CURRENT USPS RATE · Stamped First-Class letter up to 1 oz
$6.37 With Certified Mail
Includes postage; no Return Receipt. For standard letters within the fifty states and D.C. USPS processing rules apply. Other charges are extra. Effective July 12, 2026.
What does a certified letter cost?#
Your total has two required parts: postage and the $5.55 Certified Mail fee. Add Return Receipt if you need your own copy of the delivery record, including the signature. You can choose an electronic record or a green card returned by mail.
Use the stamped column if you are paying with stamps. Metered postage is printed using a postage meter or eligible postage software. A provider may charge separately for its service, even when it uses the metered rate.
The table shows Certified Mail cost for standard letters weighing up to one ounce, mailed within the 50 states and Washington, D.C. They must qualify for USPS machine processing; a rigid or otherwise nonmachinable letter can cost more.
| Return Receipt option | Total with stamped postage | Total with metered postage |
|---|---|---|
| None | $6.37 | $6.33 |
| Electronic | $9.28 | $9.24 |
| Paper (mailed green card) | $11.02 | $10.98 |
Qualifying machinable First-Class letters over 0 through 1 oz; 50 states and D.C. USD totals include postage, ordinary Certified Mail and the selected receipt. Excludes other extra services, nonmachinable surcharge and provider fees. Source: USPS Notice 123, First-Class retail / Priority Mail and Extra Services: https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/notice123.htm. Schedule July 12, 2026; checked September 20, 2026. | ||
These totals include USPS postage, Certified Mail and the selected receipt. Other extra services, postage surcharges and provider charges are additional. Source: USPS Notice 123, effective July 12, 2026 (opens in new tab).
For example, a stamped letter with electronic Return Receipt costs $0.82 postage + $5.55 Certified Mail + $2.91 Return Receipt = $9.28. The $5.55 advertised service fee alone will not cover that mailing.
Postmarkr does not currently offer Certified Mail. For the mailing process, see our guide to how Certified Mail works.
Which receipt do you need?#
The Certified Mail fee covers your mailing receipt and, upon request, USPS verification of delivery or attempted delivery. USPS keeps the delivery record, including the signature. Return Receipt is the paid option for getting your own copy; a tracking update does not replace it. See the USPS Certified Mail service (opens in new tab).
An electronic Return Receipt costs $2.91 in addition to postage and Certified Mail. You receive the delivery details and signature record electronically. A paper Return Receipt costs $4.65 and returns the signed green card, PS Form 3811, by mail. Both fees are listed in USPS Notice 123 (opens in new tab).
Choose the format your requirement accepts. If your instructions specify a paper receipt, budget for the green card. If an electronic record meets the requirement, it costs less. USPS does not determine whether an electronic receipt satisfies a court's requirements; that decision belongs to the court.
Buy electronic Return Receipt at the time of mailing. Retail customers buy it at a Post Office, then use the article number from their receipt in USPS Tracking to request the record. USPS.com lets you retrieve the record but does not currently sell the service.
Electronic Return Receipt is unavailable for mail to APO/FPO/DPO addresses, U.S. territories or possessions, and freely associated states. That is why the price comparison above is scoped to the 50 states and D.C. The USPS Electronic Return Receipt FAQ (opens in new tab) explains availability, retrieval and the legal-status distinction.
How do weight and extra services change it?#
Weigh the sealed envelope with everything inside. A standard stamped letter over one ounce and up to two ounces uses $1.11 in postage, rather than $0.82. The Certified Mail and receipt fees stay the same for this example:
$1.11 postage + $5.55 Certified Mail + $2.91 electronic Return Receipt = $9.57.
That is $0.29 more than the one-ounce stamped electronic-receipt total. Both examples assume the envelope meets USPS letter-size and machine-processing requirements. Size, shape and rigidity can change the postage category or add a surcharge. The First-Class Mail rates guide covers the weight schedule; Notice 123 (opens in new tab) is the official price source.
Use the exact finished-weight interval below. Each total adds the Certified Mail fee and one receipt choice to postage. These tables cover machinable letters; check the First-Class size rules before using them for square, rigid or bulky mail.
