Certified mail is appropriate when the sender might require later proof that the letter was actually mailed and notification was attempted or received. Certified Mail is a service that provides the sender with a mailing receipt
Certified Mail is a mail service that provides the sender with proof of mailing and the date and time of delivery or attempted delivery. Certified Mail is available for domestic first class and priority mail only. Certified mail is not available for international mail. No record is kept at the post office from which certified mail is mailed. Certified Mail is a class of mail available from the United States Postal Service. Certified mail is used when the sender would like proof that the recipient did in fact receive the letter. Certified mail is first class mail that the recipient is required to sign for at the time of delivery. Certified mail is a good choice for proof that you mailed something and that it was received. Certified mail is tracked by USPS until it is delivered and signed for. However, the proof of mailing is the receipt provided by the post office at the time of mailing.
Certified mail envelopes simplify mailing USPS certified when sending primarily business documents, legal notices, and important certificates or stock forms. Certified mail is the only form of mailing that the IRS accepts for proof of delivery. Many people will use certified mail and send two copies of a demand or notice letter. The first one is mailed as certified mail the second regular first class mail. If the certified mail is not signed for but the regular first class mail is not returned, the courts will accept the regular first class letter as proof of notice.
Two forms of receipts are provided for certified mail. The first is proof of mailing. The second is proof of delivery. If more than five letters are mailed each letter must be logged onto a manifest or firm sheet (PS-Form 3877). This manifest serves as your receipt of mailing and each page of the manifest should be date stamped by a mail acceptance clerk at USPS with the official round date stamp to show your letters was accepted and mailed by the United States Postal Service. Keep this receipt, it becomes your legal proof of mailing.
The certified mail return receipt or delivery confirmation can take up to 30 days to receive. This is because each certified letter must be signed for by someone at the delivery address. If no one is home to sign for the letter, a reminder notice is left in the mailbox. The postal service will attempt delivery 3 times at the address approximately 7 days between deliveries prior to returning the letter to the sender. Delivery information is also available with Electronic Return Receipt (ERR) provided by private companies like http://www.e-uspsmailroom.com/ and http://www.certifiedmailenvelopes.com/ that are approved and certified by USPS to provide certified mail services. USPS collects the date of delivery and the signature then stores this information digitally for up to two years of the initial mail date. Electronic Return Receipt (ERR) can provide an easy way to receive the delivery information as well as store the delivery information including electronic confirmation of mail acceptance and letter delivery from the United States Postal Service. If you ever need to see who actually signed for a certified mail letter you may purchase signature confirmation from your local post office. Just request the signature after mailing product, provide the certified mail article number and pay the $3.25 service fee.
USPS Certified Mail costs $2.30 plus first class postage and return receipt fees. The traditional green card return receipt costs $1.80. The Electronic Return Receipt (ERR) costs $1.30.
The United States Postal Service began offering certified mail service in 1955. Certified mail is appropriate when the sender might require later proof that the letter was actually mailed and notification was attempted or received. Certified mail is not available for international mail. Certified Mail is a service that provides the sender with a mailing receipt. Each Certified mail requires someone to sign for the letter. Certified mail is only available for First-Class Mail or Priority Mail. No record is kept at the office from which certified mail was mailed. Certified mail is a good choice when you want to prove that you mailed something and that it was mailed or received. USPS Certified Mail is a registered trademark of The United States Postal Service. 
