Q&A for How to Send Certified Mail (USA)

If you mean you personally (as opposed to another person), then no. Only registered mail has to actually be sent from the PO counter. If you affix the proper forms and amount of postage, you can have a carrier pick up certified mail or use a mail box.

On the green and white "Certified Mail Receipt", write the name of the person you are mailing the parcel to. Their address should be entered at the bottom.

That depends on the individual country that you are in. When in the U.S., you cannot send Certified Mail to foreign addresses. Certified Mail can only be sent to addresses in the United States and its territories, in addition to FPOs and APOs.

Yes, but it cannot be sent through your own mailbox. It has to be sent through one of the big boxes you would see on the street.

If you mean a PO Box, yes. You will get a peach-colored slip in your mail box, and you will have to go to the window to pick up your certified mail. This is because you need to sign for it.

No, the sender should not sign it. The fact that it was returned as undeliverable with the unsigned green card intact is proof that you tried to send it.

Yes, there is no legal requirement to accept certified mail.

Yes, but that doesn't make it certified mail. Certification is an extra service you have to pay for.

Yes, as it is only required that the person whose name is on the package sign for it if the letter was sent by restricted certified mail.

Yes, but that doesn't really make it priority mail. Priority is an extra service you have to pay for.

When certified mail arrives at the delivery post office, the letter carrier will place a delivery notification inside the P.O. box that instructs the addressee to present the delivery slip to the window clerk in order to receive the mailpiece.

No, but you will pay for the weight. Your items are weighted before you pay for postage.

Go to the USPS website. You have to track the package using the numbers under the bar codes.

It will be returned to you with a stamped message on it and a label informing you that the letter requires more postage.

No. Additional services offered are options such as having the recipient sign for the the delivered item. This is not required and is simply an additional service that can be purchased.

Purchase it at a Post Office depending on the mail class chosen. Your ID may be requested for the addressee or the person authorized to sign for and receive your item. Cost: Certified Mail Restricted Delivery $8.25 COD Restricted Delivery $4.95 Insured Mail Restricted Delivery $4.95 Registered Mail Restricted Delivery $4.95 Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery $7.30 (electronic) / $7.85 (retail)

No. Certified mail can be sent from your home or office without identification (within the U.S.).

Yes, many post offices are equipped with "kiosk service" where you can do it yourself and even print appropriate postage. However, if something goes awry, you can only prove you merely bought postage -- not that your mail ever physically entered the system! For certified mail, I definitely recommend counter service where you can get a postmarked receipt.

No. You can print postage using Stamps.com or any other USPS approved postage printer. Then complete the certified sticker and green card, affix to the envelope and send as outgoing mail.

If the item was delivered and scanned as such, you can get a refund for the return receipt portion, since a service that you paid for was not provided.

Since the return receipt can be used for other sorts of mail, checking that box off on the green card is really more of a formality. That card is the return receipt, and it's just something that gets mailed back to you. You'd have the tracking number from a certified mail barcode if you weren't sure what mailing method you used.

You can, however it isn't necessary if you do not need a return receipt, and would be a waste of money.

That likely means that the package or envelope couldn't be delivered, so it was returned to the sender (you).

Anything overnight would be Priority Mail Express. You can combine certified with priority in general, but since there's an option requiring a signature for PME anyhow, the only functional difference would be the return receipt if you went for that option.

Yes, but not as Certified Mail. You will have to use Priority Mail, which includes tracking but does not require a signature.

Yes, you can. Be advised, however, that certified mail does not have insurance.

You can if you have a postage machine with that option. You will need to select the appropriate postage so that the correct postage prints out, or the item will be returned to you because of insufficient postage. You will also need the certified mail labels, which you can have sent to you through the USPS website at no charge.

If no one is available at the delivery address to sign for the letter or package, the mail carrier leaves an attempted delivery card with a confirmation number and the sender's name.

Nothing. No one is required to accept any type of mail.

You will receive back the green card, which is your return receipt that you paid to have sent back. It should be signed by the person who received your mail, with a date and that person's printed name.