Stamped letters: Certified Mail totals by weight
| Finished weight | Postage only | Total: no receipt | Total: electronic receipt | Total: paper receipt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| over 0 through 1 oz | $0.82 | $6.37 | $9.28 | $11.02 |
| over 1 through 2 oz | $1.11 | $6.66 | $9.57 | $11.31 |
| over 2 through 3 oz | $1.40 | $6.95 | $9.86 | $11.60 |
| over 3 through 3.5 oz | $1.69 | $7.24 | $10.15 | $11.89 |
50 states and Washington, D.C.; ordinary Certified Mail only. Total includes postage, Certified Mail and the selected Return Receipt. Excludes Restricted Delivery, adult-signature variants, other extra services and provider fees. Machinable letters only; nonmachinable surcharge and flat prices excluded. Electronic Return Receipt must be purchased at mailing. Source for eligibility: https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/503.htm (Exhibit 1.4.1; 6.1). Source: USPS Notice 123, First-Class retail and Extra Services: https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/notice123.htm. Letter postage and extra-service fees effective July 12, 2026; checked October 3, 2026. | ||||
Metered letters: Certified Mail totals by weight
| Finished weight | Postage only | Total: no receipt | Total: electronic receipt | Total: paper receipt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| over 0 through 1 oz | $0.78 | $6.33 | $9.24 | $10.98 |
| over 1 through 2 oz | $1.07 | $6.62 | $9.53 | $11.27 |
| over 2 through 3 oz | $1.36 | $6.91 | $9.82 | $11.56 |
| over 3 through 3.5 oz | $1.65 | $7.20 | $10.11 | $11.85 |
50 states and Washington, D.C.; ordinary Certified Mail only. Total includes postage, Certified Mail and the selected Return Receipt. Excludes Restricted Delivery, adult-signature variants, other extra services and provider fees. Machinable letters only; nonmachinable surcharge and flat prices excluded. Electronic Return Receipt must be purchased at mailing. Source for eligibility: https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/503.htm (Exhibit 1.4.1; 6.1). Source: USPS Notice 123, First-Class retail and Extra Services: https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/notice123.htm. Letter postage and extra-service fees effective July 12, 2026; checked October 3, 2026. | ||||
Restricted Delivery changes a different part of the calculation. It limits delivery to the addressee or that person's authorized agent. USPS lists Certified Mail Restricted Delivery at $14.35 as a combined service fee. Replace the $5.55 Certified Mail line with $14.35, then add postage and any Return Receipt. Do not add both service fees together. See the USPS extra-service prices (opens in new tab) and Restricted Delivery rules (opens in new tab).
Can you send Priority Mail with Certified Mail?#
Yes. Ordinary Certified Mail is available with Priority Mail. The tables cover the standard, legal and padded USPS Flat Rate envelopes. Use the matching USPS-produced envelope and close it normally; contents must fit without reconstructing or enlarging it. The maximum weight is 70 lb.
Retail and commercial are different postage price bases. The commercial table assumes you qualify for that postage price; it is not a promise that a particular website or postage provider sells every extra service. Confirm Certified Mail and your receipt option with the channel you use. Provider charges are additional.
Packaging and commercial eligibility: USPS Priority Mail preparation and pricing rules (opens in new tab)
Normal closure: USPS Flat Rate packaging standards (opens in new tab)
The Priority Mail totals below apply only to mail sent October 4, 2026 through January 16, 2027. USPS temporarily raises these envelope prices for the holiday season. For another mailing date, check USPS before buying postage. See the seasonal USPS price list. (opens in new tab)
Priority Mail envelopes: retail Certified Mail totals
| USPS envelope | Postage only | Total: no receipt | Total: electronic receipt | Total: paper receipt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Flat Rate Envelope | $13.90 | $19.45 | $22.36 | $24.10 |
| Legal Flat Rate Envelope | $14.25 | $19.80 | $22.71 | $24.45 |
| Padded Flat Rate Envelope | $15.00 | $20.55 | $23.46 | $25.20 |
50 states and Washington, D.C.; ordinary Certified Mail only. Total includes postage, Certified Mail and the selected Return Receipt. Excludes Restricted Delivery, adult-signature variants, other extra services and provider fees. Matching USPS-produced Flat Rate envelope must close normally; maximum 70 lb. Commercial postage requires eligibility; confirm the sales channel supports the extra services. Electronic Return Receipt must be purchased at mailing. Source for eligibility: https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/503.htm (Exhibit 1.4.1; 6.1). These seasonal totals do not apply before October 4, 2026 or after January 16, 2027. Check USPS for the price on your mailing date. Source: USPS Notice 123, pp. 5, 11, 28: https://pe.usps.com/resources/PriceChange/Time-Limited%20OCT%202026%20Price%20Change%20-%20Notice123%20PDF%20-%20Final.pdf. Oct 4, 2026-Jan 16, 2027; checked Oct 3, 2026. | ||||
