Notice 123 · effective 12 July 2026
A 1 oz stamped letter with Certified Mail is $6.37, which takes 8 Forever stamps. Change the weight and extra services. Totals update on this page.
Certified Mail is not faster delivery. It is postage plus an extra service. In transit it is handled as ordinary mail.
You pay
$6.37Use this many Forever stamps
8 Forever stamps ($6.56) covers $6.37 with $0.19 extra.
If you use fewer stamps
7 Forever stamps ($5.74) leaves $0.63 short. Add postage or use 8.
Stamps-only pieces over 10 oz or over 1/2 inch thick must be handed to a clerk. Do not use a collection box. USPS collection-box FAQ. DMM 136.1.0b.
Adult Signature extra-service pieces are not collection-box eligible (DMM 503.1.5.1).
Letters over 3.5 oz pay First-Class large envelope prices. We switched you to a 4 oz flat.
If the mailing date matters for court, IRS, or a lease, take the piece to a retail counter and get PS Form 3800 postmarked. A collection-box drop can be allowed for qualifying stamps-only pieces, but it is weaker proof of the mailing date.
Certified Mail is First-Class postage plus an extra service, currently $5.55. A 1 oz stamped letter totals $6.37. A 1 oz large envelope, including a 9x12 flat, totals $7.24. UPS and FedEx do not sell USPS Certified Mail.
| Extra service | Retail fee | How it stacks |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Mail | $5.55 | Added on top of First-Class postage |
| Certified Mail Restricted Delivery | $14.35 | Combined fee. Replaces $5.55, does not add on top of it |
| Certified Mail Adult Signature Required | $14.35 | Combined fee. Replaces $5.55 |
| Certified Mail Adult Signature Restricted Delivery | $14.35 | Combined fee. Replaces $5.55 |
| Return Receipt, electronic | $2.91 | Added on top of Certified Mail |
| Return Receipt, green card (PS Form 3811) | $4.65 | Added on top of Certified Mail |
| Nonmachinable letter surcharge | $0.49 | Square, rigid, or lumpy letters |
Extra service fees from USPS Notice 123, effective 12 July 2026. Restricted Delivery and Adult Signature are replacement fees, not add-ons.
| 1 oz letter | Stamped | Metered | Forever stamps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Mail only | $6.37 | $6.33 | 8 |
| Certified Mail with electronic return receipt | $9.28 | $9.24 | 12 |
| Certified Mail with green card (PS Form 3811) | $11.02 | $10.98 | 14 |
What you pay for a 1 oz letter. Forever stamp count is for stamped postage. Metered postage is cheaper by a few cents and is not paid with stamps.
This page is a retail calculator for First-Class letters and large envelopes with Certified Mail. Change the shape and weight. The total updates. A 9x12 manila envelope is a large envelope if it stays flexible and evenly thick.
A mailing receipt, a tracking number, and a record of delivery. You still pay First-Class postage. Add the Certified extra-service fee. The calculator on this page adds those numbers for letters and large envelopes. No ZIP codes.
Certified Mail is not faster delivery. Transit speed is First-Class Mail. Under DMM 503.3.1.1, Certified Mail is handled in transit as ordinary mail.
Forever stamp face value equals the current 1 oz First-Class stamped letter rate (DMM 604), $0.82 on this schedule. Forever stamps can cover postage and extra-service fees. Divide the total by that face and round up. Stamps are not change.
If you need legal proof of the mailing date, take the piece to a retail counter and get PS Form 3800 round-dated by a clerk. DMM 503.3.2.1 describes two paths: a clerk round-dates the receipt, or you affix the sticker, detach the receipt, mark the date, and mail the article. The second path is weaker proof. Landlords, IRS senders, and anyone mailing for a court date should use the counter. Do not skip it because this page gave you a stamp count.
Notice 123 lists Certified Mail Restricted Delivery and the Adult Signature Certified variants as combined fees of $14.35 that replace the $5.55 Certified Mail fee. They do not add on top of it. Restricted Delivery is one combined line, never Certified plus a standalone Restricted Delivery add-on. Adult Signature may not be available for a retail First-Class letter. Confirm at the counter. Adult Signature extra-service pieces are not collection-box eligible (DMM 503.1.5.1).
A typical 9x12 manila envelope is a large envelope. First-Class letters over 3.5 oz also pay large envelope prices (DMM 101.1.1). A rigid, nonrectangular, or not-uniformly-thick flat pays parcel prices (Notice 123 flats footnote 2). This calculator only prices letters and flats. We do not price parcels. Certified Mail is not offered with USPS Ground Advantage. Do not put letter or flat postage on a parcel.
Place the PS Form 3800 label above the delivery address and to the right of the return address. On a small envelope, put the PS Form 3811 return receipt card on the back so it does not cover the address. On a large envelope or 9x12 flat, the 3811 may sit on the front if it does not cover the address. The 3811 card's weight does not add postage ounces (DMM 503.6.1.2).
