Sending a registered delivery? You need to know this about sending your letter!

Sending a registered letter is not that easy if you have never done it before. What is the right type of registered letter to send, how much does it cost to send registered post (what are the prices) and how can you track and trace your registered letter? Our experts tell you everything you need to know so you can send your registered letter with confidence.

Bpost mailing prices 2024

Discover the detailed 2024 mailing prices for individuals and businesses on:

• Priority and non-priority mailing prices 2024
• Mailing prices 2024 for Europe and the rest of the world
• Mail rates for businesses 2023 vs 2024

Why send a letter by registered delivery?

A registered letter – also known as recorded delivery or signed-for delivery – is a letter that requires the addressee to sign as proof of delivery, before they receive the letter.

It is this proof of delivery and the official date on the stamp that prevents the addressee from claiming afterwards that they did not receive the registered post or that they received it too late. For this reason, people often choose registered mail for important post such as:

• a dispute over an invoice;
• valuable goods;
• the termination of a (rental) contract or subscription;
• an official notice of default;
• the sending of certificates;
• legal disputes (or their initial stages);
• etc.

Registered letter not received?

If the addressee is not at home, the letter carrier will leave a notice in the letterbox. With this notice document, the addressee can collect the registered letter within two weeks at the post office or postal point indicated on the document. If no one collects the letter within the two weeks, it will be returned to the sender.

If you inadvertently sent your registered letter without a barcode, with a double barcode or with an incorrect or badly printed barcode, the delivery item will be untraceable. In that event, bpost will notify you as soon as possible and give you a choice of the following options:

• bpost will supply the delivery item(s) with a new barcode, at your expense;
• bpost will send the delivery item(s) back to you to rectify the barcodes;
• bpost will work with you to find another solution.

In all such cases, the validation of the issue date and the processing of the item(s) to be delivered on the day itself can no longer be guaranteed.

Companies and public entities that are EasyPost customers will not have to do anything in such a situation. Our customer service team will contact bpost directly.

Different types of registered letters

There are different types of registered delivery service with specific features.

1. Standard registered letter: A standard registered letter includes a signature from the addressee, Track & Trace as well as standard insurance cover up to €39. However, standard registered letter delivery does not include notification of when the addressee takes delivery of it. This type delivery service has evidential value in a court case.

2. Registered letter with a proof-of-delivery notice This type of registered delivery does include proof of delivery. There is an extra fee of €1.35 for this service.

3. High-value registered letter: Does your registered post contain a high-value item? If so, you can insure it against theft, loss or damage. There is an extra fee for this service. The insurable value of a registered deliveries is between €250 and €7500.

4. Digitally registered post: You can also send your letter by registered delivery online with our EasyPost Connect digital solution. Just like an ordinary registered letter, you will receive proof of sending and/or proof of delivery. This electronically registered letter has the same legal value as the paper version, but it is much cheaper.

How do you send a registered delivery item?

There are no legal requirements regarding the content of a letter you want to send by registered post. However, we do recommend that you clearly date the letter and that it contains both your address and that of the addressee, in full.

It is also best to note the sender's address on the envelope. This makes returning the letter easier, should the need arise.

Always attach the registered delivery barcode to the left of the address and check the appropriate type:

• RP – official registered delivery (this service is reserved for public administrations and is standard for FPS Finance)
• R – registered delivery
• RP with AR – official registered delivery with proof-of-delivery notice
• R with AR – registered delivery with proof-of-delivery notice.

Finally, to avoid the addressee claiming they received an empty envelope, we recommend using a window envelope for your registered mail.

Track a registered letter

You can track a registered letter using the track-and-trace code you receive when you send a registered delivery item.

Registered letter pricing

The price of sending a registered letter depends on the type of registered letter to be sent, as well as its dimensions and weight.

Domestic registered letter rate:

Within-Europe registered letter rate:

Rate for international registered delivery (outside Europe):

Sending a letter by registered delivery made easy

As a company or government agency, you can also send your registered deliveries via EasyPost. You can then track the status of your registered deliveries very easily using the EasyPost customer portal.

Moreover, all electronic proofs of delivery of your registered letters will remain digitally available on the customer portal for 10 years, saving you a lot of administrative hassle with paper notices when you want to send a letter by registered delivery! One more reason to choose EasyPost's user-friendly solutions. To get started, just click on the button below and we will contact you as soon as we can!