A USPS receipt is your proof of mailing — with the tracking number you use to follow a package and, for certified mail, the record of a Return Receipt. The most common questions are where the tracking number is on the receipt and how Return Receipt works. This guide covers what's on a USPS receipt, where to find the tracking number, and how certified mail and Return Receipt give you proof of delivery.
USPS Receipt
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What's on a USPS receipt
A Post Office retail receipt documents your mailing:
Tracking / label number — the long number (a USPS Tracking number is typically 20–22 digits) used to trace the item.
Service & class — Priority Mail, Ground Advantage, First-Class, Certified, and any extras.
Postage & fees — the mailing cost plus any add-ons like insurance or Return Receipt.
Destination ZIP & weight — where it's going and the package weight.
Date & Post Office — when and where it was accepted.
Barcode — a scannable version of the tracking number.
Where is the tracking number on a USPS receipt?
On a USPS receipt, the tracking number is the long string — usually labeled "USPS TRACKING #" — printed near a barcode, typically in the middle of the receipt. USPS Tracking numbers are usually 20 to 22 digits (for example, starting 9400, 9205, or 9407 for various services). Enter it at USPS.com or in the USPS Mobile app to see the item's status. Don't confuse it with the shorter transaction or receipt number at the top — the tracking number is the long one tied to the barcode.
Certified Mail and USPS Return Receipt
A Return Receipt is a USPS add-on service that gives the sender proof of delivery, including the recipient's signature and the delivery date. It comes in two forms: the classic green card (PS Form 3811) mailed back to you, or an Electronic Return Receipt emailed as a PDF. It's usually paired with Certified Mail (which provides a mailing receipt and tracking) for legal notices, tax documents, and contracts where you need evidence the item was delivered. Each add-on has its own fee on top of postage, itemized on your receipt — so the receipt both proves you mailed it and shows you paid for delivery proof.
Tracking a package and getting a mailing receipt
Once you have the tracking number, follow the item at USPS.com or in the app, where you can also request email or text updates. Shipped online through Click-N-Ship or a USPS account? Your label and receipt are stored in your account to reprint. USPS also offers an electronic receipt of item for mailing — the acceptance record — for account and business mailers. If you lost a retail receipt, the tracking number (from your card statement's memo, a label copy, or a text confirmation) is the key to everything, so it's worth photographing the receipt at the counter.
Related shipping & courier receipts: see also our FedEx receipt guide and our UPS receipt guide.
Related shipping and courier receipts: see also our FedEx receipt guide and our UPS receipt guide.
USPS receipt templates and copies
If a mailing receipt has faded or gone missing, our receipt template and generator can reproduce a clean record — service, tracking number, postage, destination, and date — for your shipping records or an expense claim.
For legitimate record-keeping only. A USPS receipt should reflect an item you actually mailed; creating one for a shipment that didn't happen, or to misrepresent a mailing or delivery, is fraud. Use this only to reproduce or organize your own genuine USPS mailings.
Related receipts: shipping with a private carrier? See the UPS receipt, FedEx receipt, or generic shipping receipt.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about the product and billing.
Where is the tracking number on a USPS receipt?
It's the long number labeled "USPS TRACKING #," printed near a barcode in the middle of the receipt, usually 20 to 22 digits. Enter it at USPS.com or in the USPS app to track your item. It's not the shorter transaction number at the top.
How many digits is a USPS tracking number?
USPS Tracking numbers are usually 20 to 22 digits, often starting with sequences like 9400, 9205, or 9407 depending on the service. On the receipt it's the long string tied to the barcode.
What is a USPS Return Receipt?
It's an add-on service that gives the sender proof of delivery, including the recipient's signature and delivery date. It comes as a mailed green card (PS Form 3811) or an emailed Electronic Return Receipt, usually paired with Certified Mail.
What's the difference between Certified Mail and Return Receipt?
Certified Mail gives you a mailing receipt and tracking with proof of mailing; Return Receipt is the extra that sends back the recipient's signature as proof of delivery. They're often bought together for legal, tax, and contract mail.
How do I get a copy of a USPS receipt?
If you shipped through Click-N-Ship or a USPS account, the label and receipt are stored online to reprint. For a retail counter mailing, the tracking number (from a text confirmation, label copy, or card statement) lets you track and reference the item.
How do I track a package from my USPS receipt?
Find the USPS Tracking number near the barcode, then enter it at USPS.com or in the USPS Mobile app to see the delivery status. You can also sign up for email or text tracking updates.