This question might not belong here, but for communications by mail with licensing authorities, is there some reason I should use standard registered/certified mail as opposed to using Express shipping with signature confirmation?
-
If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership The benefits pay for the membership many times over.
-
Be sure to enter the NES/MFS May Giveaway ***Canik METE SFX***
mailings: Express w/ signature vs. Regular Certified
- Thread starter wilkinshire
- Start date
I don't know why you would need express... certified isn't even a
requirement, but it is a "cover your ass" sort of thing- eg, you get that
tag or whatever saying that it was delivered at such and such a time...
a lot harder for someone trying to deny that they received the correspondence.
-Mike
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2005
- Messages
- 47,548
- Likes
- 33,605
The only value of "registered" is for items with great value. Registered mail is signed for at every step in the process, and sleeps in a safe at night. If you send certified and you don't get the delivery reciept, you can just send another copy and you're still ahead on postage.
I just want signature confirmation that it was delivered to the individual who it's meant for, not signed for by some mail clerk or dispatcher.
Certified Mail (or Registered for that matter) is NO GUARANTEE that you'll:
- ever get the green card back,
- that the gov't official you sent it to will sign it.
I found this out the hard way when I sent a package that way to the Commissioner of IRS in DC, didn't get the green card back and complained to the postmaster. He pulled out the USPO rule book that says that gov't officials don't have to sign for anything even if you send it and pay for the green card! [BTW: It worked as the Commr resolved an ongoing problem that for 6 months I couldn't get solved with any local IRS office. This was back ~1971.]
I sent a certified/return receipt letter to a Sec. of Public Safety back ~7 years ago. Never got the green card and no refund from post office either (mailed in Newton). Again, learned my lesson.
Just do as the law requires, get a receipt from the USPO and staple it to your copy of the letter.
I can tell you that the dispatcher takes all USMail coming into our PD, the chief would never come downstairs to sign for anything. Your PD is probably similar.
- ever get the green card back,
- that the gov't official you sent it to will sign it.
I found this out the hard way when I sent a package that way to the Commissioner of IRS in DC, didn't get the green card back and complained to the postmaster. He pulled out the USPO rule book that says that gov't officials don't have to sign for anything even if you send it and pay for the green card! [BTW: It worked as the Commr resolved an ongoing problem that for 6 months I couldn't get solved with any local IRS office. This was back ~1971.]
I sent a certified/return receipt letter to a Sec. of Public Safety back ~7 years ago. Never got the green card and no refund from post office either (mailed in Newton). Again, learned my lesson.
Just do as the law requires, get a receipt from the USPO and staple it to your copy of the letter.
I can tell you that the dispatcher takes all USMail coming into our PD, the chief would never come downstairs to sign for anything. Your PD is probably similar.
- Joined
- May 3, 2007
- Messages
- 119
- Likes
- 1
I've been a letter carrier for 9 years so I'm glad to finally be able to offer some expertise on this site! This talk about not getting the return reciept (green card) back on a certified letter seems odd to me. The mailman wouldn't walk out of the building without it. If no one would sign it (or stamp it) then he would be obligated to write "refused" on the envelope and send it back to you. Anyway, every certified letter has a number and a barcode on it which is scanned when delivered so you have a digital record of delivery. There is also a form 3849 which is signed by the carrier and the addressee on delivery and retained by the post office.
Registered mail is usually the prefered method of delivery for valuables like jewellery and stock certificates-it carries the highest level of security and insurance. Express mail is used when you need to get something to somebody fast. I'm not even sure if you can get a return reciept with that. You oughtta stick with certified mail, dude. If you don't get the reciept back you just check the numbers online to see where your letter is or you can contact the post office to find out where the 3849 is with the other signature. (As if your not dealing with enough bureaucracy already!)
Registered mail is usually the prefered method of delivery for valuables like jewellery and stock certificates-it carries the highest level of security and insurance. Express mail is used when you need to get something to somebody fast. I'm not even sure if you can get a return reciept with that. You oughtta stick with certified mail, dude. If you don't get the reciept back you just check the numbers online to see where your letter is or you can contact the post office to find out where the 3849 is with the other signature. (As if your not dealing with enough bureaucracy already!)
Last edited:
Ha! I never knew that certified mail had online tracking available! That was my only reason to consider Express/Priority. Thanks!
I just moved, and I just sent my letters out.
I did registered mail for the one reason that Len said. That you get that receipt saying that you sent it to who you say you sent it too. I kept that with my copy, and the receipt from the post office. That way, if someone ever says that I didn't sent it. I have the receipt for the registered letter, and the receipt from paying for the registered letter.
I did registered mail for the one reason that Len said. That you get that receipt saying that you sent it to who you say you sent it too. I kept that with my copy, and the receipt from the post office. That way, if someone ever says that I didn't sent it. I have the receipt for the registered letter, and the receipt from paying for the registered letter.
Since MGL SPECIFICALLY states CERTIFIED MAIL, using any other service does NOT comply with MGL and someone wanting to be an a-hole could suspend/deny for "non-compliance"!!
Laws don't need to make sense to be enforceable!
Laws don't need to make sense to be enforceable!
