United States Postal System: What Is "Registered Mail"?

Postal service

A 1936 registered letter from Canada to Great U.k. sent via the RMS Queen Mary.

A registered bundle sent from India to the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland with electronic barcode registration.

Registered mail is a mail service service offered by postal services in many countries, which allows the sender proof of mailing via a mailing receipt and, upon request, electronic verification that an article was delivered or that a delivery endeavour was made. Depending on the country, boosted services may also be available, such as:

a chain of custody, where the posted detail has its details recorded in a register to enable its location to be tracked, sometimes with added insurance to cover loss;
return receipt, called an Avis de réception, which provides a postcard or electronic notification with the date of delivery and recipient signature;
restricted commitment, which confirms that but a specified person, or authorized amanuensis, volition receive the specific mail service.

The name of this service varies from country to land, and postal services in some countries offer more than one level of service under different names (e.thou., "certified postal service" and "registered mail" in the U.Southward.). See the country-specific information below for details.

Background [edit]

Traditionally, registered mail service was a manual process which gave ascent to a great diversity of distinctive postal markings, like handstamps, and usage of registration labels.^[i] Many countries have issued special postal jotter and stamp stamps for registered postal service. Earlier similar services were known as Coin Letters. Today, however, the registration process is largely computerized with barcode registration labels replacing the traditional analog labels having simply a printed serial number.

Generally, the item is pre-paid with the normal postage rate and an boosted charge known every bit a registration fee. Upon payment of this fee the sender is given a receipt, and (normally) a unique numbered registration label is affixed to the letter. As the letter travels from post role to post office and through any sorting office, it has to be signed for on a ledger. This procedure is completed when the letter is delivered and the receiver signs for the item. With computerization and barcode applied science, much of the logging in one case washed manually has become simpler and leads to greater options for the sender and receiver alike to access the status of their shipment via the internet. Many postal authorities provide tracing information for registered items on their website.

Internationally, the use of registered mail requires labels with a 13-digit reference number and corresponding barcode (UPU S10). The first two letters indicate registration (unremarkably "RR") while the last 2 messages usually stand for the country where the registered item was posted. E.g., RR913282511SG indicating Singapore, RB5584847749CN indicating People's republic of china or RR123456785KR indicating South Korea.^[2]

History [edit]

A Western Australia registered letter from 1892 consummate with original greenish linen tape.

The earliest reference to a post registration arrangement dates to July 1556, during the reign of Mary Tudor, of England. In that example, the poste between this and the Northe should eche of them keepe a booke and entrye of every letter that he shall receive, the tyme of the deliverie thereof unto his easily with the parties names that shall bring it unto him, whose handes he shall also take to his booke, witnessing the same annotation to be trewe. ^[iii] This was likely for country security rather than mail security.^[4] In 1603, another Order of Quango was made whereby all letters had to be recorded.^[3] This system was, in effect, a registration organisation, although information technology practical to all items sent via the mail.

William Dockwra's 1680s London Penny Mail service also recorded all details on letters accustomed for onward manual,^[3] only unlike the General Post Office, gave compensation for losses.

The registration of letters as known today was introduced in 1841 in Great Britain. The letter had to be enclosed within a large sheet of green paper. The dark-green canvass was addressed to the Post Role where the recipient lived. The green canvas was then used as a receipt and was returned to the office of origin afterward delivery. On 1 July 1858 the green sail was replaced by a green silk ribbon and presently after past a green linen tape. In 1870 the record was replaced past green string. On the introduction of postal jotter registration envelopes in 1878 the string was replaced by printed blue crossed lines. The bluish crossed lines have survived on registered letters to the present day.^[5]

By state [edit]

Canada [edit]

Canada Post's Registered Mail service provides the sender with a mailing receipt, and upon delivery of the item, with the delivery engagement and a copy of the signature of the addressee or the addressee's representative. Registered Mail may include lettermail, documents, valuables, and literature for the blind, but does not include parcels.^[six]

Israel [edit]

