Mailing records The IRIS mailing library
How to send Certified Mail online
Send Certified Mail online from a PDF, with no printer or post office trip. See the page limit, fees, the tracking you get, and when you need a USPS receipt.
US Letter PDF · Up to 26 MB · Review before you pay
At a glance
Direct answer
For a permitted letter, upload a finished US Letter PDF, check both addresses, select Certified Mail within the six-sheet limit, and review the total before checkout. IRIS prints and submits the letter; its private order page shows a tracking number and provider-reported events when received, not a downloadable USPS postmarked mailing receipt or Return Receipt artifact.
Prepare the letter before choosing the service
Save the exact PDF and attachments before ordering. Check the recipient's address, deadline, and any required delivery or signature record: if it calls for a postmarked USPS receipt, an original ink-signed document, or a Return Receipt artifact, use a channel that supplies it. Without an applicable written agreement with IRIS, do not upload government identifiers, highly sensitive medical records, or payment-card credentials.
Send it in five steps
Prepare the letter.
Finish and save the US Letter PDF; keep a separate copy of what you intend to mail.
Check both addresses.
Verify the return address and recipient's current destination against the instructions.
Choose the print settings.
Select black-and-white or color and single- or double-sided printing; review every PDF page.
Select an eligible service.
Choose Certified Mail only for up to six printed sheets (six single-sided or 12 double-sided PDF pages). Add electronic Return Receipt only if its availability and IRIS's lack of an artifact meet your needs.
Review and pay.
Confirm the PDF, addresses, options, and total before Stripe Checkout; keep the private order link and any tracking number received.
What the tracking can show
USPS Certified Mail offers a mailing receipt and access to available tracking for eligible pieces, but IRIS does not furnish a downloadable, postmarked USPS receipt. Its order page shows provider-reported events and a tracking number when available. A missing or late scan does not prove a physical milestone; a delivery event does not establish that the contents were legally sufficient or read by the recipient. If a stamped USPS receipt or a Return Receipt artifact is required, arrange an appropriate retail or other verified channel.
At IRIS, Certified Mail adds $6.95 to the letter price; the electronic Return Receipt option adds $2.91. Selecting the option does not make a signature artifact available on the IRIS order page.
Sources and current instructions
Review the linked source when a mailing depends on current USPS, agency, contractual, or legal requirements.
Send your letter by Certified Mail
Upload a PDF of up to six printed sheets. Certified Mail is already selected, and you see the total before checkout. Your order page shows the tracking number; it is not a postmarked USPS receipt.
How to prove that you mailed a letter
Learn which records prove a letter was mailed: a Certified Mail receipt, Certificate of Mailing, tracking, and what an online order page can and cannot show.
Read the guide
Certified Mail vs. regular mail
Certified Mail vs. First-Class Mail: compare cost, tracking, delivery records, and Return Receipt to decide which service your letter actually needs.
Read the guide
USPS Certified Mail forms: PS Form 3800 and PS Form 3811
Learn what PS Form 3800, PS Form 3811, and electronic Return Receipt record, how to prepare them, and the current USPS retail fees for 2026 service.
Read the guidePlanning mail for a business or team?
Tell us the mailpiece type, expected volume, and workflow you need. We will confirm whether the current IRIS letter, form, or postcard service fits.