How much does certified mail cost?
By Justin Winter · Updated August 22, 2026
The short answer
At the USPS counter, Certified Mail costs $6.37, or $9.28 with the electronic Return Receipt, before printing, an envelope and the trip. paperplane bundles all of that into $12.99, or $14.99 with the receipt.
The math
The math on one certified letter.
| Option | Cost | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| paperplane, Certified + Return Receipt | $14.99, all in | About two minutes |
| At the counter | $6.37 to $9.28 in USPS fees, plus printing, an envelope and the trip | About ten minutes at the counter, plus the drive and the line |
USPS charges the same fees whoever hands the letter over. The difference is the trip, the form and the slip you keep for a year.
Certified Mail pricing has two layers that are often conflated: what USPS itself charges at the counter, and what a service charges you to handle the printing, the envelope, and the trip to the post office. Here are both.
USPS's own fees (2026 rates)
| At the counter | USPS fees |
|---|---|
| Certified Mail, one-ounce letter | $6.37 |
| Certified Mail with electronic Return Receipt | $9.28 |
What every mail class actually costs, all-in
| Service | All-in price | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| First-Class | $0.99 | 3–5 business days, no tracking by default (+$0.99 to add it) |
| Certified | $12.99 | 3–5 business days, tracked, proof of mailing |
| Certified + electronic Return Receipt | $14.99 | 3–5 business days, tracked, signed proof of delivery |
| Priority | $24.99 | 1–3 business days, tracked |
Every price above is all-in: printing, the envelope, postage and the Certified fee. The price on the page is the price at checkout.
Related: how Certified Mail tracking works, what Certified Mail actually is, Certificate of Mailing vs. Certified Mail, or send Certified Mail now.
Keep reading
Questions before you send
Is it cheaper to go to the post office myself?
Sometimes, if your time is free. The counter fees are the same whoever hands the letter to USPS; what you add at the post office is the printing, the envelope, the form and the trip. The all-in price here covers all of that, and the letter goes out the next business day without you leaving your desk.
Are other online services cheaper for Certified Mail?
Some are. Label services cost less if you own a printer and will mail the envelope yourself. paperplane is for when you want it done: no account, no printer, the exact pages previewed free, your address checked with USPS before you pay, and one all-in price. The certified mail services comparison has the table.
If something goes wrong, do I pay?
If we cannot mail the letter, the hold on your card is released and you are not charged. If a letter fails after your card is charged, you are refunded automatically and in full.
Does the price change based on how many pages I send?
Yes — each additional page (beyond the first) adds $0.25, and color adds $0.50/page. A one-page black-and-white letter is the base price shown here.
What does USPS charge for Priority Mail?
USPS Priority Mail flat-rate postage runs around $11.10. We sell Priority at $24.99 all-in, which includes printing, the envelope, and delivery in 1–3 business days instead of Certified's 3–5.