A single Forever postage stamp is enough to deliver your small envelope anywhere in the U.S.
But it’s not enough to track its location and guarantee its delivery. For that, you’ll need to send the envelope with certified mail.
Certified mailing is a postal service that gives customers a higher degree of assurance that their mail has been delivered. Carriers handle the parcel or envelope with extra care, and the recipient can track the package online.
Businesses frequently use certified mail because its major benefit is security: With certified mail, customers can be sure that their correspondence has been delivered and scanned for any threats or malicious content.
Need a signature on delivery? Keep reading to learn more about certified mail.
Certified Mailing Carrier Options
In today’s digital age, the U.S. Postal Service is seeing a decline in physical mail service. To combat this, the USPS has been exploring new, more secure ways to deliver mail, including certified mail options.
The only way to send certified mail is through the USPS’s Certified Mail service. Other parcel delivery services offer secure, signature-upon-receipt mail options, but “certified mail” is a licensed name the USPS has the sole right to use.
This option lets you print a shipping label online and then drop your package off at a post office or mailbox. The USPS will then track your package and provide proof of delivery.
What is the Cost of Certified Mail?
Here are the costs for certified mail:
- Standard Certified Mail This is the most commonly used certified mail service. It provides proof of mailing via a receipt to the sender.
Return Receipt Costs:
- Postage rate for standard domestic mail rate plus
- Certified mail fee: $3.75
- Return Receipt Certified Mail This provides delivery confirmation when the recipient signs a receipt at the time of delivery.
Restricted Delivery Costs:
- Postage rate for standard domestic mail rate
- Certified mail fee: $3.75
- Return receipt fee: $2.85
- Restricted Delivery Certified Mail This ensures delivery specifically and only to the recipient listed on the mailpiece.
Restricted delivery Costs:
- Postage rate for standard domestic mail rate
- Certified mail fee: $3.75
- Restricted delivery fee: $6.25
Certified Mail Tracking
When you mail something important, you want to know that it will arrive at its destination.
After you’ve dropped your certified mail off at the post office, USPS scans the barcode and associates it with your mailing information. You’ll then be able to track the package online or by phone as it makes its way through the postal system. You’ll also be able to find out when and where the delivery took place.
Receiving Mail
When you send or receive certified mail, you’re guaranteed delivery confirmation and a signature from the recipient.
To send certified mail, you’ll need to purchase a Certified Mail sticker from the post office for $3.55, in addition to any regular postage fees, and affix it to your envelope or parcel.
When the recipient receives the mail, they must sign for it. The postal carrier will leave a notice indicating the failed delivery if they refuse to sign.
Luckily, the postman doesn’t care who signs for the mail as long as someone’s there to sign.
Secure Sending
Certified mailing is the most secure way of sending mail. Remember always to use certified mail if you need proof of delivery, and if you’re unsure about anything, be sure to ask the United States Postal Service for help. They’re more than happy to assist!
Can Certified Mail be Sent Internationally?
Yes, certified mail can be sent internationally. Here are the details on international certified mail:
- It provides proof of mailing and delivery confirmation when sent to select foreign countries.
- Countries: Certified international mail is available to over 30 foreign destinations including popular places like Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, and Japan. However, many countries don’t offer international certified mail yet.
- Cost: The fees vary by destination country, but include:
- Postage rate for standard international mail to that country
- International certified mail fee: $3.30 – $3.50
- Return receipt fee (optional): around $2.75
So international certified mail will cost more than domestic certified mail. You have to pay the normal international postage rate for that country plus the international certified mail surcharge and any optional fees like return receipt. The exact rates can be looked up in the USPS Postal Explorer website by searching for the destination country.
The key benefit to certified international mail is it gives senders delivery confirmation when the recipient signs for it and proof it was mailed. This provides more security and tracking compared to standard international mail options.
Be sure to check out the rest of our website for more beginner-friendly guides and how-to!
