Signature Confirmation is a delivery product
The evidence is generated at the far end of the trip: someone at the address signs a driver's device and that record attaches to the tracking number. It answers "did it arrive and who took it".
USPS proof of mailing
Signature Confirmation against Certified Mail
They look similar on the counter form and get bought for the same reason — some kind of proof — but they answer different questions. Signature Confirmation proves a parcel was delivered and who signed. Certified Mail proves an envelope was mailed on a particular day. Fee amounts below come from USPS Notice 123, effective 2026-07-12 and read on 2026-08-11.
USPS Notice 123 feesRead 2026-08-11Two products, two jobs
Delivery record vs mailing record
The green form and the barcoded parcel do different jobs.
Head to head, in one table
| Signature Confirmation | Certified Mail | |
|---|---|---|
| What it records | Who signed for the parcel at the destination | That the mailpiece was accepted at a USPS counter, on the date shown |
| What it costs | $5.15 retail, $4.15 electronic | $5.55 |
| Where the proof lives | In the online tracking record, retained by USPS | On the postmarked green PS Form 3800 receipt and in the online tracking record for two years |
| What it can be added to | Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, Ground Advantage parcels | First-Class Mail letters and flats, Priority Mail, some Ground Advantage |
| Companion product | Adult Signature Required at $9.70 pulls it up to an over-21 recipient | Return Receipt at $4.65 by mail or $2.91 electronic captures the addressee signature |
| Common use | High-value marketplace parcels, controlled items, valuables | Legal notices, tax filings, contract deliveries, IRS submissions |
Why they do not substitute for each other
Certified Mail is a mailing product
The evidence is generated at the counter: USPS accepts the mailpiece, stamps a paper receipt, and records the mailing time. It answers "when did the sender put this in the mail".
The two questions rarely combine
A court asks whether a notice was sent on time, not who signed for it. A marketplace asks whether a buyer received the item, not when the seller dropped it off. Buying both on one parcel usually means the wrong question was asked.
The exception is a legal letter where the sender needs both the mailing date and the addressee signature. Certified Mail with a Return Receipt covers both jobs on one envelope; that is what the PS Form 3811 exists for.
Which one fits which job
Selling a used camera on a marketplace: Signature Confirmation, so the tracking record shows the buyer took delivery and the marketplace's dispute system has something to weigh. Filing a tax return by mail: Certified Mail, so the IRS timely-filing safe harbor treats the postmark date as the filing date. Serving a contract cancellation: Certified Mail with Return Receipt, so both the mailing date and the addressee signature are documented. Shipping a $600 collectible: Signature Confirmation plus declared-value protection, so any claim has a signed delivery record and a value the carrier will honor.
Add either during checkout on the SMKlog calculator; both are surfaced as options once USPS is picked for the route and the option applies to the class chosen.
Where these fees come from
- United States Postal Service, Notice 123 — Price List — Signature Confirmation, Adult Signature Required, Certified Mail and Return Receipt fees. Effective 2026-07-12, read 2026-08-11.
USPS revises Notice 123 several times a year. Numbers above match the version in effect on the date shown; a fresh check before a large mailing is always cheap insurance against a rate move.
Common questions
What is the difference between Signature Confirmation and Certified Mail?
Signature Confirmation records that a person accepted a package at the destination and stores that record with the tracking. Certified Mail records that a piece of mail was accepted by USPS at the origin and generates a mailing receipt with a green form. One proves delivery, the other proves mailing.
Which one holds up in court?
For legal notices, contracts, tax filings and any letter that has to be shown to have been mailed by a certain date, Certified Mail is the customary choice; the postmarked receipt is the evidence. For proof that a parcel arrived and someone took delivery, Signature Confirmation carries the weight.
What do they each cost?
USPS Notice 123 effective 2026-07-12 lists Signature Confirmation at $5.15 at a retail counter and $4.15 in its electronic form; Certified Mail at $5.55. Both are on top of postage. A Return Receipt to prove the addressee signed adds $4.65 by mail or $2.91 electronically.
Can I use them together?
Certified Mail is designed to be paired with a Return Receipt, which converts the mailing record into a delivery record too. Signature Confirmation includes its own signature capture, so pairing it with Certified Mail on the same parcel is redundant and rarely worth doing.
Do UPS and FedEx offer either?
Neither carrier offers Certified Mail; the product is a USPS mailing category. Both offer signature options on their own labels at their own fees, and both compete with Signature Confirmation but not with Certified Mail.