Recorded delivery in the UK currently costs from £3.80 for Royal Mail Signed For 1st Class and £2.91 for Royal Mail Signed For 2nd Class when sending a standard letter weighing up to 100g.
The final recorded delivery cost depends on whether the item is a letter, large letter or parcel, as well as its weight and whether postage is bought online or at a Post Office.
Parcel prices can differ noticeably from letter prices, while some online rates are cheaper than branch prices.
For people searching how much is recorded delivery, it is also important to know that Royal Mail no longer uses “Recorded Delivery” as the formal service name. The equivalent service is now Royal Mail Signed For.
What Is Recorded Delivery Called Now?
Recorded Delivery is now generally known as Royal Mail Signed For. The older name remains widely used by individuals and businesses, which is why phrases such as “recorded post”, “recorded delivery” and “recorded delivery cost” are still common.
Royal Mail offers two main Signed For options:
- Signed For 1st Class With a next-working-day delivery aim
- Signed For 2nd Class With a delivery aim of two to three working days
- Signature On Delivery Included with both services
- Delivery Confirmation Available online once delivery takes place
- Compensation Cover Up to £20, subject to Royal Mail’s conditions
Signed For should not be confused with a fully tracked service. Its main purpose is to provide evidence that an item reached its destination and was signed for.
How Much Is 1st Class Recorded Delivery?
Royal Mail Signed For 1st Class currently starts at £3.80 for a standard letter weighing up to 100g. It includes a signature on delivery, online delivery confirmation and compensation cover of up to £20.
Royal Mail aims to deliver Signed For 1st Class items on the next working day, including Saturdays, although this is a delivery aim rather than a guaranteed deadline.
Standard Letter Prices
A standard Signed For 1st Class letter costs £3.80 for an item weighing up to 100g.
To qualify as a standard letter, the item can measure up to:
- Maximum Length 24cm
- Maximum Width 16.5cm
- Maximum Thickness 0.5cm
- Maximum Weight 100g
The £3.80 price is the same whether the postage is purchased online or at a branch.
Large Letter Prices
For Signed For 1st Class, a large letter weighing up to 100g currently costs £5.30 at a branch or £5.20 online.
A large letter can measure up to 35.3cm by 25cm by 2.5cm and weigh up to 750g. Heavier large letters cost more, so weighing an envelope before buying postage can prevent an incorrect postage payment.
Parcel Prices
Royal Mail changed a number of parcel prices from 5 October 2026. Under the current rates, Signed For 1st Class starts at:
| Format | Branch Price From | Online Price From |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Letter | £3.80 | £3.80 |
| Large Letter | £5.30 | £5.20 |
| Small Parcel | £7.50 | £7.30 |
| Medium Parcel | £10.30 | £9.80 |
A small parcel can weigh up to 2kg, while a medium parcel can weigh up to 20kg.
Royal Mail’s October 2026 changes included Signed For parcels, making it particularly important to check a current price rather than relying on an older postage table.
Royal Mail’s current UK services page confirms the latest Signed For 1st Class starting prices for letters, large letters and parcels.
How Much Is 2nd Class Recorded Delivery?
Royal Mail Signed For 2nd Class currently starts at £2.91 for a standard letter weighing up to 100g.
For someone who needs a signature and proof of delivery but does not require the faster 1st Class delivery aim, this is the cheapest standard Royal Mail Signed For letter option.
Standard Letter Prices
A Signed For 2nd Class standard letter weighing up to 100g costs £2.91, whether bought online or at a branch.
The maximum standard-letter dimensions are the same as for 1st Class at 24cm by 16.5cm by 0.5cm.
Large Letter Prices
A Signed For 2nd Class large letter starts at £3.55 for an item weighing up to 100g.
Current rates rise with weight:
| Weight | Signed For 2nd Class |
|---|---|
| Up To 100g | £3.55 |
| 101g To 250g | £3.90 |
| 251g To 500g | £4.40 |
| 501g To 750g | £4.70 |
Royal Mail currently lists the same online and branch prices for these Signed For 2nd Class large-letter bands.
Parcel Prices
Following the October 2026 parcel price changes, Signed For 2nd Class starts at £6.20 at a branch or £6.00 online for a small parcel.
A medium parcel starts at £9.10 at a branch or £8.60 online.
This makes 2nd Class Recorded Delivery less expensive than 1st Class in most comparable formats, although the sender accepts a slower delivery aim.
How Much Have Recorded Delivery Prices Changed Over The Years?