Blank 3800 labels and 3811 cards are free in post office lobbies. You pay the extra-service fees when you mail. If the date has to hold up for court, a lease, or the IRS, have a clerk round-date the 3800 receipt (DMM 503.3.2.1).
Electronic Return Receipt requires no physical card; delivery confirmation records are transmitted electronically by USPS.
Tell the clerk, or mark Restricted Delivery above the address and to the right of the return address, per DMM 503.3.2.2.
Confirm Adult Signature with the clerk. Not a blue-box service.
Postage $0.82 plus Certified Mail $5.55 is $6.37. 8 Forever stamps ($6.56) covers $6.37 with $0.19 extra. 7 Forever stamps ($5.74) leaves $0.63 short. Add postage or use 8.
$6.37 plus electronic return receipt $2.91 is $9.28. 12 Forever stamps ($9.84) covers $9.28 with $0.56 extra. 11 Forever stamps ($9.02) leaves $0.26 short. Add postage or use 12.
$6.37 plus the green card $4.65 is $11.02. 14 Forever stamps ($11.48) covers $11.02 with $0.46 extra. 13 Forever stamps ($10.66) leaves $0.36 short. Add postage or use 14.
Postage $1.11 plus Certified Mail $5.55 is $6.66. 9 Forever stamps ($7.38) covers $6.66 with $0.72 extra. 8 Forever stamps ($6.56) leaves $0.10 short. Add postage or use 9.
A 9x12 manila envelope pays First-Class large envelope postage. Postage $1.69 plus Certified Mail $5.55 is $7.24. 9 Forever stamps ($7.38) covers $7.24 with $0.14 extra. 8 Forever stamps ($6.56) leaves $0.68 short. Add postage or use 9.
Letters over 3.5 oz pay large envelope prices (DMM 101.1.1). Postage $2.56 plus Certified Mail $5.55 is $8.11. 10 Forever stamps ($8.20) covers $8.11 with $0.09 extra. 9 Forever stamps ($7.38) leaves $0.73 short. Add postage or use 10.
Retail First-Class postage plus the Certified extra-service fee. Under prices effective 12 July 2026 that is $0.82 plus $5.55, so $6.37 for a stamped letter. Metered is $0.78 plus $5.55, so $6.33. Certified Mail is not faster delivery. In transit it is handled as ordinary mail (DMM 503.3.1.1).
Divide the total by the current Forever stamp face value, which equals the 1 oz stamped letter price, $0.82 as of 12 July 2026 (DMM 604). For a 1 oz stamped letter with Certified Mail only, $6.37 needs 8 Forever stamps. 7 stamps leave you short. The calculator always recommends enough stamps to cover the total. Leftover stamp value is extra, not change.
No. Certified Mail buys a mailing receipt, a tracking number, and a record of delivery. Speed is still First-Class. It is not Priority Mail Express. In transit the piece is handled as ordinary mail.
If the mailing date has to hold up in court, for the IRS, or on a lease, yes. Take the piece to a clerk and get PS Form 3800 postmarked. DMM 503.3.2.1 also lets you affix the sticker, detach the receipt, write the date, and mail it yourself. That path is weaker proof of the date.
Some qualifying letters with full postage can go in a collection box, but you lose the clerk postmark on the receipt. Stamps-only pieces over 10 ounces or over 1/2 inch thick must be handed to a clerk (USPS collection-box FAQ and DMM 136.1.0b). Adult Signature extra-service pieces cannot go in a collection box (DMM 503.1.5.1).
Both prove delivery when you add them to Certified Mail. Electronic Return Receipt is $2.91 and gives you an electronic record with signature data. The green card, PS Form 3811, is $4.65 and comes back in the mail. Neither one replaces a clerk-postmarked PS Form 3800 for the date you mailed. The 3811 card does not add postage ounces (DMM 503.6.1.2). Electronic Return Receipt is not available to APO/FPO or U.S. territories.
Notice 123 prices Certified Mail Restricted Delivery as one combined fee, $14.35, that replaces the $5.55 Certified Mail fee. Do not add them. Standalone Restricted Delivery ($8.80) is a different product, used with things like Registered Mail or insurance over $500. Then add postage, and Return Receipt if you want it.
Certified Mail is offered with First-Class Mail and Priority Mail, not with USPS Ground Advantage. This page only prices letters and large envelopes. A rigid, boxed, or lumpy piece is a parcel. We do not price parcels. Do not put letter or flat postage on a box.
A First-Class letter over 3.5 oz is priced as a large envelope (DMM 101.1.1). The shape control follows that cutoff so the postage is not understated.
A letter that is square, rigid, clasped, or unevenly thick is nonmachinable (DMM 101.1.2). Add $0.49 on top of First-Class postage and the extra-service fees.