Israel Post's Registered Mail service (Hebrew: דֹּאַר רָשׁוּם, doar rashum) provides the sender with a mailing receipt, and upon commitment of the detail, the addressee must sign in order to obtain the item. The sender can monitor the item until its delivery, for items intended for 84 cities in Israel. A confirmation of commitment is sent to the sender for an additional fee. Registered Postal service may include letters, postcards and printed affair.^[7]

On 25 Nov 2015 a preliminary reading of an amendment to Postal Law that forces the sender to mention his name on an item sent via registered mail, was passed.^[8] According to the press, the major opposition to this bill is the Courts Administration that sends most of its mail via registered mail with a confirmation of delivery, and claims that knowing the identity of the sender, many of their addressees will choose non to have the items, thus delaying the legal proceedings they are a party to.^[9]

Sweden [edit]

PostNord's service Registered Post (Swedish: Rekommenderad försändelse), often shortened as Rek, will only be delivered after the recipient take verified their identity with some form of ID menu or BankID and had their personal identity number logged. The letter tin can besides be collected by a courier, provided this courier carries both their own ID and the recipient'southward ID, or if the receiver accept verified their identy in the app via BankID and sent a newly generated barcode to the courier.^[ten] All Registered Mail is traceable in over 30 countries via PostNord's website and mobile app. Any domestic Registered Mail service is insured for up to 10 000 SEK. International Registered Mail is insured for upwardly to either 2 000 SEK or 10 000 SEK.^[xi]

There is an optional added service chosen Personal Commitment (Swedish: Personlig utlämning) where simply the recipient tin can collect the letter and denies all else, including couriers and power of chaser. Another optional added service is Advice of Delivery (Swedish: Mottagningsbevis) where a form signed past the receiver is sent back to the sender.^[12]

Registered Postal service will be delivered to one of PostNord's service points, oft a grocery store, where the identity of the receiver, and any courier, can be verified and logged before handing over the letter of the alphabet.

Since autumn 2017 Postnord no longer require signature for delivering registered mail service from Communist china Post. Registered mail from Prc Post is only traceable in the sense that the mailman marks the item as delivered when and if information technology is delivered to the recipients mailbox. No proof that the recipient has received the postal service is collected.^[13]

United Kingdom [edit]

Since 1998, the Special Delivery service has been the but registered service offered by Imperial Mail, after the old-manner Registered Letter service was discontinued.^[14]

United states [edit]

United States 15c certified mail stamp of 1955, postman, Scott catalog FA1. No further stamps were issued in this category.

The Usa Postal Service offers 2 singled-out services called certified mail and registered postal service.

Certified postal service [edit]

Certified mail allows the sender proof of mailing via a mailing receipt and, upon request, electronic verification that an article was delivered or that a delivery endeavor was fabricated.^[15] Some in-transit tracking and delivery confirmation information may be provided, but there is no formal chain of custody. Certified mail is restricted to Priority Mail service and First Class Mail service^[16] parcels and letters mailed within the United States and its territories (including APOs and FPOs).^[17] Each piece of certified mail is assigned a unique label number which serves as an official record of mailing of the detail by the Mail.

U.Southward. certified postal service began in 1955 after the idea was originated past Assistant U.Due south. Postmaster General Joseph Cooper.^[18] Certified postal service may be selected for many reasons, not just for of import business mailings. Information technology is used by anyone who needs or wishes to provide a tracking number to the receiver as proof of commitment. It can also substitute, essentially, a proof of mailing form when a Postmark and/or scanned receipt is obtained at a Post Office. Contrary to pop belief, Certified Mail tracking is not accustomed as proof of mailing in virtually all legal situations. The service also allows the receiver to rails their package/envelope through the online organisation at usps.com using the unique tracking number provided by the mailer.^[xix]

