Pick the lowest that answers the question you would actually be asked.
USPS signature services, side by side
| Service | Retail price | What it collects |
|---|---|---|
| Signature Confirmation | $5.15 counter / $4.15 online | Any adult signature at the address, plus tracking events. |
| Adult Signature Required | $9.70 | Signature and ID check for someone 21 or older at the address. Available only on online labels. |
| Adult Signature Restricted Delivery | $10.00 | Signature and ID check confirming the person is the addressee (or an agent) and is 21 or older. |
| Certified Mail with Return Receipt | $5.55 + $2.91 (email) or $4.65 (mail card) | Delivery signature and a returned copy of the signed card — the legal-mailing standard. |
| Registered Mail | From $20.90 | Signature every step of the way, with up to $50,000 of USPS insurance included. |
USPS also treats an insured mail piece valued above $500 as automatically requiring a signature at delivery. The extra service does not appear on the label because it is baked into the coverage tier.
When a carrier applies signature by default
Some shipments carry a signature requirement not because you added it, but because the carrier will not release them without one. Knowing which category you are in is the difference between paying twice and paying nothing.
Age-restricted contents
Alcohol shipments on UPS and FedEx require Delivery Confirmation Adult Signature Required (21+) as a rule of the shipper contract, not a bill add-on. Wine, beer and spirits cannot travel to a doorstep without the recipient signing.
High declared value
UPS and FedEx apply a signature by default above declared-value thresholds set in their service guides (roughly $500 on UPS Ground and $500 on FedEx Express for adult signature); the fee is built into the surcharge column, not the label rate.
Insured mail over $500
USPS Insured Mail requires a delivery signature once the coverage tier passes $500. The signature service is included in the extra insurance premium.
Legal and financial mail
Certified Mail and Registered Mail collect a signature by design. Neither is an add-on to a normal package; both are their own USPS product used to prove the receiving party was contacted.
Picking the right service for the job
For a mid-value gadget: Signature Confirmation at $4.15 online. Cheap, records who signed, resolves “delivered but I never saw it” disputes without invoking anything grander.
For a legal letter that has to prove it was delivered: Certified Mail with a Return Receipt. The green card in the mail (or the email receipt) is what courts have accepted for decades.
For a wine or spirits shipment: nothing to choose — the carrier applies Adult Signature Required automatically. Your job is to prepare the recipient so somebody 21 or older is home when the truck arrives.
For a high-value diamond ring in the tens of thousands: Registered Mail, and only that. The chain-of-custody signature at every hop is what the coverage rides on.
Where these prices come from
- USPS, Insurance and Extra Services — Signature Confirmation, Adult Signature, Certified, Registered prices. Read 2026-08-11.
- USPS, Certified Mail. Read 2026-08-11.
- USPS, Registered Mail. Read 2026-08-11.
Common questions
When does mail require a signature automatically?
USPS requires a signature by default on Registered Mail, on domestic insured mail above $500, and on any parcel carrying an Adult Signature service. Private carriers require a signature on shipments with declared value above their carrier-set threshold and on all wine and spirits shipments.
What is the cheapest way to get a signature on delivery?
USPS Signature Confirmation at $4.15 online. It records a signature at the door without requiring an adult over 21. For a courtroom-grade record, Certified Mail with a Return Receipt for $5.55 plus $2.91 (email) or $4.65 (mail card) is the traditional pick.
What is the difference between Signature Confirmation and Adult Signature?
Signature Confirmation captures any adult signature at the address. Adult Signature Required additionally checks a government ID and confirms the signer is 21 or older; Adult Signature Restricted Delivery limits acceptance to the named addressee only. The three services step up in verification and in cost.
Does Certified Mail include a signature?
Yes. Certified Mail collects a delivery signature at the address as part of the service; adding a Return Receipt gives you a copy of the signed card back. Insurance is not included; add USPS Insured Mail if you also need coverage.
Do UPS and FedEx have equivalents?
Yes: UPS Delivery Confirmation Signature Required and Adult Signature Required (21+), and FedEx Delivery Signature Required and Adult Signature Required. Both add the same premium structure and both automatically apply the adult version to alcohol shipments.