Recorded delivery prices have risen substantially over recent years. Looking specifically at a standard Royal Mail Signed For letter up to 100g provides a consistent way to see how the cost has changed.
| Price Period | 1st Class Signed For | 2nd Class Signed For |
|---|---|---|
| October 2023 | £2.75 | £2.25 |
| April 2024 | £3.05 | £2.55 |
| April 2025 | £3.60 | £2.77 |
| October 2026 Current Rate | £3.80 | £2.91 |
The comparison shows that a 1st Class Signed For standard letter has risen from £2.75 in October 2023 to £3.80 today, an increase of about 38%.
Over the same period, 2nd Class Signed For has moved from £2.25 to £2.91, an increase of about 29%.
Why Have Royal Mail Signed For Prices Increased?
Royal Mail reviews postal prices periodically rather than keeping them fixed indefinitely. Recent years have included changes to standard letters, large letters, parcels, Signed For services, tracked products and other postal services.
There is also an important distinction in the latest change.
Royal Mail’s 5 October 2026 personal-customer update covered Signed For parcels, while the current £3.80 and £2.91 standard-letter rates stem from the wider 2026 pricing structure introduced earlier in the year.
That distinction matters when comparing prices over time because a new Royal Mail price announcement does not necessarily mean every format within Signed For changes on the same date.
What Affects The Cost Of Recorded Delivery?
The recorded delivery price is mainly determined by the item’s size, weight, postage class and method of purchase.
Weight And Size
Royal Mail divides domestic post into formats rather than pricing everything solely by weight.
The principal categories are:
- Letter Up to 100g
- Large Letter Up to 750g
- Small Parcel Up to 2kg
- Medium Parcel Up to 20kg
An envelope can therefore cost more because it exceeds a thickness or dimension limit even if it is relatively light.
1st Class Or 2nd Class
The faster Signed For 1st Class service costs more than Signed For 2nd Class.
A standard 100g letter illustrates the difference:
- 1st Class Signed For £3.80
- 2nd Class Signed For £2.91
- Price Difference 89p
For non-urgent correspondence, 2nd Class may therefore provide the required signature at a lower cost.
Online Or Post Office Prices
The price difference between buying online and at a branch depends on the format.
Standard Signed For letters currently cost the same through either route, but some large letters and parcels are cheaper online.
For example, a Signed For 1st Class small parcel currently starts at £7.30 online compared with £7.50 at a branch.
Businesses that post regularly may therefore find it useful to compare online postage with branch pricing rather than assuming both are identical.
Is Recorded Delivery Tracked?
Royal Mail Signed For is not an end-to-end tracked service.
It provides a reference number, online delivery confirmation and a signature when the item is delivered, but it does not normally provide the same journey-by-journey visibility as Royal Mail Tracked 24 or Tracked 48.
This distinction can cause confusion because entering a Signed For reference into Royal Mail’s system may produce limited information before delivery.
A status such as “an update will only be provided when we attempt to deliver your item” can simply reflect the type of postal service used rather than proving that the item has stopped moving.
| Service | Signature | End-To-End Tracking | Delivery Confirmation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signed For 1st Class | Yes | No | Yes |
| Signed For 2nd Class | Yes | No | Yes |
| Tracked 24 | Optional | Yes | Yes |
| Tracked 48 | Optional | Yes | Yes |
| Special Delivery Guaranteed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Someone who needs to monitor the item’s progress throughout its journey should consider a tracked service rather than choosing Signed For solely because it provides a reference number.
Royal Mail’s Signed For 1st Class page confirms that the service includes online delivery confirmation and a signature on delivery.
How Long Does Recorded Delivery Take?
Royal Mail Signed For 1st Class has a next-working-day delivery aim, including Saturdays. Signed For 2nd Class has a two-to-three-working-day delivery aim.
These are targets, not guarantees.
Actual delivery can be affected by operational disruption, weather, public holidays and local delivery-office conditions.
Checking current Royal Mail delivery delays and affected postcode updates can therefore provide useful context when an item has exceeded its normal delivery aim.
Seasonal demand can also matter. Postal arrangements change around major holidays, and Royal Mail Christmas Eve delivery schedules illustrate why senders of time-sensitive correspondence should not assume that an ordinary delivery aim will operate exactly as it does during a normal working week.
Is Recorded Delivery Guaranteed?
Recorded delivery is not guaranteed to arrive by a particular time or on a particular day.
