Here is how to send registered mail: you take the sealed item to a Post Office retail counter, pay First-Class Mail, Priority Mail or USPS Ground Advantage postage plus the Registered Mail fee, and tell the clerk the full value. You cannot drop it in a collection box or hand it to a carrier on the street. The fee starts at $20.90 and rises with the value you declare.
The process is short, but a few preparation mistakes get an item refused at the counter. This guide covers what to bring, how to seal the item, what it costs and what you get back. For the full service overview, see our Registered Mail guide.
What you need before you go
Registered Mail is accepted only at a Post Office, station or branch with retail employees, or by a rural carrier. Collection boxes and curbside mailboxes are not allowed. Plan to hand the item to a clerk and wait while it is processed.
- The item, sealed and ready, with complete names and addresses of both sender and addressee.
- Postage in First-Class Mail, Priority Mail or USPS Ground Advantage, the three classes the Domestic Mail Manual lists as eligible. The clerk can price this at the counter.
- Payment for the Registered Mail fee, which is charged on top of postage.
- A clear idea of the item’s full value, because you must declare it.
If you are unsure which postage fits your item, the Mail Class Selector shows the options for its size and weight.
How to send registered mail at the counter, step by step
- Prepare and seal the item using the rules in the next section.
- Write the complete sender and addressee names and addresses on the front.
- Go to a Post Office retail counter and hand the item to the clerk. The red Label 200 is supplied there and goes above the delivery address, so you do not buy or print it in advance.
- Declare the full value of the contents to the clerk.
- Choose any extra services, such as a return receipt or restricted delivery.
- Pay postage and fees, then keep the mailing receipt.
USPS marks Registered Mail with a red Label 200, which carries a barcode. If you printed your own shipping label with a barcode and attached it to the piece, the plain Label 200-N is used instead. The Domestic Mail Manual says the mailer must place the applicable label above the delivery address, so expect to apply it at the window with the clerk watching.
Sealing rules that get items refused
Registered Mail has stricter sealing rules than ordinary mail. The goal is to make any tampering obvious, because USPS postmarks the seams. A badly sealed item will be turned away at the counter, and the Domestic Mail Manual bars postal employees from helping you prepare or seal it.
| Item | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Envelopes | Sealed securely with the flap glue or mucilage | Padded envelopes, plastic envelopes, Tyvek style envelopes; strips, wax or paper seals over the flap intersections |
| Packages | Closed with mucilage, glue or plain paper or cloth tape that tears the wrapper if removed and absorbs postmark ink | Transparent or plastic tape; paper strips alone on a package holding currency or securities |
In short, do not put strips or seals over the seams of a letter. Use the envelope’s own glue, or plain paper or cloth tape on a package, because the tape has to take a postmark impression. If a clerk rejects the sealing, you redo it yourself, so bring spare tape.
Declared value and the Registered Mail fee
You must declare the full value of what you are sending. The fee depends on that number, and it is charged in addition to postage. These are the retail fees in the July 12, 2026 price notice.
| Declared value | Registered Mail fee |
|---|---|
| $0.00 | $20.90 |
| $0.01 to $100.00 | $21.50 |
| $100.01 to $500.00 | $25.00 |
| $500.01 to $1,000.00 | $28.10 |
| $1,000.01 to $2,000.00 | $31.20 |
| $2,000.01 to $3,000.00 | $34.30 |
| $3,000.01 to $4,000.00 | $37.40 |
| $4,000.01 to $5,000.00 | $40.50 |
| $5,000.01 to $50,000.00 | $40.50 plus $3.10 for each $1,000 or fraction |
| Over $50,000 | $180.00 |
The maximum compensation for loss, damage or missing contents is $50,000. An item worth more can still be mailed, but payment stops at that cap. For a quick estimate of postage on top of the fee, use the Postage Price Calculator.
Common mistakes to avoid
Anyone learning how to send registered mail should know that most refusals come from a short list of preparation errors. Check each one before you leave home.
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Using a padded, Tyvek or plastic mailer | Switch to a paper envelope sealed with glue, or a package closed with paper or cloth tape |
| Covering letter flap seams with paper strips or wax, or taping a box with clear plastic tape | Leave letter seams bare; use paper or cloth tape on boxes |
| Leaving off the sender address | Write complete names and addresses for both sender and addressee |
| Understating the value | Declare the full value, since the fee and any payout depend on it |
| Dropping it in a mailbox | Hand it to a clerk at a retail counter or to a rural carrier |
Declaring the full value matters even when it raises the fee. The value you state sets the fee tier, and it is the number USPS looks at if the item is lost or damaged. Understating it only weakens your claim.
Who should learn how to send registered mail
Registered Mail makes sense for items that cannot be replaced or that carry real monetary value. Think original documents, jewelry, negotiable papers or important legal originals. The service is built around custody, so the item is handed over and receipted at each stage rather than left in a mail stream.
It is a poor fit for routine parcels. The fee alone starts at $20.90, and the recipient may need to show ID to get it. If you only need to prove you mailed something, a cheaper service does the job.
Optional extras: return receipt and restricted delivery
A return receipt on PS Form 3811 gives you evidence of who received the item and the delivery date. It costs $4.65 as a mailed receipt or $2.91 as an electronic one. Ask for it at the counter when you pay.
Return receipt is not offered to APO, FPO and DPO addresses or some territories. Check this first if the recipient is overseas or on a military base.
Restricted Delivery limits delivery to the addressee or the addressee’s authorized agent. The addressee must be a named individual, not a business or a title.
It adds $8.80 on top of the Registered Mail fee and postage. The recipient must also show identification under postal standards.
Registered Mail COD is a separate option. It collects up to $1,000 from the recipient and costs $15.00 extra.
What the recipient has to do
The recipient picks up or accepts the item and may have to prove who they are. Postal standards call for identification at delivery, so a recipient with no photo ID on hand can hold up the process. Tell them to expect it.
If you added Restricted Delivery, only the named addressee or an authorized agent can take it. If you added a return receipt, the Postal Service records who received the item and the date, and sends that proof back to you.
Keep your receipt and check on delivery
The mailing receipt is your proof that USPS took custody of the item. Keep it until the item is delivered and any return receipt comes back. Registered Mail is tracked from acceptance to delivery, and you can ask for electronic verification at usps.com or by calling 1-800-222-1811.
If a scan seems to be missing, see Registered Mail tracking and missing scans.
The Postal Service lists the full service and fees on its insurance and extra services page.
When registered is not the right service
Registered Mail costs at least $20.90 before postage, so it suits valuable or irreplaceable items. For legal notices that only need proof of mailing and delivery, Certified Mail is $5.55 and has no insurance.
Compare the two in Registered Mail vs Certified Mail.
If Certified fits better, follow our Certified Mail walkthrough.
Sending to a box number changes the process. Read Can You Send Certified Mail to a PO Box? before you pick a service for a PO Box address.
Bottom line
Knowing how to send registered mail comes down to this: you need a Post Office counter visit with a securely sealed item, correct addresses, First-Class Mail, Priority Mail or Ground Advantage postage, and an honest declared value. Skip strips over letter seams and clear tape on boxes, avoid padded and plastic envelopes, and keep the receipt. Pay the fee for your value tier, and add a return receipt only if you need proof of who signed.
