How much does Certified Mail cost?
$6.37 at the post office for a one-ounce letter, under the USPS rates effective July 12, 2026: $0.82 in First-Class postage plus the $5.55 Certified Mail fee. A recipient signature adds $2.91 for the electronic return receipt or $4.65 for the physical green card. Here is the whole menu, and what the trip to the counter adds that the receipt never shows.
The USPS fees, piece by piece
- First-Class postage, one ounce$0.82The letter itself; each extra ounce adds postage
- Certified Mail fee$5.55The endorsement that creates the tracking and proof
- Electronic return receipt$2.91Optional: the recipient signature, delivered as a PDF
- Return receipt, physical green card$4.65Optional: the same signature on a postcard mailed back to you
These are USPS's own counter prices from the current Notice 123 price list, not MatterSnail's. Through MatterSnail every mailing is itemized line by line before you submit: postage, the per-piece service charge, and any add-ons you choose.
What a one-ounce letter totals
Certified only: $6.37
Postage plus the certified fee. Tracking and delivery scans included, no signature.
With electronic receipt: $9.28
Adds the recipient signature as a PDF. The modern replacement for the green card.
With the green card: $11.02
The same signature on a postcard that has to survive the trip back to your office.
The line item the receipt never shows
The USPS fees are the visible cost. The rest is labor: printing the letter, finding the envelope, filling in PS Form 3800 by hand, addressing a green card on both sides, and standing in line at the counter, multiplied by every recipient. Sent through MatterSnail, the printing, stuffing, forms, and counter trip disappear, the electronic return receipt replaces the green card, and every mailing is itemized line by line before you submit. Nothing is charged until you press Submit.
Common questions
How much does Certified Mail cost in 2026?
At the post office, $6.37 for a one-ounce letter: $0.82 First-Class postage plus the $5.55 Certified Mail fee, under the USPS rates effective July 12, 2026. Heavier letters add postage per ounce; a recipient signature costs extra.
How much is Certified Mail with a return receipt?
For a one-ounce letter, $9.28 with the electronic return receipt ($6.37 plus $2.91) or $11.02 with the physical green card ($6.37 plus $4.65). Both capture the same USPS signature record; the electronic version arrives as a PDF instead of a postcard that has to survive the return trip.
How often do Certified Mail rates change?
USPS adjusts mailing rates regularly, most recently on July 12, 2026, and typically revisits them each year. The certified fee and receipt fees usually rise a little with each change, so a total quoted last year is probably a few cents low today.
Does sending Certified Mail online cost more?
Online services add a handling charge on top of USPS rates in exchange for doing the printing, stuffing, forms, and counter trip for you. With MatterSnail every mailing is priced item by item before you submit, postage, service charge, and add-ons each on their own line, and the electronic return receipt replaces the green card. There is no subscription: the Free plan has no monthly fee.
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