An acknowledgment of receipt originated with postal services to ensure the intended recipient received a letter or package. Certified and registered mail provide an acknowledgment of receipt, with registered mail being the safest option. Many institutions and businesses use acknowledgments of receipt for legal documents or manuals.
The term “acknowledgment of receipt” originated with the postal service. Several countries around the world have equivalent terms, such as “acknowledgment of receipt” used in the United Kingdom, “avis de réception” used by the Unione Poste Unite and “ricevuta ricorno” in Italy. The purpose of an acknowledgment of receipt is to assure the sender of a mail item that the intended recipient has indeed received the letter or package. While the term originated with the postal service, its use has spread to mean the receipt of legal documents, information manuals, and a variety of other documents, the receipt of which must be recorded.
In most postal systems worldwide, the sender of a letter or parcel has the option of sending the letter or parcel “return receipt required”. In the United States, a letter or package can be sent by United States Postal Service (USPS) certified mail or registered mail. Both certified and registered mail provide the sender with an acknowledgment of receipt.
When a sender wishes to send a letter or parcel by certified or registered mail, he must first fill in the appropriate form at the post office. In the United States, certified mail provides proof to the sender that the letter or package was shipped. Certified Mail also provides an acknowledgment of receipt if requested and an additional fee is paid upon posting.
Registered mail is the safest way to send a letter or package to the United States. A registered letter or parcel actually travels outside the normal mail flow and at each stop a record of its passage is made, culminating in a normal acknowledgment of receipt when it arrives at its destination. Registered mail is automatically insured, while certified mail offers the option to purchase insurance. Both certified and registered mail require the recipient to sign for the letter or package with a printed name and signature, and note the date and time of delivery.
Many institutions and businesses also use the concept of acknowledgment of receipt for a variety of reasons. Employers often provide employees with employment manuals or benefits manuals and require employees to sign a receipt confirming that they have been provided. Many healthcare providers and lenders are also required by law to provide certain legal notices and/or information to customers or patients and have put in place the process of requiring the customer or patient to sign an acknowledgment of receipt.
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