Certificate of Mailing

[Bruce Wrenn]

Bet you have never heard of these. USPS doesn't push them as they would rather sell you certified mail at about five times the cost. Certificate of Mailing ( PS Form 3817) says you mailed an item to a certain address on a certain date. It's legal proof that your item was mailed. Nice thing about them, is recipient does know that you have proof of mailing. With Certified Mailing, they can refuse delivery. When I worked for mini storage company, we used then to notify customers of impending sale of their unit for non payment of rent. If they were sent certified, and they refused delivery, it meant we had to pay sheriff to go issue a summons, adding to our costs,and allowing for at least another month's rent to go unpaid. Saved my butt once when I paid child support. Started out paying by check, which each month I got back in statement. Then they converted to money orders only for payment. Bought money order, and put it in mail with certificate of mailing on correct day. You don't get any notice telling money order has been canceled. Sheriff serves me summons for non support. Day before I get to court, money posts to my account. When it's my turn, show judge my copy of money order and certificate of mailing. Tell judge ask how many in court room had their money post the day before. Most hands went up. Told judge he had a problem in clerks office with an employee. Judge apologizes to me and tells me to go home. He then recesses court, gets Clerk of Court, and they proceed to fire a certain employee. Had I not had my certificate of mailing and receipt, the results most likely would have been different for me and a bunch of others.

[David Powell]

Interesting, Bruce. I had never heard of a Certificate of Mailing.

[Mike Henderson]

I used to use them when I mailed things to Canada years ago. At that time you couldn't get tracking into Canada to prove that the item was delivered so proof of mailing was all I could do.

Mike

[Bruce Wrenn]

Interesting, Bruce. I had never heard of a Certificate of Mailing.

That's why I posted this, as a PSA (not sandpaper.)

[Dave Zellers]

That's why I posted this, as a PSA (not sandpaper.)

So glad you did. I have saved it to my info folder.

Which means I'll never be able to find it years from now when I need it.

But that doesn't mean I'm not grateful, because I am. And who knows, maybe I will remember!

[Ed Aumiller]

THANKS.... great info... will definitely use it...

[Mike Kreinhop]

Based solely on my experience, the reason the Certificate of Mailing is not widely known is because it is mostly useless. All the PS Form 3817 does is verify that something was accepted for delivery at a USPS. There is no additional information available, as one would have with Certified, Registered, or Insured mail.

If I have to send a time critical or sensitive item, and want to know where it is during the delivery, when it was delivered, and restrict who will receive it, I will always use Certified or Registered Mail. This is the only way I can have proof of acceptance, tracking, and delivery. Registered Mail can be slower than First Class mail since it must be physically secured at every stop, and not merely scanned and left on a pallet or the back of a truck. In over 45 years of using Registered Mail to send sensitive items, I have never experienced a loss.

The Certificate of Mailing does not meet the minimum requirement as proof of delivery for PayPal transactions. Several unfortunate sellers learned this the expensive way.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Under the rules of procedure in many states, a item can be (but not always) deemed served on the date mailed. An especially bad idea with current mail delays. (My daughter got a Christmas card yesterday that was clearly postmarked December 3rd) Most states require Attorneys include a certificate of service with all pleadings certifying that copies were mailed to the other parties/attorneys. It may have been usefull for items where contracts required certain notices be mailed by a certain date. (as opposed to mailed late and back dated) For instance in a lease, there is a provision that the tenant can renew at the same terms but mailing the landlord at least 60 days before the end of the lease. Tenant uses a certificate of mailing to show he mailed the notice in accordance with the contract. Under the contract, it doesn't matter when and if the landlord gets notice. If on the other hand, the lease says notice must be presented in writing to the landlord, mailing it not good enough because the contract requires receipt of the notice rather than just mailing. In such cases sending certified is proof of receipt unless refused. Under the law of some states, refusal of a certified letter is still a tender of notice, in other states it isn't.

[Andrew Joiner]

Thanks Bruce

[Frederick Skelly]

In over 45 years of using Registered Mail to send sensitive items, I have never experienced a loss.

Total aside, but I remember reading somewhere that one owner of the Hope Diamond used registered mail to ship it to a buyer. That was years ago - maybe 1960 - but they felt it was safe. (Plus, I'll guess they felt it was a way to avoid thieves, because it would be unexpected.)

[Stephen Tashiro]

but they felt it was safe. (Plus, I'll guess they felt it was a way to avoid thieves, because it would be unexpected.)

And Interference with the mail is a federal crime. I wonder if that includes theft of packages from a porch after they have been delivered by the mail man. I assume it would include theft of mail from a mailbox.

[Wade Lippman]

Total aside, but I remember reading somewhere that one owner of the Hope Diamond used registered mail to ship it to a buyer. That was years ago - maybe 1960 - but they felt it was safe. (Plus, I'll guess they felt it was a way to avoid thieves, because it would be unexpected.)

They insured it for full value. I don't remember the cost, but it wasn't much.

[Mike Henderson]

Post office insurance was a real money maker for the USPS. They really don't lose many packages so they don't pay off very often.

Now, you get $50 free insurance on any priority mail package. I guess some people still add insurance.

Mike

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Post office insurance was a real money maker for the USPS. They really don't lose many packages so they don't pay off very often.

Now, you get $50 free insurance on any priority mail package. I guess some people still add insurance.

Mike

Ever try to collect? The procedure is quite a hassle. Trying to collect on a lost in the mail Postal money order is almost impossible.

[Brian Elfert]

I had postal insurance on a package once where it was obvious someone cut the padded envelope open, removed the contents, and taped it shut. I simply took pictures and opened a case on usps.com. I had a postal money order as payment in my mailbox within 10 days.