Certified Mail Signatures

When sending Certified Mail, you have the option to obtain a signature (aka proof of delivery, green card, signature file, electronic signature file, ERR) from the USPS. Signatures have a few different options and benefits, which we will review here.

Since our service offers the electronic return receipt option we generally refer to this product as the ERR, and will use that acronym in this article where applicable.

In This Article

• What is a Certified Mail Receipt?
• Electronic Return Receipt (ERR's)
• Will the USPS always capture a signature?
• Pricing

What is a Certified Mail Receipt

A physical Certified Mail Receipt (also known as PS Form 3800 or green card) is a physical slip of paper that has a unique Certified Mail tracking number and bar code printed on it and serves as evidence that a Certified Mail piece was sent.

If you're looking to send Certified Mail yourself, you can pick these documents up at your local Post Office or order them online at USPS.com.

If that sounds like a lot of work; great news, our website does not require you to go to the Post Office or fill out any forms. It's all automated!

Electronic Return Receipt

The Electronic Return Receipt (aka ERR or Electronic Signature File) is an official USPS product and can be included with the Certified letters you send through us. It's a way to receive a signature confirmation from the recipient of your Certified letter without having to wait for a physical green card back in the mail. Also, the files are saved in your account indefinitely, so no more worrying about losing them! In short, the ERR is the electronic version of the physical signature document.

You will have access to all ERR's that the USPS has provided in your LetterStream account once they become available (upon successful delivery). Immediate access will be granted to the file once provided it's been provided to us by the USPS, which is usually within a couple of days after successful delivery.

If you're looking to access an ERR for a previous mailing or are unable to do so, click here.

Will the USPS always capture a signature?

We wish we had a perfect answer here, but this is a tricky one.

If you paid for the ERR:

Upon successful delivery the USPS will capture a signature and provide the ERR. Keep in mind that we don't control this side of the process, and there's a change that the USPS may not successfully capture a signature whether it's due to human error or something else. But generally you'll receive your ERR's when delivery is successful.

If delivery is not successful, the USPS will not provide a signature from the recipient.

If you did not pay for the ERR option, you might think that the USPS will bypass requiring a signature upon delivery, but that's not necessarily true. According to the USPS, Certified mail requires a signature for delivery, even if the signature option wasn't paid for.

Additionally, if the ERR wasn't paid for you will not be able to access any signatures from us or from the USPS after mailing, so be sure to pay for it upfront if you need it for your records.

To summarize the USPS will generally always capture a signature for Certified mail, and will not simply leave a letter in a mailbox without a signature. The exception there would be for PO Boxes, but they will still require a signature from the front desk in order to pick a letter up.

Pricing

An Electronic Return Receipt is currently $2.62 per recipient, though you can choose to opt-out of a signature if you'd like.

When creating your job, simply select Add Certified Mail service (Tracking) to have your letter sent as Certified Mail with tracking information, but you will not receive a signature upon successful delivery.

Or there is an option to opt-out of the signature is on the final job approval page (just before the shopping cart), which says: Remove Certified Return Receipt (No signature collected. Save $2.62/ea)