Maintaining compliance to the policies regarding control of accountable mail that requires a signature of the addressee or addressee’s agent upon receipt to provide evidence of delivery or indemnification for loss or damage.
Accountable Mail Items
Accountable mail requires a signature and/or payment of fees from the recipient or the recipient's agent before delivery can be completed.
You or an authorized agent must be present to sign for accountable mail being delivered by a mail carrier.
If delivery was attempted for your accountable mail item and you want to schedule a redelivery, signing a Redelivery Notice (PS Form 3849) and leaving it for the mail carrier does not meet the minimum requirements for redelivery. You or an authorized agent must be present to sign for accountable mail when the carrier is redelivering the item. See Redelivery - The Basics for additional information on scheduling a redelivery.
If delivery was attempted for your accountable mail item and you want to pick it up from your local Post Office, see Redelivery - The Basics for additional information. If you want someone else to pick up your accountable mail item, either:
- A Standing Delivery Order needs to be in place that authorizes the person to act as your agent or
- Follow the instructions on the back of PS Form 3849 under option 6. See Redelivery - The Basics for additional information.
- Note: Either of these is required even for a person with the same last name and address as the recipient.
These items are accountable mail and require a signature and/or payment of fees:
- Adult Signature Required
- Adult Signature Restricted Delivery
- Insured Mail (insured for over $500)
- Collect On Delivery (COD)
- Registered Mail®
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- Postage Due / Return Postage Due
- Certified Mail™
- Foreign Origin Mail with extra services
- Signature Confirmation™ service
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| 1 Restricted Delivery service is even more specific. It is delivered only to the addressee or to the person authorized in writing as the addressee's agent to receive the mail. |
Non-Accountable Mail Items
Non-accountable mail can be delivered to an address without a signature, or when the recipient is not present if the item is endorsed "CARRIER-LEAVE IF NO RESPONSE." Non-accountable mail includes:
- Perishable Items
- USPS Tracking® items
- Uninsured Packages
- Insured Mail (up to $500)
Although a signature is not required for delivery of these items, a carrier may leave a redelivery notice PS Form 3849 if the item cannot fit in the mail receptacle or be left in a secure location. See Redelivery - The Basics for additional information.
Refusing Accountable Mail
You (or your representative) may obtain the sender’s name and address while held by the USPS employee before either:
- Accepting delivery and endorsing the delivery receipt or
- Refusing delivery and endorsing the item "Refused"
Once accepted, an accountable mail item is considered delivered and cannot be refused. However, it can be returned to sender with new postage.
