ee. uu. delivers more than 484 million pieces of mail daily. Postal Service. most of that mail does not need any type of signature. anyone who can open the mailbox can access it.
but what if you want a more secure way to send something like a legal document? in that case, you’ll want to use certified mail.
Who can sign for certified mail? that depends on the type of usps certified mail you use. yes, there is more than one type.
Keep reading for everything you need to know about who sends certified mail and who can sign for certified mail.
who can sign for certified mail?
Certified Mail is an additional service available for First Class Mail or Priority Mail. when you’re at the post office, a clerk might ask, “would you like to send this by certified mail?”
If your answer is yes, that means you need a signature when the packet reaches its destination.
if you send it to a house, you can often stop here. you may not need to get anything more specific than basic certified mail.
For example, let’s say you want to send an important document to a friend named Steve. Steve has two roommates named Fred and Sally.
If you ship by regular certified mail, it doesn’t matter who answers the door when a courier calls. The letter is addressed to Steve, but Fred or Sally can also sign it.
As long as someone gives their signature to the person sending the mail, the mail will be delivered.
The post office keeps a copy of that signature. if you want to see it yourself, you can request an acknowledgment of receipt.
What happens if no one is home when the certified mail package arrives? In that case, the USPS worker can leave a note saying that he attempted delivery.
What if certified mail cannot be delivered for some reason? when that happens, usps will leave a note saying the resident must go to the post office and pick up mail that requires a signature.
As a sender, you can keep up with any of those developments through certified mail tracking. this type of tracking will also tell you if mail is returned because no one has claimed it.
restricted delivery
let’s say you want to make sure that only steve gets the mail. perhaps there is particularly sensitive information inside. or maybe you don’t trust your roommates.
in that case, you can send it via restricted delivery. that means only steve can sign it.
This type of method may take more time. If Steve is on vacation, it may be a few days before he’s home and available to sign for the package.
but it’s the best option if you want to make sure it ends up in your possession and no one else’s.
There is also another type of restricted delivery. this is a restricted release by adult signature. According to the USPS FAQ, “This service requires only the signature of the recipient, who must be 21 years of age or older.” it’s a good way to make sure certain items don’t end up in the hands of a minor. for example, a warehouse might use this to ensure that the person receiving the item is of legal drinking age.
That means if you order a bottle of wine by mail, be prepared to show your ID to the USPS worker at the door. It may seem strange, but it is necessary with this type of delivery by certified mail.
who sends the certified mail?
if you’re thinking usps certified mail is used for more important things, you’re right.
each address receives an average of 848 pieces of spam per year. very little of it arrives by certified mail, since certified mail costs too much. whoever is spamming you is doing it because it’s cheap and easy.
so what does that leave? Some people believe that if they receive certified mail, it must be bad news. for example, it is common for court documents to be served this way.
sometimes it is a notice to appear in court. it could even be a notice that you are being sued. but those are far from the only options.
If you inherited money from a long-lost aunt, chances are you’ll get a notice by certified mail. you may not think this is a likely scenario, but it happens.
Speaking of money, let’s say you’re graduating from college. A relative wants to send him a check, but he doesn’t want it sitting in the mailbox all day. so they send it by certified mail and require a signature instead.
government affairs and more
The city, county, or other government entity may also send you an official notice by certified mail. For example, suppose you are building a new highway that will run through your neighborhood.
You may have already heard about those plans by reading your local newspaper. but not everyone does. certified mail is a way to force residents to sit up and pay attention, at least up to a point.
but does everyone who receives certified mail open it? No, especially if they think that means they’re in trouble. but certified mail at least provides proof via signature that something was delivered to the intended address.
Of course, people may use certified mail for other reasons. if your mom really wants you to read the latest issue of people magazine for some reason, she could send it to you this way.
but most people don’t because of the extra time and money associated with this form of delivery.
ready to send certified mail?
Now you know more about who can sign for certified mail. But you may not know that sending this type of mail doesn’t require getting in the car and driving to the local post office.
Our website allows you to print certified mail labels without leaving home. then you can leave it in any mailbox.
so easy. but if you have any additional questions, that’s fine. feel free to contact us for help.