What are the characteristics of Registered Mail and Registered Mail Restricted Delivery?
The most secure United States Postal Service® mail service (protected by safes, cages, sealed containers, locks, and keys).
- Must be presented to a retail employee or rural carrier.
- Requires a signature upon delivery.
- Mailers using Registered Mail Restricted Delivery can direct delivery only to the addressee (or addressee's authorized agent).
- Delivery information provides delivery status or attempted delivery status when the item reaches its destination. Tracking is not provided as the item is en route to its destination.
- Registered Mail can be sent to military locations. However, delivery information is not available for items destined to an APO / FPO / DPO.
- A system of receipts is provided to monitor movement of mail from the point of acceptance to delivery. These receipts are not readily available and can only be accessed by initiating a claims form, which cannot be completed by phone.
What domestic mail classes and services can be sent as Registered Mail®?
Domestic Registered Mail is only available for Mail Classes:
- First-Class Mail®
- USPS Ground Advantage® - Commercial
- USPS Ground Advantage® - Retail
- Priority Mail®
Preparing Registered Mail Packages
USPS Assistance with Preparing Registered Mail Packages
USPS employees are not permitted to help customers prepare or seal mail to be registered. Any envelope or package that appears to have been opened and resealed, or otherwise improperly prepared, may not be registered.
Accepting Registered Mail items for mailing and shipping can be done by retail associates at any post office, station, or branch. Rural carriers can also accept Registered Mail, provided the required postage and fees are prepaid.
Sending Cash
Commercial customers shipping cash amounts of over $500 are required to use Registered Mail. In addition, commercial mailers cannot use USPS packaging to ship cash no matter the amount.
Non-commercial customers mailing cash amounts up to and over $500, and commercial customers mailing cash amounts up to $500, can continue to use services other than Registered Mail. However, only Registered Mail includes insurance payable at full value up to the limit of $50,000. See “What Extra Services are available?” for additional information.
What is the estimated delivery time for Registered Mail and Registered Mail Restricted Delivery?
- The expected delivery date provided is based on the class of mail the item was mailed with.
- Registered Mail is kept highly secured and is processed manually, which naturally slows the speed at which it travels.
- Registered Mail is not recommended if speed of delivery is important.
Tracking Registered Mail
Registered Mail (domestic and international) service and Registered Mail Restricted Delivery service alone cannot be tracked through the mailstream. Updated scans are not provided as the piece is processed from facility to facility. However, those mail services provide delivery information when a scan shows either a delivery status or information on an attempted delivery, which can be retrieved in several ways.
What Extra Services are available?
Insurance: You must declare the full value of the mailpiece, when presenting it for mailing. Insurance matching the declared value of the item(s) is included up to $50,000.
- Articles with a declared value of more than $50,000.00 can be registered, but compensation for loss or damage is limited to $50,000.00.
- To determine the price of items over $50,000.00, customers should contact their local Post Office™.
Registered Mail may only be sent without postal insurance, if the item(s) has no declared value. Go to: What Domestic Mail Extra Services are Available?
Note: Mail travels at the speed of the mail class the additional service is added to. Due to the higher level of security placed on this service, it is possible that the Registered Mail process could slow the speed at which a mailpiece travels.
Registered Mail Forms
Is Registered Mail® Eligible for a Refund?
The Registered Mail® fee is not eligible for a refund after the Postal Service™ accepts the item. However, if the article is lost and a claim is made, the postage will be refunded, but not the Registered Mail fee.
The declared value of an item must be determined using the table below:
| Item | Maximum Replacement Price |
|---|
| Merchandise | Market value or cost |
| Money / Cash / Currency | Full value |
| Nonvaluables - Matter not having intrinsic value such as letters, files, records, etc. | No value or replacement cost if postal insurance coverage desired* |
| Negotiable Instruments (Documents) - Instruments payable to bearer, including stock certificates and money orders endorsed in blank. | Market value (value based on value at time of mailing). |
| Nonnegotiable Instruments (Documents) - Registered bonds, checks, money orders, and drafts made out to specific recipients, deeds, wills, and similar documents. Stock certificates are considered nonnegotiable unless endorsed in blank. | No value or replacement cost if postal insurance coverage desired* |
| Jewelry, Gems, Precious Metals | Market value or cost |
|
*A mailer who does not know replacement costs should contact a person or firm familiar with such documents and determine replacement costs before mailing the articles.
|
International Registered Mail Service Information
Information about International Registered Mail Service can be found at Registered Mail® International.
