What is a dedicated fax number?
A dedicated fax number is a phone number that belongs to one practice and is used only for faxes. Every Fax Pigeon plan includes your own number, and every plan carries a signed BAA.
A dedicated fax number is a phone number that belongs to one practice and is used only for faxes. A practice that receives faxes on a number of its own meets the definition, and every Fax Pigeon plan includes your own number.
How does a dedicated fax number work?
A dedicated fax number is the practice's address for faxes, and every fax that arrives on it belongs to that practice. Senders dial the number to reach the practice.
The same number carries the practice's outgoing faxes, so the receiver sees that number in the fax header and can call back the right office. The number stays the same while the account stays open.
Referral sources and insurers can keep one number on file and send pages to it.
Does a dedicated fax number matter for HIPAA?
A dedicated fax number brings HIPAA into play through the faxes it receives, which can hold protected health information. The service that receives those faxes handles protected health information on the practice's behalf, so a business associate agreement must be in place first.
A signed BAA comes with every Fax Pigeon account from signup. Before a page with patient information goes out, staff should confirm the recipient's number against the practice's records.
How is a dedicated fax number different from a shared one?
A dedicated fax number belongs to one practice, while a shared fax number is used by several offices or senders at once. With a shared number, a page can reach the wrong office.
- Shared fax number: one number that several offices or services use, so pages for different owners can arrive together.
- Virtual fax number: a number a service hosts for the practice, with no phone line in the office.
For how to pick a number, see how to choose a fax number for a practice. For the setup a private practice needs under HIPAA, see which fax number a private practice needs for HIPAA.
* Fax Pigeon prices and plan terms as of October 16, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a dedicated fax number?
- A dedicated fax number is a phone number that belongs to one practice and is used only for faxes. Every fax sent to it reaches that practice alone. Every Fax Pigeon plan includes your own number, which is a dedicated fax number for the practice.
- How does a dedicated fax number work?
- A dedicated fax number is the practice's address for faxes. Senders dial it to reach the practice, and the same number carries the practice's outgoing faxes, so receivers see it in the header. The number stays the same while the account stays open.
- Does a dedicated fax number matter for HIPAA?
- A dedicated fax number brings HIPAA into play through the faxes it receives, which can hold protected health information. The service that receives those faxes handles protected health information on the practice's behalf, so a business associate agreement must be in place first. Fax Pigeon includes that BAA on every plan.
- Is a dedicated fax number the same as a shared fax number?
- A dedicated fax number and a shared fax number have different owners. A dedicated number belongs to one practice, while a shared number is used by several offices or senders at once. Every Fax Pigeon plan includes your own number, so the practice's faxes arrive on a number of its own.
Fax Pigeon
HIPAA-compliant fax with a signed BAA on every plan
Plans start at $4.99 a month, billed annually, for 200 pages, with your own number and unlimited people. Your first fax is free.
- Free porting of your local number
- Fax from your email
- AI summary of every inbound fax
- E-signatures
- Contact management
- Delivery proof
Know a practice that still faxes? Refer it through the referral program and earn 20% of its plan, every month it stays.