Guide · Updated 2026
How to send certified mail online
You don't need to visit the post office, fill out green cards by hand, or stand in line. Here's exactly how to send USPS Certified Mail online in about five minutes — with a real tracking number and the option for signed proof of delivery.
What is USPS Certified Mail?
Certified Mail is a USPS service that gives you a tracking number and a delivery record for a First Class letter. It's the standard way to prove that an important letter — a legal notice, a demand letter, a lease termination, an IRS response — was actually sent and delivered. Add Return Receipt and USPS also collects a physical signature and mails a signed green card back to you as legal proof of delivery.
The 5-step process
Step 1: Find or add the recipient's address
Search the Postabl directory for the company or agency you're mailing. If they're not listed yet, add the address once — it stays available for you (and, for public companies, for other senders too).
Step 2: Upload your PDF
Drag one or more PDFs onto the upload area. Postabl automatically merges them into a single certified letter, up to the USPS First Class limit of 50 pages.
Step 3: Choose Certified Mail at checkout
Pick Certified Mail for tracking, or Certified Mail with Return Receipt if you need the signed green card back as legal proof of delivery.
Step 4: Pay by the page
Postage is $0.95 for the first page and $0.12 per additional page. Certified adds $9. Certified with Return Receipt adds $11. No subscription, no minimums.
Step 5: We print and hand it to USPS
Your letter is printed the next business day, enveloped, and handed to USPS with a Certified Mail tracking number. You get an email receipt with the tracking number so you can confirm delivery.
How much does it cost?
Example: a 3-page certified letter with Return Receipt is $0.95 + $0.24 + $11.00 = $12.19.
When you should send certified (and when you shouldn't)
Send Certified for…
- Demand and collection letters
- Lease terminations and eviction notices
- Contract terminations and cure notices
- IRS and state agency responses
- Insurance claim disputes
- Any letter where you need to prove delivery
Standard First Class is fine for…
- Routine business correspondence
- Invoices and statements
- Marketing letters
- Thank-you notes and personal mail
- Anything you don't need to prove was delivered
How long does certified mail take?
Postabl prints and hands your letter to USPS the next business day. From there, Certified Mail typically arrives in 2–5 business days, tracked the entire way. If you added Return Receipt, the signed green card is mailed back to your return address after delivery, usually within another week.
FAQ
Can I really send certified mail without going to the post office?
Yes. Postabl accepts your PDF, prints the letter, and hands it to USPS as Certified Mail on your behalf. You never touch a green card or wait in line.
Is online certified mail legally valid?
It's the same USPS Certified Mail service, with the same tracking number and the same legal weight. Attorneys, landlords, and creditors use it every day for formal notices.
Do I need an account?
No. Guest checkout works — you only need an email so we can send the receipt and tracking number.
Can I send to a PO Box?
Yes. USPS Certified Mail is delivered to PO Boxes without issue.
What if the recipient isn't home?
USPS leaves a notice and holds the letter at the post office for pickup. Tracking will show the attempted delivery. With Return Receipt, the green card is only mailed back after someone signs.
Ready to send yours?
Upload a PDF and Postabl handles the rest — printing, envelope, USPS drop-off, tracking number, and green card if you want one.