GLOSSARY
Registered Mail
By Justin Winter · Updated August 28, 2026
USPS’s highest-security service: each piece is individually tracked and signed for through every transfer, and can be insured for high-value contents.
Registered Mail is built for valuables rather than documents. Pieces are kept under lock and signature at each handoff, which produces an unbroken chain of custody — and makes it noticeably slower than ordinary mail.
For legal notices and correspondence, Certified Mail is the recognised standard. Registered Mail is rarely required unless a statute or contract names it specifically.
See also
- Certified Mail — A USPS extra service that adds a dated mailing receipt and delivery tracking to a letter, with the delivery record kept by USPS.
- Restricted Delivery — A USPS extra service that limits delivery to the addressee, or to someone the addressee has authorised in writing.
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