GLOSSARY
PS Form 3811
By Justin Winter · Updated August 28, 2026
The paper return receipt — the "green card" that is signed at delivery and mailed back to the sender.
PS Form 3811 is attached to the back of the mailpiece before it goes out. At delivery the recipient signs it, and USPS returns the card to the sender by mail, which is why a green card takes days longer to reach you than the delivery scan does.
It is the original form of the return receipt and is still accepted everywhere a signature record is required. The electronic return receipt carries the same signature image as a PDF.
See also
- Return receipt — A USPS add-on that sends the sender a copy of the recipient’s signature as proof the piece was delivered and to whom.
- Electronic Return Receipt — The digital version of the return receipt: instead of a green card in the mail, you get a PDF with the recipient’s signature image.
- PS Form 3800 — The USPS Certified Mail receipt form — the green-and-white strip carrying the tracking number that you keep as proof of mailing.
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