A certified mail service that handles the whole send
By Justin Winter · Updated October 20, 2026
The short answer
A certified mail service takes your document, prints it, hands it to USPS as Certified Mail and gives you the mailing record. paperplane does that from a PDF or pasted text. One page is $12.99 all-in, or $14.99 with the electronic Return Receipt. There is no account to open and no printer needed.
How it works
- Add the document. Upload a PDF or paste the letter text. The free preview shows the exact pages that will print.
- Check the addresses. The recipient address is checked against USPS data before you pay, so a bad street number or ZIP is caught first.
- Pay one price. The card is authorized at checkout and captured after the letter clears screening and the print facility accepts it.
- We mail it Certified. We print the letter and hand it to USPS the next business day. The tracking number and each scan arrive by email.
- Keep the record. The order record and USPS tracking history show when the piece was accepted and delivered. Add the electronic Return Receipt for a signed delivery record.
What it costs
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| First-Class letter | $0.99 |
| Certified Mail letter | $12.99 |
| Certified Mail with electronic Return Receipt | $14.99 |
Who it is for
- You want printing, the envelope, postage and the Certified fee covered by one price.
- You need a dated USPS record that the letter was mailed, not a label to print and take to the counter yourself.
- You are sending one notice and do not want an account or a monthly plan.
When it is not the right tool
- You own a printer and only need the certified label; a label service costs less per piece.
- You need Registered Mail, Restricted Delivery or the paper green card; paperplane mails First-Class, Certified, Certified with electronic Return Receipt and Priority Mail.
- You need same-day delivery. Certified Mail moves at the speed of First-Class service.
Keep reading
Questions before you send
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.
What does a certified mail service do that the post office does not?
It removes the printing and the trip. USPS still carries the letter and produces the record. A service prepares the document and envelope, pays the postage and Certified fee, and hands the piece to USPS.
Is a certified mail service the same as a label service?
No. A label service sells the certified label or cover sheet, and you print, stuff and mail the envelope. A print-and-mail service does those steps for you. Label services cost less when you already have a printer, envelopes and a mailbox on your route.
What proof do I get with the letter?
The order record and the USPS tracking history show when the piece was accepted and when it was delivered. The electronic Return Receipt adds a signed USPS delivery record as a PDF. Rules vary by state.
Can I send more than one certified letter?
Yes. Send one at a time, or use the API or a CSV mail merge for a list. Each letter is priced on its own.