Post Office Document Certification

The United States Post Office offers limited document services.

The post office remains a bustling hub of activity for businesses and individuals. Those who must send important documents which must be certified will find limited certification services from the United States Postal Service (USPS). However, the USPS does provide helpful information regarding some of these documents.

Scope

While the USPS provides a variety of helpful services such as priority mailing for important documents and packages, the Post Office does not include document certification among its services. It does, however, give information about certified documents needed for other USPS services, such as applying for a U.S. passport.

Essentials

Applying for a U.S. passport can be done through the mail or at a local post office. The U.S. Department of State requires different certified documents for different citizens. Citizens born in the U.S. must provide a a previous passport or a certified birth certificate issued by the applicant's birth state. Citizens born outside the U.S. may be required to show a certificate of naturalization or certificate of citizenship.

Other Certifed Services

Apart from passport services, the USPS will certify your mail for as low as $2.80 (as of December 2010). This service records when the mail was sent, tracks delivery progress and requires the recipient's signature to ensure complete delivery. So while this service doesn't certify a document itself, it does give some assurance when mailing important documents.

References

• USPS: All Products and Services
• U.S. Department of State: Application for a U.S. Passport
• USPS: Certified Mail