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Home > Guides > Faxing lab orders
Yes. Many labs publish a fax line just for requisitions, and some clinics fax the order ahead so you do not have to bring the paper form. Labs cannot run tests without a requisition, but a faxed copy counts. Bring your health card or ID regardless, and confirm any fasting instructions with the ordering clinician.
Here is how it usually plays out, in three short steps:
A faxed lab order is only useful if it is complete. A smudged page missing the doctor's signature will bounce, and you will be the one sent back to the clinic. Labs generally require all of the following:
| Field | Why the lab needs it | Common failure |
|---|---|---|
| Your full name and date of birth | Identity match before any needle comes out | Nickname on the form that does not match your ID |
| Health card or insurance number | Billing and eligibility | Old card number after a renewal |
| Ordering provider's name and signature | Proves a clinician actually ordered the tests | Form printed but never signed |
| The specific tests ordered | The lab cannot guess; "bloodwork" is not an order | Checkbox marks too faint to read after faxing |
| Diagnosis or reason codes | Some tests need a documented reason for coverage | Left blank, so the claim may be denied |
| Provider's contact and fax number | So the lab knows where to send results | Results routed to the wrong office |
Usually the ordering office, not you. A requisition is a clinician's order, and labs prefer it arriving from the doctor's fax number: that is part of how they trust it is real. Some walk-in and telehealth clinics fax requisitions directly to the big national labs (LifeLabs, Dynacare, Alpha Labs, and their US equivalents) as a matter of routine. But nothing stops you from faxing your own copy of a signed requisition if the lab says it accepts patient-sent faxes: call first, because some labs only register orders that come from the provider. One practical note: requisitions expire. In Canada they are typically single-use and valid for about six months from issue, so faxing one in January for a September blood draw will not work.
Ask for the confirmation before you travel. When you fax something yourself, keep the transmission report: it shows the number dialed, the page count, and whether the send completed. When the clinic sends it, ask them to confirm the lab acknowledged it, especially if your tests are time-sensitive (fasting glucose, timed drug levels, anything your treatment depends on). If the fax went astray, do not assume a second fax fixes the day: call the lab's collection site, give your name and date of birth, and ask whether they have your order on file before you drive over. And remember the expiry rule: a requisition that is old or already used once is as good as no requisition at all.
Ready to fax it? Fax with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and it is sent.
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