Priority Mail envelopes: commercial Certified Mail totals
| USPS envelope | Postage only | Total: no receipt | Total: electronic receipt | Total: paper receipt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Flat Rate Envelope | $11.97 | $17.52 | $20.43 | $22.17 |
| Legal Flat Rate Envelope | $12.51 | $18.06 | $20.97 | $22.71 |
| Padded Flat Rate Envelope | $12.84 | $18.39 | $21.30 | $23.04 |
50 states and Washington, D.C.; ordinary Certified Mail only. Total includes postage, Certified Mail and the selected Return Receipt. Excludes Restricted Delivery, adult-signature variants, other extra services and provider fees. Matching USPS-produced Flat Rate envelope must close normally; maximum 70 lb. Commercial postage requires eligibility; confirm the sales channel supports the extra services. Electronic Return Receipt must be purchased at mailing. Source for eligibility: https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/503.htm (Exhibit 1.4.1; 6.1). These seasonal totals do not apply before October 4, 2026 or after January 16, 2027. Check USPS for the price on your mailing date. Source: USPS Notice 123, pp. 5, 11, 28: https://pe.usps.com/resources/PriceChange/Time-Limited%20OCT%202026%20Price%20Change%20-%20Notice123%20PDF%20-%20Final.pdf. Oct 4, 2026-Jan 16, 2027; checked Oct 3, 2026. | ||||
| Underlying mail class | Ordinary Certified Mail | Return Receipt with Certified Mail |
|---|---|---|
| First-Class Mail | Available | Paper or electronic, subject to destination restrictions |
| Priority Mail | Available | Paper or electronic, subject to destination restrictions |
| Priority Mail Express | Not available | No Certified Mail combination; other proof services are separate |
| USPS Ground Advantage | Not available | No Certified Mail combination; other proof services are separate |
Domestic ordinary Certified Mail only. These price tables cover the 50 states and D.C. Electronic Return Receipt is not available to APO/FPO/DPO, U.S. territories or possessions, or freely associated states. Adult-signature Certified variants are excluded. Service availability does not determine legal sufficiency. Source: USPS DMM 503, Exhibit 1.4.1 and 6.1: https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/503.htm. Eligibility checked October 3, 2026. | ||
Why can an online quote cost more?#
An online quote may bundle USPS charges with printing, envelopes, handling or record storage. Other providers charge for those services separately. Compare the same mail class, letter weight and receipt option, then check for subscriptions or other charges outside the per-letter price.
Use this check before paying:
- Letter: confirm the sealed weight and whether its size and shape qualify for the quoted postage.
- Postage: identify the postage amount and whether the quote uses stamped or metered pricing.
- Certified service: check whether the price includes the base fee or the combined Restricted Delivery fee.
- Receipt: confirm whether none, electronic or paper Return Receipt is included.
- Provider charges: check printing, materials, handling, storage and any subscription or other charges outside the per-letter total.
A higher quote does not necessarily buy faster delivery. Certified Mail follows the service standard of the underlying mail class; USPS handles it in transit as ordinary mail, as described in DMM 503 (opens in new tab).
If you do not need a Certified Mail record, check ordinary First-Class letter postage before paying for an extra service.
Sources and downloadable totals#
Each total is postage plus ordinary Certified Mail plus the selected Return Receipt fee, or zero for no receipt. Restricted Delivery uses a different combined service fee and is not included in these totals. Letter postage and extra-service fees follow the July 12, 2026 schedule. Priority Mail envelope totals use the seasonal schedule for October 4, 2026 through January 16, 2027. Sources checked October 3, 2026.
Download the shared USPS dataset: JSON with Certified Mail component prices and formulas
For spreadsheet use: CSV with the same Certified Mail totals
Select records in the Certified Mail totals category. Each record identifies the underlying mail format, postage price basis, receipt choice, included components, eligibility limits and source. Check its effective date and, for seasonal totals, its last applicable date against your mailing date. Postmarkr calculates these totals from USPS prices; they are not Postmarkr service prices.
Reviewed schedule: USPS Notice 123, July 12, 2026 archive (opens in new tab)
CONCLUSION
Choose the record, then confirm the total
Start with the weight of your sealed letter and the receipt your records require. Confirm that the quote includes the correct postage, Certified Mail service and receipt, then check any separate provider charges before paying. Postmarkr's online service sends ordinary First-Class letters; Certified Mail must be purchased elsewhere.