents?
If you're sending protected health information (PHI), legal contracts, or financial records, a public retail fax machine is not the right tool. Use a HIPAA-compliant encrypted service. mFax Business includes encryption, audit logs, and a signed BAA — and lets you build your own plan, picking the exact seats and pages you need instead of locking into a fixed tier, starting at about $9/mo (billed annually).
Compare Other Walk-In Fax Locations
Since the post office isn't an option, here are our detailed guides for every major fax location:
- Fax at The UPS Store — most widespread, $2.00 first page
- Fax at FedEx Office — self-service machines, $1.89 first page
- Fax at Staples — Copy & Print center, $1.79 first page
- Fax at CVS — CVS does not offer fax service
- Can You Fax at Walgreens? — Walgreens does not offer fax service
- Fax at the Library — cheapest in-person option, limited hours
The Bottom Line
The post office is a great place to mail a package. It is not a place to send a fax.
USPS has not operated a public fax service for decades, and that's unlikely to change. The good news: better options are everywhere. The UPS Store, FedEx Office, and Staples are reliable fallbacks. And for most people, mFax.to is faster, cheaper, and more private than any store visit — especially once you factor in driving time and per-page costs.
Send your fax now with mFax → — no lines, no trip, no waiting.