2024 USPS Certified Mail Rates

2024 USPS Certified Mail Rates

New USPS Certified Mail® Rates began January 21, 2024:

The U.S. Postal Service postal rates increased on Sunday, January 21, 2024. The rate change was approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) on November 15, 2023, and went into effect on Sunday, January 21, 2024, at 12:01 AM.   

The postage meter rate to send a 1-ounce USPS Certified Mail® letter with a Return Receipt (old-fashioned Green Card) will be $8.69. If you use Certified Mail Labels with Electronic Delivery Confirmation, the cost can be reduced to $5.94. Additional options such as Return Receipt Electronic Signatures cost $2.20. First Class postage stamps cost $0.68 at the Post Office.

In summary, purchasing your Certified Mail Labels online and skipping a trip to the Post Office can save you $2.75 per mailing off the old-fashioned green cards and forms.

How Much Does Certified Mail® Service Cost

USPS Postage Rates & Special Services New Rates (January 2024)   Old Rates (July 2023)
Certified Mail Fee $4.40 $4.35
Electronic Delivery Confirmation Receipt $0.90 $0.90
Return Receipt Green Card (Old Fashioned Green Card) $3.65 $3.55
Return Receipt Electronic Signature (PDF) (replaces Green Card) $2.32 $2.20
First Class Postage (1 OZ) (Metered Rate) $0.64 $0.63
Additional OZ First Class Postage (*Under 3.5 OZ) $0.24 $0.24
Flats 1 OZ rate (9″ X 12″ or 10' X 13') $1.39 $1.35
Flats rate over 1 OZ. and Letter Rates over 3.5 OZ. 2 oz.  $1.63 
3 oz.  $1.87 
4  oz. $2.11 
5  oz. $2.35 
6  oz. $2.59 
7  oz. $2.83 
8  oz. $3.07 
9  oz. $3.31 
10 oz. $3.55 
11 oz. $3.79 
12 oz. $4.03 
13 oz. $4.27
2 oz.  $1.59 
3 oz.  $1.83 
4  oz. $2.07 
5  oz. $2.31 
6  oz. $2.55 
7  oz. $2.79 
8  oz. $3.03 
9  oz. $3.27 
10 oz. $3.51 
11 oz. $3.75 
12 oz. $3.99 
13 oz. $4.23
Restricted Delivery $7.25 $7.10

This postal rate increase began Sunday, January 21, 2024, at 12:01 AM.

2024 USPS CERTIFIED MAIL RATE INCREASE SUMMARY: 

  • Certified Mail with Electronic Delivery Confirmation $5.94  (Electronic Delivery Confirmation Report Example). A USPS Special Service that provides the sender with a mailing receipt or proof of mailing and an electronic verification the article was delivered or that a delivery attempt was made. Customers receive 'Electronic Delivery Confirmation' which is a printed report that displays the postage transaction, date of mailing, Certified Mail receipt, USPS mail piece acceptance, in-route tracking, and the final delivery date and time or delivery attempts.  This report is available by email for each mailing, plus a copy for compliance reporting is kept inside your account for 10 years.
     
  • Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested (Signature) $8.26 (Return Receipt Electronic Signature) and the Electronic Delivery Confirmation as proof of mailing and compliance. The Certified Mail service includes what is described above plus the Return Receipt Electronic Signature from USPS displaying who signed for the delivery at the delivery address. Customers can receive both Electronic Delivery Confirmation and the Return Receipt Signature by email. A receipt of the transaction including USPS postage purchase, Special Service, mail piece acceptance, tracking, and the delivery or the delivery attempt is also kept in your account for 10 years to print as proof of compliance.
     
  • Certified Mail with Return Receipt Signature with RESTRICTED DELIVERY $15.51 (RRE-Signature Signed by the addressee or authorized agent + Electronic Delivery Confirmation Report). The Certified Mail Special Service described above plus additional evidence of the delivery of the letter. USPS enables the delivery of the item only to the addressee or addressee’s authorized agent. The addressee must be an individual (or natural person) specified by name. Restricted Delivery may be used only when combined with Certified Mail, Insured Mail over $200, and Registered Mail. Customers receive Electronic Delivery Confirmation by email (see the attached report). A record of the transaction including USPS postage, Special Service, mail piece acceptance, tracking, and delivery or the delivery attempt record is kept in your account for 10 years.

USPS Certified Mail rates increased to $4.40 per mailing.  The cost of using the old-fashioned green cards with the traditional U.S. Postal Service Return Receipt service (PS Form 3811) is $3.65 per mailing. The cost of using the Return Receipt Signature Electronic increased to $2.32 per mailing.

You can save money by using Certified Mail® Labels with Electronic Delivery Confirmation.  This provides proof of mailing, in-route letter tracking, and final evidence of USPS delivery information authored by the U.S. Postal Service.  This report also works for compliance reporting.  It provides evidence of mailing timely, proof that postage and fees were properly paid, in-route letter tracking, and the final USPS proof of delivery.  This report is used for compliance mailings to IRS Certified Mail, financial services, healthcare, property management, asset recovery, collection, and other critical forms of notification.

USPS Certified Mail® Return Receipt Requested service can only be purchased at the time of mailing. USPS has discontinued the Return Receipt After Mailing product.