USPS Certified Mail® FAQs

You’ve heard about Certified Mail from the United States Postal Service (USPS) but never used it before. Naturally, you have questions. To help you, we’ve compiled this quick guide, which answers the USPS Certified Mail FAQs business owners have most often about this delivery service.

USPS Certified Mail is like the standard mail service offered by the USPS except with Certified Mail when the mail piece is delivered the recipient signs for it. This provides the sender with proof of delivery, i.e., confirmation that the item was received.

What are the benefits?

The most obvious benefit of Certified Mail is peace of mind. If it’s imperative that you have proof of delivery, Certified Mail provides that. But there are other noteworthy benefits that Certified Mail offers as well.

• Mail tracking: USPS Tracking® enables you to check its delivery status anytime while your item is on its way.
• Personal signature: When your mail piece arrives at its intended destination, the recipient signs for it. This confirmation signature adds an additional layer of legal protection.
• Higher priority: Certified Mail takes 2-5 business days to arrive. However, because it is Certified Mail, it is given higher priority than First Class Mail® or Priority Mail®. This means your item's delivery time is likely closer to 2 days.
• Record of delivery: After your Certified Mail has been delivered, USPS keeps a record of the delivery for 2 years. If, in the future, you need to confirm the date an item was delivered, you can access the electronic delivery confirmation through the USPS website.
• Less expensive than a shipping service: As with most of the services offered by USPS, the cost of Certified Mail is less than if you sent your item using FedEx, UPS, or DHL.

What types of items or scenarios is it for?

The ability of USPS Certified Mail service to provide proof of arrival makes it ideal when you need to send items such as:

• legal notices and documents
• debt or creditor notices
• foreclosure notices
• government communications
• tax returns
• health care records
• compliance documents
• business communications, such as contracts or agreements

Who can use it?

Anyone can use Certified Mail. All you have to do is walk into any USPS post office.

“Approximately 190 million pieces of Certified Mail are mailed annually, according to USPS reports.”

Source: simplecertifiedmail.com

Wondering how to send Certified Mail? It’s a very straightforward process. Here are the steps broken down for you.

• Go to a USPS post office.
• Fill out a Certified Mail Form 3800 (this is more like a Certified Mail label than a form) with the mailing address, return address, and a few other details.
• Peel off the white sticker from the Certified Mail Form 3800 mail label. Adhere it to the envelope or package you’re sending.
• Go to the counter. The post office cashier will review your Certified Mail label, confirm how much you owe, and give you your receipt.
• Your Certified Mail is then sent through the regular mail stream. To confirm this, you will receive a legal proof, which includes the time of mailing.
• If you wish, you can monitor your items' delivery status through the mail stream via the USPS website. This is an online service that's included with Certified Mail. Just use the unique tracking number that is on your Certified Mail label.

How much does it cost to use?

Certified Mail is an extra service you add to a piece of mail sent as First Class Mail or Priority Mail.

As of January 21, 2024, the fee for sending an item using the Certified Mail mailing service is $4.40. Note: this extra service is in addition to the cost of sending your item via First Class Mail or Priority Mail.

Does the sender need to have a USPS account?

No. Anyone can send Certified Mail just by visiting a USPS post office and filling out a Certified Mail label.

Are credit cards accepted for payment?

Yes, Certified Mail service can be purchased at a USPS post office using credit cards such as American Express, MasterCard, or Visa.

Once your item arrives at the mailing address using Certified Mail, a few things will happen that are different from if you had sent your item using First Class Mail or Priority Mail.

How will the recipient know they have received something?

Your Certified Mail item will be hand-delivered to the recipient’s mailing address. Note: the item can not be left in a mailbox at the destination.

What are the signature requirements?

With standard Certified Mail, any person present at the address where the item is being delivered may sign the signature panel of the Certified Mail label.

If you wish to have only the intended recipient sign for it, then you will need to send your item using Restricted Delivery Certified Mail. Restricted Delivery is exactly as it sounds--only the person you specify can sign for the mailed item.

Can it be delivered without a signature?

No. With Certified Mail, mail receipt must always be confirmed with a signature.

What happens if it's not signed for?

If the recipient or any other occupant of the address to the Certified Mail that has been sent is not around to sign, the mail carrier will leave a delivery notice indicating a delivery attempt was made. The delivery notice will tell the person to pick-up the mail item at their local post office, where the letter carrier will return it. If the mail item is not picked up from the post office within 15 days, USPS will return the item to the sender.

What is a Return Receipt (Green Card), and how do they work?

With standard Certified Mail service, once your mail item has reached the delivery address, you receive a mailing receipt confirming the time of delivery. If you would also like confirmation that the intended recipient received the mail item, you can purchase a Return Receipt.

A Return Receipt is a green card you buy as an additional service when you pay for your Certified Mail service. The peel-and-stick Return Receipt is adhered to the back of the item you’re mailing. When the item arrives at its destination, the person signing for it signs the Return Receipt. The Return Receipt is then mailed to you, the sender. This mail receipt provides physical proof that the intended recipient received it.

For most of the mail your business or organization sends, USPS’s First Class Mail or Priority Mail service will be all you need. But on those occasions when you have a time-sensitive or legal document that requires proof of delivery, USPS Certified Mail is the mailing service that makes for a reliable, affordable solution.

However, if your business sends Certified Mail frequently, you may want to consider using an online digital service to streamline the process, save money, and centralize tracking.