Proof & return receipts
Certificate of Mailing vs Certified Mail: what's the difference?
Updated · By the Certified Letter Online team
A Certificate of Mailing (PS Form 3817) is a USPS-stamped record that you presented a piece of mail on a certain date; it gives no tracking or delivery record, and USPS keeps no copy. Certified Mail gives you a mailing receipt plus tracking and a USPS delivery record with the recipient's signature, and with a return receipt you get that signature too.
| Certificate of Mailing | Certified Mail | Certified + Return Receipt | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proves date mailed | Yes | Yes (postmarked receipt) | Yes |
| Tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Delivery record | No | Kept by USPS | Kept by USPS and sent to you |
| Recipient's signature to you | No | No | Yes |
| Where to buy | Post Office counter, at mailing | Post Office or online services | Post Office or online services |
| USPS keeps a copy | No | Delivery record | Delivery record |
When a certificate of mailing is enough
Some rules only ask you to prove you mailed something on time, for example a notice that is effective when mailed. A certificate of mailing is the cheapest proof of that, but it has to be bought at a Post Office at the moment you mail, and if you lose it USPS can't replace it.
If the other side might say they never got it, Certified Mail is the stronger choice, because it adds a delivery record.
Sending without a Post Office trip
Certificates of mailing are counter-only. Certified Mail can be sent online: we print your letter, mail it Certified and email you the tracking number, and with the return-receipt option the signed receipt.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, a legal aid office or a licensed attorney in your state can tell you what applies.
Quick answers
Is a certificate of mailing proof of delivery?
No. USPS says certificates of mailing do not provide a record of delivery.
Can I get a certificate of mailing online?
USPS sells it at the Post Office at the time of mailing. Online, the practical equivalent is Certified Mail, which also includes a postmarked receipt.
What is the difference between certified mail and registered mail?
Registered Mail is a high-security service with chain-of-custody handling, mainly for valuables. Certified Mail is the standard way to prove mailing and delivery of letters.
What to do next
Get more than a mailing date: Certified Mail with tracking is $14.99, or $17.99 with the return receipt, printed and mailed for you.
Send certified onlineSources
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 503: Extra Services (Certified Mail, Return Receipt, Certificate of Mailing)
- USPS: Insurance & Extra Services
- USPS Notice 123: current prices
Checked: . General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change: confirm current values at the official links above.