What to Know about Sending Certified Mail

Certified mail is a USPS service that gives proof of mailing with a receipt to the sender. Using electronic tracking, a sender is alerted when the mail is delivered or if an attempt to deliver was made. Extra options, such as a return receipt give evidence of delivery with a postcard that is signed by the recipient or an email with a signature. 

There are plenty of benefits of using certified mail in the private and professional sectors. 

There are plenty of situations where proof of mailing and the date you sent something are important. If you just put the letter in the mail, you don’t have any proof that the letter was even sent or when it was sent. You don’t have any control over when it might get to the destination. With certified mail, there is proof. 

A big benefit of certified mail is mail tracking. If you know someone is going to be waiting for that piece of mail then you have an idea of where it is and when you can expect it to be delivered. You can purchase tracking for other types of mail for an added fee, but with certified mail, tracking is included automatically. 

If you want documentation that the recipient actually received the letter, this is where certified mail comes in handy. The service requires signatures so there is proof that the recipient got the letter. This gives you delivery documentation and a signature. You can add this to other mailing services, but it’s included in certified mail. 

Technically, delivery time for certified mail is the same for priority or first class mail, but the certified sticker can add some extra priority to your letter. This means that you can know that your letter should arrive at the earlier end of the window instead of toward the end. 

You may need to have records of your letter, including the send and delivery date, months or years later. With certified mail, these records are kept by the post office for two years. For other records, USPS only keeps these for four months. You can get the records you need through the USPS website. 

Certified mail used to be inconvenient since you would have to go to the post office during the limited hours and wait in line. However, today there are plenty of different services, such as certified mail shipping at LetterStream, that will let you create and print a mailing label on the computer. It takes less time than visiting the post office and you are able to send certified mail when it fits in your schedule. Some services also keep a record of certified mail to have another safeguard, in order to protect your information. LetterStream's other shipping options also provide convenient solutions for your mailing needs.

One fear that every mail customer has is their item getting lost. When your item is marked as certified mail, everyone knows it's being tracked so it adds some extra protection and accountability to help make sure that your item is handled properly. Sometimes when mail is lost, it’s actually just been stolen from the mailbox and this type of theft can be common. You can eliminate the risk with certified mail since instead of the item being left in the mailbox that more people have access to, the item needs to be handed directly to the intended recipient. 

Technically, none of the benefits are just exclusive to certified mail and you can get the same benefits when you use a private shipping service. However, private shipping services will be more expensive and you don’t want to be spending more money when you can get the same service for a cheaper alternative. This is especially important if you are constantly sending documents. 

Registered mail is the original secured mail for USPS and gives you extra security. It adds another level of protection and security since your mail stays in a locked safe when transported and uses specific sealing and packaging.