Sometimes you have a piece of mail that is very important. As such, you want to ensure that it's getting to its intended recipient, and you likely want to know its journey each step of the way.

That's why many consumers choose the United States Postal Services' certified mail service. The service offers customers easy ability to track packages and mail and confirm that delivery was successful. 

However, sometimes consumers misplace their receipt and lose their ability to reference their tracking number. What then? Do you know how to check certified mail without the receipt? 

Read on and we'll walk you through what you need to know. 

Return To The USPS Branch

There are a few steps you can take if you realize you no longer have your certified mail receipt. One of the simplest is to stop by the USPS branch where you initially sent your mail out from. 

Some employees might state that without the tracking number that there is little that they can do. But many post offices have a daily list of packages shipped and their tracking number. If you know what time the package was shipped out, they might be able to help you find the tracking number.

Your luck will be better if you return to the post office on the day that you've sent out the package. If you are going back on a later date, make sure you know what day and time you initially sent your package out. 

Post office employees aren't required to help you with such a task, so be polite and considerate with their time and you're likely to get better results. 

Rely On Your Reciever

Without a tracking number, it can be difficult to impossible to properly track a package's progress. Instead, you might need to rely on the receiver notifying you that they've received the package themselves.

This is probably not a step you wanted to take when you initially signed up for certified mail. But if it's important to you that you receive word of a successful arrival, it's probably your best move. 

Call the person you're sending the package to on the phone or send them an e-mail. Explain the situation to them and ask if they wouldn't mind notifying you personally when they receive the package or mail in question.

Most people won't mind doing you this small favor and you can rest easy knowing that you'll be in the know about your package delivery. Unfortunately, there might be some situations where you will not be able to rely on the receiver to relay information to you. 

If Your Package Doesn't Show

If you've waited a few days and your package hasn't arrived, what can you do? The inability to track it only makes matters worse. 

If you want to find out what may have happened to a package without a tracking number, you can attempt to file a lost mail claim. You can put a claim in on the official USPS website and will need to provide as much information as possible if you hope for your claim to be accepted. 

You'll need to provide both your address and the address of the intended recipient. The size of the envelope or the dimensions of the package you sent should also be disclosed. Also, take the time to describe in detail what was inside the package itself–use great detail if you can. 

An extra step you can take is to include any photos of the items or packaging if you have them. Most people don't take photos of their mail before they send it. But if you happen to have had snapped a few shots, definitely include them with your claim. 

There's no guarantee that you'll find any new info by submitting a claim. Many lost mail claims go unsolved and it's hard to be sure that the USPS is even investigating. But if you've lost your receipt and have no way to track a lost package, it might be your only course of action. 

Look Elsewhere For Your Tracking #

Even if you've lost the physical copy of your receipt, make sure a digital copy doesn't exist elsewhere. Did you take a picture of your receipt when you received it, or did you have a digital copy sent to your e-mail? It can be worth it to double-check. 

A tracking number looks similar to a credit number: a string of numbers broken up into segments. Make sure that it doesn't exist on material that you currently have in your possession. 

If you used an online service to help send your certified mail, there is likely information stored as an electric record. You can log into your online account and find your tracking record there.

This convenience is just one reason that many people are turning to online services to help send and manage their certified mail process. Companies like Certified Mail Labels store copies of your mailing tracking numbers for 10 years, so you can always reference it if you need to.

How To Check Certified Mail Status Without a Receipt

It can be incredibly frustrating to lose a little slip of paper that has such important information on it. But humans make mistakes, and it does happen. The above info can help you learn how to check certified mail status without a paper receipt. 

Want help sending future mail with more accountability? Check out how we can help.