The dollars come from USPS Notice 123 for the dated schedule on this page. certifiedmailcost.com is not the Postal Service. We watch Postal Explorer for new files, then check the published table by hand before cents change. Every total shows the effective date and the last-checked date.
No. 8 stamps covers a 1 oz letter with Certified Mail only, under July 2026 rates. More weight, a large envelope, Return Receipt, or Restricted Delivery raises the total.
No. This is a cost and stamp calculator. Get PS Form 3800 and the 3811 green card at a post office.
No. Notice 123 lists Certified Mail Adult Signature Required and Adult Signature Restricted Delivery as combined $14.35 fees that replace $5.55. A retail First-Class letter may not qualify. Ask the clerk. Adult Signature extra-service pieces cannot go in a collection box (DMM 503.1.5.1).
They are different extra services. Certified Mail gives you a mailing receipt and an electronic delivery record on First-Class or Priority Mail, handled in transit as ordinary mail. Registered Mail is a separate, higher-security custody service with its own prices. This calculator does not price Registered Mail.
USPS follows its usual rules for refused or unclaimed Certified Mail and returns the piece after the hold period. Whether a refusal counts as legal notice depends on your case. That is not something a postage calculator can answer. Ask a lawyer.
This calculator does not price postcards. Postcard postage is $0.65 under Notice 123 effective 12 July 2026. Certified Mail is almost always an envelope.
First-Class flats are a published table, not one extra amount per ounce all the way up. The step is $0.30 at 9 oz and $0.31 at 12 oz on the 12 July 2026 Notice 123 row.
Start with postage plus Certified Mail, then add Return Receipt. Electronic Return Receipt is $2.91, so a 1 oz stamped letter is $9.28. The green card is $4.65, so the same letter is $11.02. Return Receipt proves delivery. It does not replace a postmarked PS Form 3800 for the date you mailed.
You pay First-Class postage plus the Certified extra service, currently $5.55. A typical 1 oz stamped letter is $6.37. Weight, a large envelope, Return Receipt, and Restricted Delivery change that total. UPS and FedEx do not sell USPS Certified Mail.
The same Notice 123 retail fees on this page. A clerk does not add a separate "post office" surcharge for Certified Mail. You still pay postage plus the extra service. For court, IRS, or eviction mail, the reason to go in is the round-dated postmark on PS Form 3800, not a different price list.
For the default 1 oz stamped letter with Certified Mail only, use 8 Forever stamps. That covers $6.37 at a $0.82 face value. Heavier pieces and extra services need more. The stamp count on this page updates with the total.
Yes. Blank PS Form 3800 Certified Mail labels are free in post office lobbies. Blank PS Form 3811 green cards are free there too. You pay the Certified extra-service fee, currently $5.55, when you mail the piece. If you add a green-card Return Receipt, that fee is $4.65. The forms themselves are not a separate charge.
The sticker is free. Certified Mail is the extra service, currently $5.55 on Notice 123. Pick up PS Form 3800 in the lobby, fill it, and pay postage plus the extra-service fee when you mail. If you need a round-dated sender's receipt, hand the piece to a clerk (DMM 503.3.2.1).
Yes. Any valid First-Class postage, including Forever stamps, can cover both postage and extra-service fees. Forever face value equals the current 1 oz stamped letter price, $0.82 as of 12 July 2026 (DMM 604). Affix enough stamps to cover the total. For a 1 oz stamped letter with Certified Mail only, that is 8 Forever stamps for $6.37.
Large envelopes (flats), including typical 9x12 manila envelopes, pay First-Class large envelope postage. A 1 oz flat is $1.69 postage plus $5.55 Certified, so $7.24. A 13 oz flat is $5.24 postage and $10.79 with Certified Mail only. A letter over 3.5 oz pays those large envelope prices even if it still looks like a letter (DMM 101.1.1). A rigid or lumpy piece is a parcel. This page does not price parcels.
There is no separate eviction or IRS rate. You pay the same First-Class postage plus Certified fee as any other letter or flat of that weight. A 1 oz stamped letter is $6.37. For court, IRS, or a lease, take the piece to a retail counter and have a clerk round-date PS Form 3800 (DMM 503.3.2.1). A collection-box drop with stamps is weaker proof of the mailing date. This page is not legal advice.
Certificate of Mailing (PS Form 3817) proves the date you presented a piece. Notice 123 prices an individual article at $2.45. It does not include tracking or a delivery record. Certified Mail is $5.55 on top of postage. It gives you a mailing receipt, a tracking number, and a delivery record. This calculator prices Certified Mail only.
The blank green card is free in the lobby. Return Receipt as a hard copy, used with Certified Mail, is $4.65. Electronic Return Receipt is $2.91 and needs no card. The 3811 does not add postage ounces (DMM 503.6.1.2). Neither receipt replaces a clerk-postmarked PS Form 3800 for the date you mailed.