Certified Mail service can be combined with (for an boosted fee) or without "render receipt requested" service, often called "RRR." Standard render receipt requires employ of PS Form 3811, which is a green postcard-sized paper: upon delivery, this newspaper is mailed back to the sender and serves as legal proof of commitment. USPS now offers Return Receipt Electronic (RRE) every bit an culling to the traditional mailing dorsum of the PS Grade 3811 carte. RRE provides electronic proof of commitment information. Many jurisdictions accept this as legal proof of delivery, but a minority do not. With RRE, when the letter reaches its terminal delivery destination, the letter carrier captures the signature, name and (portion of) accost of the person that accepts the letter of the alphabet. The data is electronically stored, making it available to the sender in most real-time via an e-mail with fastened PDF. As indicated on the return receipt card, either the addressee or the addressee's "agent" may sign for the document. Considering the process is automated and does not crave stamp, RRE is cheaper than traditional RRR.^[nineteen]

Registered mail [edit]

Registered mail service is offered by the United States Postal Service equally an actress service for Get-go Form or Priority Mail service shipments. Registered post provides end-to-end security in locked containers. Registered postal service custody records are maintained, merely are non normally provided to the customer, unless a claim is filed.^[19]

In the The states, registered mail may be used to transport classified fabric up to the Secret classified level.^[20]

Russia [edit]

In Russia registered mail may be sent by several postal services. In Russian any registered mail is called "заказное" (Russian: заказное , tr. ordered , lit. 'zakaznoe'). The postal service provides sender with tracking number of registered mail which may show whether recipient received mail or not. Major postal service in Russia likewise provides service of notification of reception.

Gallery [edit]

United States of Colombia 1865, 5c registration stamp 'A' (Anotacion)
Colombia 1889, 10c registration stamp
Antioquia 1902, 10c registration postage
Tuva 1933, one kopeck registration stamp
Yugoslavia 2002, registration stamp

Come across likewise [edit]

Limited mail
Registered envelope
Certified email

References [edit]

Notes

^ Mackay (1982), pp. 154–179, 296–366.
^ "S10c-five Identification of postal items - Function C: 13 character identifier for special alphabetic character products" (doc). Universal Postal Union. 3 Feb 2004. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Joyce (1893), p. 234.
^ Mackay (1982), p. vii.
^ Huggins, Alan Keith (1970). British Postal Jotter: A priced handbook of the postal stationery of Britain. London: United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland Philatelic Society. p. 102. ISBN0-901421-01-4.
^ "Registered Mail™ (Domestic)". Canada Mail service. 2015. Retrieved ix May 2015.
^ "Sending registered mail in Israel". State of israel Post. 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
^ "Announcements". Knesset (in Hebrew). 25 Nov 2015. Retrieved vi July 2016.
^ Atali, Amichai (5 July 2016). "Who is against the police that will require the sender to identify himself by registered mail?". Yedioth Ahronoth (in Hebrew). Retrieved 6 July 2016.
^ "Hämta paket med hjälp av Mobilt BankID". PostNord (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
^ "Registered Mail International". PostNord. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017. Each Registered Mail item is given a unique detail ID and tin be tracked all the way from posting to delivery in more than xxx countries (due east.g. Kingdom of belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Republic of iceland, Luxembourg, kingdom of the netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland and Germany).
^ "Registered Postal service Domestic". PostNord. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
^ "Kina nytt favoritland att handla ifrån". Startsida - PostNord . Retrieved 13 April 2018.
^ Davis, Austin. "Royal Postal service Special Delivery from 1971". Cracking United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland Philatelic Society. Archived from the original on 10 Baronial 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
^ "Receipt for Certified Mail". USPS . Retrieved xvi July 2014.
^ "Eligibility for Certified Post". USPS.
^ "Available USPS Destinations for Certified Mail". USPS.
^ "The Us Postal Service: An American History 1775–2006". United states Postal Service. November 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c USPS FAQs
^ "Title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations, §2.28" (PDF). Authorities Publishing Function. i July 2007. Retrieved 8 Apr 2010.

Bibliography

Courtney, W. P. (25 November 1893). "Review of The History of the Mail Office to 1836 past Herbert Joyce". The Academy. 44 (1125): 456–457.
Joyce, Herbert (1893). The History of the Post Part from Its Establishment Down to 1836. London: Richard Bentley & Son. Retrieved 14 August 2018 – via Net Annal.
Mackay, James A. (1982). Registered Mail service of the British Isles. Dumfries, Scotland: James A. Mackay.