Signed For 1st Class aims for delivery on the next working day, while Signed For 2nd Class aims for delivery within two to three working days. Missing those aims is different from Royal Mail failing to meet a guaranteed service commitment.
For documents or goods that must arrive by a fixed deadline, Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed is the more appropriate comparison.
Recorded Delivery Vs Special Delivery
Signed For and Special Delivery both provide evidence of delivery, but they are intended for different needs.
| Feature | Royal Mail Signed For | Special Delivery Guaranteed By 1pm |
|---|---|---|
| Signature On Delivery | Yes | Yes |
| Full Tracking | No | Yes |
| Guaranteed Delivery Time | No | Yes, Subject To Terms |
| Compensation Cover | Up To £20 | Up To £750 As Standard |
| Best Suited To | Lower-Value Items And Documents | Urgent Or Higher-Value Items |
Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm currently starts at £9.85 online or £10.35 at a branch, compared with £3.80 for a standard Signed For 1st Class letter.
The higher price buys a substantially different level of service, including full tracking and a guaranteed delivery commitment subject to Royal Mail’s terms.
Businesses sending contracts or routine correspondence may find Signed For sufficient when proof of receipt is the priority. Higher-value goods or documents tied to a strict deadline may justify Special Delivery instead.
How To Send An Item By Recorded Delivery?
Sending an item by Royal Mail Signed For is straightforward.
- Check The Size: Confirm whether the item is a letter, large letter, small parcel or medium parcel
- Weigh The Item: Use the correct Royal Mail weight band before purchasing postage
- Choose the class: select Signed For 1st Class or Signed For 2nd Class
- Buy the Postage: Purchase it online or at a Post Office branch
- Attach The Label: Make sure the address and postage label are clear
- Post The Item: Use an eligible Post Office or Royal Mail drop-off option
- Keep the Receipt: Retain proof of posting and the reference number
- Check Delivery: Use the reference to view confirmation after delivery
For online sellers, it is worth separating the seller’s dispatch time from the postal carrier’s delivery time.
Marketplace orders can spend time awaiting dispatch before entering a delivery network, as seen with UK marketplace shipping and delivery timelines.
The same distinction helps businesses set more accurate expectations when telling customers when an order is likely to arrive.
Proof of posting should be retained until the sender is satisfied that the item has been delivered and any relevant claim period has passed.
Conclusion
So, how much is recorded delivery in the UK? Royal Mail Signed For currently starts at £3.80 for 1st Class and £2.91 for 2nd Class for a standard letter up to 100g.
Larger and heavier items cost more, with current Signed For 1st Class small parcels starting at £7.30 online and Signed For 2nd Class small parcels starting at £6.00 online.
Recorded Delivery is now formally called Royal Mail Signed For, and its main benefit is proof of delivery through a signature and online confirmation. It should not be mistaken for full tracking or a guaranteed arrival time.
The cost has also risen noticeably in recent years. A 1st Class Signed For standard letter has increased from £2.75 in October 2023 to £3.80 today, while the equivalent 2nd Class price has risen from £2.25 to £2.91.
For routine documents and lower-value items where proof of receipt is important, Signed For can provide a relatively inexpensive option.
Where full tracking, higher compensation or a guaranteed delivery deadline matters, a tracked or Special Delivery service may be more suitable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Is Recorded Delivery In The UK?
Royal Mail Signed For starts at £3.80 for 1st Class and £2.91 for 2nd Class for a standard letter up to 100g.
How Much Is 1st Class Recorded Delivery?
A standard Royal Mail Signed For 1st Class letter up to 100g currently costs £3.80. Large letters and parcels cost more depending on size and weight.
How Much Is 2nd Class Recorded Delivery?
A standard Signed For 2nd Class letter up to 100g costs £2.91. It is the cheaper of Royal Mail’s two standard Signed For letter options.
Is Recorded Delivery The Same As Signed For?
Yes. Recorded Delivery is the older term commonly used for the service now marketed by Royal Mail as Signed For.
Does Recorded Delivery Require A Signature?
Yes. Royal Mail Signed For provides a signature on delivery together with online confirmation that the item has been delivered.
Can Recorded Delivery Be Tracked Online?
Signed For can be checked online for delivery confirmation, but it is not tracked throughout the full journey in the same way as Tracked 24 or Tracked 48.
Is Recorded Delivery Guaranteed Next Day?
No. Signed For 1st Class has a next-working-day delivery aim, but it is not guaranteed. Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed is designed for time-critical items.
