A USPS Return Receipt is a paid add-on that gives you a signed record showing who accepted your mail and the exact date it was delivered. In 2026 it costs $2.82 for an electronic PDF or $4.40 for the physical green card (PS Form 3811), on top of postage and whatever primary service you pair it with. Courts, tax agencies, and businesses rely on it when proof of delivery matters, not just proof that something was sent.
2026 Fees
The Return Receipt fee is charged on top of postage and any other service. Two options:
- Physical Return Receipt (PS Form 3811): $4.40
- Electronic Return Receipt: $2.82
These fees do not change with weight or destination.1United States Postal Service. Notice 123 – Price List
Because Return Receipt is almost always paired with Certified Mail ($5.30 per piece), the practical cost is what you’ll pay at the counter for the whole combination. A one-ounce First-Class letter sent Certified with an electronic Return Receipt runs roughly $8.90. Swap in the physical green card and the total climbs to about $10.48.1United States Postal Service. Notice 123 – Price List
What You Can Pair It With
You cannot buy a Return Receipt on its own. It rides along with a qualifying mail service. The three that qualify directly are Certified Mail, Registered Mail, and Collect on Delivery. For any of those, just ask for a Return Receipt at the counter.2United States Postal Service. 503 Extra Services
First-Class Mail and Priority Mail only support Return Receipt when you’ve also added Certified Mail, Registered Mail, COD, or insurance above $500. Priority Mail Express supports it, but only as the physical green card. Insurance-only mailings qualify only when the declared value tops $500, and again only with Form 3811.2United States Postal Service. 503 Extra Services
For legal notices, demand letters, and tax filings, Certified Mail with a Return Receipt is the usual pairing. It gives you a tracking number, proof of mailing, and a signed delivery record in one transaction.
Green Card or Electronic?
The physical green card is PS Form 3811. Pick one up at any post office, fill in your return address on the front, print the recipient’s full name and delivery address, and check the box for the primary service you’re using. The card carries a barcode that gets linked to your mailpiece’s tracking number, so the article number on the card and the label on your envelope must match. A mismatch can invalidate the delivery record.3United States Postal Service. Return Receipt – The Basics
The electronic version is cheaper and faster. You give USPS a valid email address at purchase, and after delivery you receive a PDF containing the recipient’s signature image and the delivery date.4United States Postal Service. Electronic Return Receipt Note that some service combinations, including Priority Mail Express and insurance over $500, require the physical Form 3811 and don’t allow the electronic version.2United States Postal Service. 503 Extra Services
How the Mailing Works
Take the completed mailpiece, and Form 3811 if you’re using the green card, to a retail clerk. The clerk totals postage, the primary service fee, and the Return Receipt fee, scans the barcodes, and attaches the green card to the back of the envelope or package. The card stays attached in transit.
At delivery, the carrier gets a signature before releasing the item. For a physical receipt, the carrier writes the delivery date on the green card, detaches it, and sends it back through the mail to your return address. It usually arrives within one to two weeks. For an electronic receipt, the carrier captures the signature on a handheld device and USPS emails you the PDF shortly after delivery.3United States Postal Service. Return Receipt – The Basics
You can also watch progress on USPS Tracking using the article number. The tracking page shows the delivery event; the full signature record still comes back through the green card or the email.
Controlling Who Signs (Restricted Delivery)
By default, anyone at the address can sign. If you need a signature from a specific person, add Restricted Delivery. That limits delivery to the named addressee or their authorized agent, and the addressee has to be an individual rather than a business name.2United States Postal Service. 503 Extra Services
Ask for it at the counter, or write “Restricted Delivery” above the recipient’s address and to the right of your return address. If you’re also using a Return Receipt, check the restricted delivery box on Form 3811. Certified Mail Restricted Delivery costs $13.70. Registered Mail or COD Restricted Delivery costs $8.40.1United States Postal Service. Notice 123 – Price List
If the Recipient Refuses or Never Picks Up
When no one is available to sign, the carrier leaves a notice and the item goes back to the local post office. USPS holds mailpieces with extra services like Return Receipt for 15 calendar days. Collect on Delivery items get 10 days. If the return date falls on a day the post office is closed, the item ships back the next business day.5USPS. What are the Second and Final Notice and Return Dates for Redelivery
A recipient can also refuse to sign, which USPS treats as refusing the mailpiece; it comes back to you.6United States Postal Service. 508 Recipient Services For legal-notice purposes, keep your mailing receipt. In many jurisdictions a refused or unclaimed Certified Mail piece with Return Receipt still counts as valid notice when combined with proof that the recipient had the chance to accept delivery. The exact standard varies by court and situation.
If the Green Card Never Comes Back
If you paid for a Return Receipt and it doesn’t arrive, or you need another copy of the delivery record, go to any post office and complete PS Form 3811-A, Request for Delivery Information/Return Receipt. Bring the original mailing receipt showing you paid for the service. You must submit the request within 90 days of the mailing date.3United States Postal Service. Return Receipt – The Basics
USPS no longer sells “Return Receipt After Mailing” as a standalone add-on. If you forgot to request one at the time you sent the item, you cannot buy one later. The 3811-A process only works when the Return Receipt was already purchased at mailing.3United States Postal Service. Return Receipt – The Basics
How Long the Record Lasts
USPS retains electronic Return Receipt records for approximately two years from the mailing date. If you might need the proof for litigation or a long compliance window, save the emailed PDF somewhere reliable rather than relying on USPS to hold it. Physical green cards last as long as you keep them; scanning or photocopying the card when it arrives is worth the small effort. For anything legal, treat the receipt the way you would a signed contract: keep the original and a backup.