FAQ’s
FAQ’s about USPS Certified Mail Envelopes & USPS Certified Mail Tracking, Rates & Delivery
Frequent Ask Questions FAQ’s about USPS Certified Mail tracking, rates and delivery information.
Our Most Popular Certified Mail Qustions:
• How long does it take for USPS to deliver a Certified Letter?
• Who do I call to track my letter?
• Can I send a Certified Mail letter to Canada?
• Can you mail a Certified Mail letter to a PO Box?
• What is Electronic Return Receipt ERR?
• Where is the Green Card?
• How long does it take USPS to deliver a Certified Letter?
Plan on 3 to 10 business days. USPS does not guarantee or specify an exact delivery time. However USPS Certified Mail is First Class mail and is considered Special Service mail that receives high priority delivery service.
Remember at each delivery address someone must be available to sign for the USPS Certified letter. If you are mailing to a residential address and no one is home, a delivery reminder slip is to be left in the mailbox by the letter carrier. This reminder informs them a USPS Certified Mail letter is being held at the local Post Office for pick-up. They must go to the Post Office to Sign for the letter and pick it up. If no one picks up the letter after 5 to 7 days, USPS attempts a second delivery. Again USPS will leave behind a delivery slip reminder by the letter carrier. Finally after 10 to 12 days the third and final delivery attempt is made to the delivery address. After the final notice reminder is left the letter is taken back to the Post Office and held for 5 to 7 additional days. This entire time frame can take 17 to 21 days if no one has claimed the letter. USPS then marks the letter ‘Unclaimed’ and the letter is returned to the sender.
Who do I call if I have questions about USPS letter delivery?
The USPS Help Line is 800-275-8777. You can visit the USPS web site www.usps.com. Remember USPS does not provide ‘in-route’ letter tracking information. Using traditional USPS forms will not provide you ’in-route’ delivery information. You will not get updated delivery information until the USPS letter carrier has attempted or delivered the letter and scanned the letter or made an attempted delivery.
If it has been more than 2 weeks and you see no attempted delivery information we have found the best place to call is the local USPS Post Office responsible for the letters final delivery. In other words, the Post Office closest to the final delivery address Zip Code. To locate this information call USPS and request the name of the Post Office responsible for mail delivery at the final delivery address you may need to provide them the Zip Code.
What Happen To The ‘Green’ Return Receipt Cards?
The Green Card Return Receipt has been the icon of Certified Mail for many years. This little Green Card has been difficult for both the sender and the U.S. Postal Service to manage and store. In July 2001, the U.S. Postal Service began providing Electronic delivery confirmation available in a PDF file that provides proof of letter delivery. This information is collected and authored by The United States Postal Service USPS and provides the sender ‘proof of letter delivery’ for USPS Certified Mail.
Electronic Return Receipt ERR™ provides USPS delivery confirmation for USPS Certified Mail delivered by the United States Postal Service. The Electronic Return Receipt ERR™ is quickly replacing the old fashioned green cards because it is electronic and produced in Adobe PDF format. This is more convenient to manage and for many mailers. Unlike the old fashioned green cards, you can’t loose an electronic record like that paper green card. Electronic Return Receipts also tie back to the origional Signature image that is on file at USPS when the letter was delivered by the letter carrier.
How do I print Electronic Return Receipts?
This service is available by Certified Mail Envelopes.
1. Log into your online account at www.Certified-Mail-Envelopes.com.
2. On the navigation bar, select Login, enter your name and password
3. Click on ETC Tracking, then ETC Active Mail Pieces
Tip: Search by typing the persons name in the search box
4. Click on ‘Print ETC Receipt’ that is located on the bottom of the screen
5. You will be ask if you wish to preview or send the report to the printer.
What Receipts are provided using Certified Mail Envelopes service?
Two receipts are provided with Certified Mail Envelopes. The first receipt is the proof of mailing PS-3877 manifest or firm sheet. This proves you a record that your letter was accepted by USPS. This receipt is available by using our approved USPS Mail Manifest. We suggest you have this sheet signed and dated when you turn your mail over to the Postal Service. If you drop your letter into any USPS mail pickup the Electronic Tracking scan will serve as your proof of mailing. Be careful to note the pickup schedule dates and times at local mail drops.
The second receipt is proof of delivery or the Electronic Return Receipt ERR(TM). This serves as your proof USPS successfully delivered the Certified letter to the delivery address specified or that the letter was returned to sender.
ERR (TM) is the Electronic Return Receipt (Green Card). This report is printed from our web software and is used to provide legal proof of letter delivery. This report shows Certified Mail delivery information. The information is authored by the United States Postal Service. This is a report that can be printed from the web software. The data may also be exported to your local computer or network and kept as a part of your company’s data warehouse.
What if we need a Signature from the person that signed for the letter?
Signatures of who signed for the Certified Mail letter are electronically collected and stored by USPS. We are not aware of laws requiring proof of the Signature, only proof that the USPS Certified Mail letter was mailed and proof of the letter deliver. Most people confuse Signature service with Registered Mail or Restricted Delivery and waste lots of money.
In summary anyone can sign for a USPS Certified Mail letter and if the sender needs a copy of the Signature they can purchase from USPS after the mailing for up to two years.
f you ever need the U.S. Postal Service to provide a copy of the actual image of the signature you can purchase this from USPS for up to two years after your mailing date.
What Happens if USPS Cannot Provide Me Proof Of Letter Delivery?
If you mailed a Certified Mail letter and it has not been delivered after 30 days you should request a refund since service was not preformed. We understand the refund is not what’s important – but by requesting a ‘Refund for Refund of Postage’ it causes an investigation as to why the service was not performed. Local Postmasters don’t like to fill out the paper work so they will work extra hard to help you get this issue resolved. If needed, request PS-Form 3533 the Application and Voucher for Refund of Postage and Services.
If you continue to have problems, customers have found reporting delivery problems to USPS Headquarters in Washington, DC. helpful. Ask for Special Services or the Postmaster General at Headquarters.
How Can I track my Certified Mail Envelope?
In-route each letters delivery can be tracked with the patented Electronic Tracking Confirmation (ETC) service that is provided inside each Certified Mail Envelope. The electronic tracking process provides in-route tracking, plus the final proof of delivery recorded by the U.S. Postal Service.