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Certified Mail provides the sender with proof of mailing and proof of delivery. This Special Service mail service can be added to any First Class mail provided by the U.S. Postal Service. Certified Mail is only available only for letters mailed within the United States. Certified Mail is assigned a unique serial number to each letter. This number serves as the record of mailing and provides the sender a receipt of proof the letter was accepted by USPS and entered the mail stream. USPS also provides proof of the Certified Mail letter delivery. [1]

Today Certified Mail is primarily used for all types of business mailings. Examples of Certified Mail include legal notices, health records, tax mailings, financial communications, and official public notice mailings.

Certified Mail provides both proof of mailing and proof of delivery. A copy of each Certified Mail transaction is kept on file by the United States Postal Service. The icon of Certified Mail has been the old fashioned green Return Receipt card that is returned to the sender as proof of delivery. Today the new Electronic Return Receipt (ERR) collects the proof of delivery information and the sender can log online to access the delivery data and print the Electronic Return Receipt. This process saves time and money. Automation is also available to help mailers send Certified Mail. A special Certified Mail Envelope contains the USPS approved article number plus in-route tracking of the letters delivery. When the letter reaches its final delivery destination the letter carrier captures the signature of the person that accepts the letter and the information is electronically stored by USPS. Senders using the Electronic Return Receipt will save money and can automate the entire process by using the the special approved USPS Certified Mail Envelope. This eliminates writing out forms at the Post Office then pealing and sticking a label on a letter.

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