What Do Certified Mail Tracking Numbers Mean?

Using your LetterStream account you are able to track the entire process of your created Certified Mail – from job creation to successful delivery, and all other statuses in between.

Although we want nothing but the best for our customers, LetterStream cannot guarantee the success of a delivery or timeliness to your intended recipients since this is dependent upon the United States Postal Service (USPS).  We do, however, offer real-time transit status and tracking information for each piece of Certified Mail, which provided directly from the USPS.

Here is a breakdown of the various status levels along the journey:

Mailed: Your Certified Mail piece has been printed, inserted into envelopes, and given to the USPS for processing and to attempt to be delivered. This begins the transit stage of your Certified Mail. Mailed pieces shouldn’t be confused with Delivered mail, as “mailed” simply means that your letter(s) are in the mail stream/system.

In Transit: Your Certified Mail is in the hands of the USPS. At this point, we are at the mercy of the USPS in regard to a successful delivery to the intended recipient.

Delivery Attempted: Delivery to the intended recipient has been attempted. The Post Office likely left a notice of attempted delivery for the recipient with instructions on how and where the item can be received.

Unclaimed By Recipient: After attempts of delivery had been unsuccessful, and the recipient does not make an attempt to receive the item, the status is changed to “Unclaimed By Recipient.”

Refused By Recipient: If the intended recipient refuses to accept and/or sign for the mail piece, the status is changed to “Refused By Recipient” and is returned to the sender.

Returned To Sender: In the event the mail piece is undeliverable due to a bad address, the recipient is no longer at the address, etc., then the status is changed to “Returned To Sender.”

Delivered: Your Certified Mail was successfully delivered to the recipient, and a signature was acquired. Once this status is achieved and the USPS gives you access to the electronic signature file, you can view the signature by clicking the “View” link to the right of the status indicators for each recipient.

You will also see 3 status boxes next to each recipient within your LetterStream account.  These are color-coded by status.

See below for the color that represents the corresponding status: 

White – No action has occurred, or the Post Office has not updated the tracking information

Lime Green – Recent status updated successfully

Light Yellow – Unclaimed/Business Closed

Orange – Out for Delivery/Attempted

Violet – Forwarded

Pink – Returned to Sender

Dark Green – Returned (2nd box will be pink)

Red – Refused (2nd box will be pink)

These rules are applied to the tracking status bar at the top of the page as well.

Never be out of the loop along the journey.