Certified Mail with an electronic Return Receipt
By Justin Winter · Updated October 20, 2026
The short answer
Certified Mail records that you mailed the letter and tracks it to delivery. The electronic Return Receipt adds a signed USPS delivery record, sent to you as a PDF, showing who signed and when. One page with the receipt is $14.99 all-in, $2.00 more than Certified without it.
How it works
- Start with the letter. Upload a PDF or paste the text. The preview shows the pages that will print before you pay.
- Add the Return Receipt. Choose Certified with the electronic Return Receipt. One page is $14.99; extra pages are $0.25 each.
- We hand it to USPS. The letter is printed and mailed with Certified service the next business day.
- The signature record arrives. After delivery, USPS produces the signed record and paperplane emails it as a PDF you can save or file.
What it costs
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Certified Mail letter | $12.99 |
| Certified Mail with electronic Return Receipt | $14.99 |
| Each extra page | $0.25 |
Who it is for
- A deadline runs from the date the other side receives the letter, not the date you mailed it.
- The recipient may later say the letter never arrived or that someone else accepted it.
- You want the signature record as a file you can save with the rest of the paperwork.
When it is not the right tool
- You only need to show the letter was mailed by a date; Certified Mail without the receipt already records that.
- A rule or contract names the paper green card (PS Form 3811) specifically. paperplane sends the electronic version.
- You need Restricted Delivery, where only the named person may sign; paperplane does not offer it.
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.
Is the electronic Return Receipt the same as the green card?
They record the same thing: a signature on delivery. The green card is PS Form 3811, signed at delivery and mailed back to the sender. The electronic version arrives as a PDF with the signature image. paperplane sends the electronic version.
Does Certified Mail without the Return Receipt show a signature?
No. Base Certified Mail gives you proof of mailing and a delivery scan. The signature record is the Return Receipt add-on.
When does the PDF arrive?
Certified Mail travels with First-Class service, typically 3 to 5 business days after we hand it to USPS. The receipt follows the delivery scan.
Will a court accept the electronic version?
The delivery record comes from USPS either way. Whether a particular court or agency accepts an electronic receipt depends on its own rules, so check before a deadline rests on it. Rules vary by state.