Return Receipt (Electronic) is an electronic alternative to the Return Receipt (green postcard).
- This service can be purchased at the time of mailing with:
- Priority Mail Express® (Form 3811 only)
- Priority Mail®, First-Class Mail®, USPS Ground Advantage™ - Commercial, Parcel Select® (if purchased with Certified Mail®, Collect on Delivery (COD), Insurance over $500, or Registered Mail®)
- USPS Marketing Mail™ (parcels only, excluding Marketing Parcels; if purchased with Bulk Insurance over $500)
- USPS Ground Advantage™, Bound Printed Matter, Library Mail, Media Mail® (if purchased with Collect on Delivery or Insurance over $500)
- As with Return Receipt service, the electronic option provides a mailer with evidence of delivery (to whom the mail was delivered and date of delivery), along with information about the recipient's actual delivery address.
- Return Receipt (Electronic) is an official United States Postal Service® document designed to be equivalent to the hardcopy Return Receipt that has been in use for many years. However, its legal status is not determined by the Postal Service™. That decision is made by the individual courts.
- Return Receipt (Electronic) records are kept for two years from the date of mailing. After 60 days the record will take longer to retrieve.
Notes:
- Return Receipt (Electronic) currently cannot be purchased through USPS.com®. It is available for purchase from Post Offices™ at the time of mailing. Electronic return receipts requested at the time of mailing are available individually online through USPS Tracking. Bulk Proof of Delivery is available to authorized commercial mailers.
- Return Receipt (Electronic) is not available for items mailed to APO/FPO/DPO locations or U.S. territories, possessions, or freely associated states.
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How do I obtain the Return Receipt (Electronic)?
You need to request a Return Receipt (Electronic) at the time of mailing. You must wait for delivery to take place and for the signature record to be fully completed before we can email it to you.
To get a copy of the delivery record:
- Go to the USPS Tracking website.
- Enter the Certified Mail, COD, Insured Mail (over $500), or Registered Mail® article number from the mailing label or receipt.
- Input your email address when presented with the Return Receipt (Electronic) option.
- Return Receipt emails include a link to the USPS Tracking prepopulated with tracking/delivery information on the mail item.
- The signature will arrive as a proof of delivery letter via email attachment (rather than the green postcard otherwise used).
Note: To request your Return Receipt (Electronic), you must have your article barcode number. This can be found on your purchase receipt, depending on the Post Office of issuance, or on your accountable mail label receipt. If you do not have the article barcode number, you will not be able to obtain a Return Receipt (Electronic).
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When will I receive the Return Receipt (Electronic)?
The amount of time it takes to receive the Return Receipt (Electronic) request depends on when the Return Receipt on the USPS Tracking website at USPS.com® is requested. If a record is requested on an article that has already been delivered and all related documentation has been completed, we will process it immediately. Depending on the email server, the email request should be received within hours. If the record is requested prior to delivery, then we must wait for delivery to happen and for the signature record to be completed. The Return Receipt letter is usually available to be sent by email within 48 hours of delivery.
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Would it not be easier to get my email address for Return Receipt (Electronic) at purchase?
To ensure that we capture your email correctly, we ask customers to visit our website and enter the requested information. Some customers may choose not to receive an email response for each Return Receipt purchased. Instead, they may want to get an email response only for the ones that they have questions about. Allowing customers to enter their email address as opposed to the United States Postal Service® provides this flexibility.
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Is there an option to receive Return Receipt (Electronic) in bulk?
Customers that purchase Return Receipt (Electronic) from a Post Office are required to enter each request individually and will receive an email address for each Return Receipt (Electronic) purchased. Electronic return receipt customers that mail large volumes, such as 25 items per day, can participate in the USPS Bulk Proof of Delivery Program and obtain signature data through a signature extract file. Customers interested in participating in the Bulk Proof of Delivery service can refer to your local Post Office or to to PostalPro for more details.
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