June 17, 2026
Port your fax number before you cancel
A fax number can only move while the account that holds it is open. The exact sequence for leaving eFax, SRFax, WestFax or any provider without losing the number on your letterhead, what each one charges to release it, and how long a port takes.
Port first, cancel second. A fax number can only be moved while the account that holds it is active. Cancel first and the number can be released to the carrier's pool, where no one can recover it for you. Every year practices lose a number that has been on their letterhead for a decade because they clicked cancel before starting the port. Here is the sequence, and what each provider charges on the way out.
Step 1: Decide whether the number matters
If it is printed on letterhead, filed with payers, listed in provider directories, on your e-prescribing enrollment, or known to referring offices, it matters. Plan to keep it. If it was a temporary number you never gave out, skip the port and take a new number at the new provider.
Step 2: Start the port at the provider you are moving to
Porting is initiated by the new provider, not the old one. You will typically need:
- A recent bill or invoice showing the number and the account holder's name
- A Letter of Authorization, which the new provider prepares for you to sign
- Your account details exactly as the current provider has them on file
At Fax Pigeon, porting in is free on every paid plan: submit the request in Settings, sign the authorization, and we handle the carrier paperwork. Most ports complete in 5 to 15 business days.
Step 3: Wait for the port to complete
Your number keeps working with the old provider until the moment the port lands, so there is no service gap. Do not cancel during this window. When the port completes, faxes to your number arrive at Fax Pigeon automatically.
Step 4: Cancel the old service, and download first
Before you close the account, download anything you may need. Several providers make stored faxes inaccessible the moment an account closes. Then cancel, and ask for written confirmation of the cancellation date.
What the leading providers say about leaving:
| Provider | Releasing your number | Your stored faxes after closing | Refund for the current period |
|---|---|---|---|
| eFax | $40 administrative fee per number, 30 days' notice; miss a condition and eFax "shall remain the customer of record" | Inaccessible once the account is closed | None: "no refund shall be made for that monthly period" |
| SRFax | Terms state "you are not the owner of any SRFax Number" and the number may be allocated to another customer | Not addressed on the cancellation page | Refund of the remaining full months, less usage, within 35 days |
| WestFax | $20 port fee applies to numbers coming in; cancellation is by phone per the terms | Data "may be permanently deleted" on termination; 60-day retention while open | The word refund does not appear in the terms |
| Fax.Plus | Porting free with plan requirements | Retention controls are Enterprise-only | "No refunds for past charges, including the most recent one" |
| Fax Pigeon | Free, either direction | Records kept for the life of your account; cancellation keeps them readable and exportable | Full refund within 72 hours of the first subscription |
Step 5: Update the places your number lives
If you ported, nothing changes for the outside world: same number, new provider. If you took a new number instead, update payer files, provider directories, letterhead, your EHR profile and your e-prescribing enrollment, and tell your top referring offices directly.
What switching gets you
Every Fax Pigeon plan includes a signed BAA, public at , your own number with free porting both ways, an AI summary of every inbound fax, e-signatures, contact management, and a delivery certificate on every fax. Plans start at $4.99 a month billed annually for 200 pages; the full ladder is on the plans section. For eFax specifically, the step-by-step is in How to cancel eFax and keep your fax number.
* Prices, plan terms and quoted policies last verified September 2, 2026, at each provider's own site. Fax Pigeon is not affiliated with eFax, SRFax, WestFax or Fax.
Fax Pigeon
HIPAA-compliant fax with a signed BAA on every plan
Plans from $4.99 a month billed annually with 200 pages, your own number and unlimited people. Higher volumes from $16.99 a month with 1,000 pages; every plan is the whole product, with no per-seat fees. Every paid plan includes the BAA, free number porting, sending a fax by email from the address on your account, an AI summary of each inbound fax, e-signatures, contact management, and a delivery certificate on every fax. The first fax is free.
Know a practice that still faxes? The referral program pays 20% of the plan charges we collect from every practice that joins through your link, every month it stays.