What proof of value does USPS accept for an item I sold online?
USPS accepts a sales receipt, paid invoice or bill of sale, a statement of value from a reputable dealer, or a credit card statement or other document showing the amount paid. A printout of the online transaction counts only for a sale paid through a web-based payment network with a stored-value account, and it must name that payment provider. It then pays no more than the item's actual value when mailed, can depreciate a used item, and adds the postage you paid if the package was lost.
Fees from USPS Notice 123 effective Oct 4, 2026 (the same since Jul 12, 2026); rules quoted from the Domestic Mail Manual and usps.com, each with its section. USPS decides every claim and refund; this is a guide to its published rules.
Rates verified on
Proof USPS accepts
- A sales receipt, paid invoice or bill of sale, or a statement of value from a reputable dealer.
- Paid repair bills, or for partial damage, repair estimates or appraisals from a reputable dealer; repair costs can't exceed the original purchase price.
- A copy of a credit card statement or other record of the amount paid.
- For a sale paid through a web-based payment network that offers a stored-value account (USPS's wording), a printout of the transaction, which must name the payment provider.
“provide a computer printout of the online transaction identifying the purchaser and seller, price paid, date of transaction, description of item purchased, and assurance that the transaction status is completed.”
List from DMM 609.3.2, which also says USPS can ask for other proof to set an accurate value, and that without proof of value the claim can't be processed.
Collectibles, coins and stamps
“For collectible items, a sales receipt, paid invoice or bill of sale, or statement of value from a reputable dealer ... must be provided”
DMM 609.4.1 defines a reputable dealer as a licensed business owner qualified to estimate the item's value or repair cost. For stamps and coins, fair market value comes from a recognized dealer or current collectors' newsletters and trade papers, dated before the mailing date. The cost of getting an estimate or appraisal isn't payable (609.4.3).
What USPS pays, and what it doesn't
| Item | Paid? | Section |
|---|---|---|
| The item's actual value when mailed | Yes, up to the coverage | 609.4.1, 609.5.1 |
| Postage you paid (not extra-service fees), when the package is lost | Yes | 609.5.4 |
| Sales tax paid on an item lost or totally damaged | Yes | 609.4.1 |
| Repair of a damaged item, up to its value | Yes | 609.4.1 |
| A box designed and built for the item | Yes | 609.4.1 |
| Depreciation of a used item | Deducted, by life expectancy | 609.5.2 |
| Sentimental value; lost profit or other consequential loss | No | 609.4.3 |
| Your time making a handmade item | No | 609.4.3 |
| Appraisal or estimate fees | No | 609.4.3 |
“The USPS depreciates a used article either lost or damaged based on the life expectancy of the article.”
“If the insured, registered, or COD article is lost the payment includes an additional amount for the postage (not fee) paid by the sender.”
Worked example: a lost $80 sale
| Proof of value: the completed sale record | $80.00 |
|---|---|
| Coverage | $100 included with Ground Advantage |
| Postage paid (USPS commercial price now, holiday prices included) | $10.50 |
| Most USPS could pay: item plus postage, before any depreciation | $90.50 |
If the jacket had sold for $150, the $100 included coverage would cap the item payment; insuring the full $150 would have cost $4.50 (insurance prices).
What to upload
- The order page or sale record, printed or saved as a PDF, showing buyer, seller, price, date, item and a completed status.
- The payment record, naming the payment provider if the buyer paid through one.
- For a collectible, a dealer's statement of value.
- The label record (evidence of insurance) and, for damage, photos and a repair estimate.
Questions
Is the sale price my proof of value?
Usually. USPS asks for the item's cost or value when it was mailed, and a completed sale showing the price paid is on its list of acceptable proof (DMM 609.3.2).
Will USPS pay the full sale price for a used item?
Not necessarily. USPS depreciates a used item based on its life expectancy (DMM 609.5.2) and never pays more than its actual value when mailed.
Does a USPS claim refund the shipping cost?
For a lost insured, registered or COD package, the payment adds the postage you paid, but not extra-service fees (DMM 609.5.4).
Can I claim my time for a handmade item?
No. Personal time spent making hobby, craft or handmade items is on USPS's nonpayable list (DMM 609.4.3).
How we checked this
Fees come from Notice 123 effective Oct 4, 2026, read on Oct 19, 2026 by USPS's own price code for each fee and matched to the USPS price file; earlier fees come from the same codes in the Postal Explorer archive editions back to Jul 13, 2025. Every fee on these pages is the same in the Jul 12, 2026 and Oct 4, 2026 editions: the Oct 4 holiday edition changed package postage, not extra-service fees. Rules are quoted word for word from the Domestic Mail Manual sections and usps.com pages listed below, fetched on Oct 19, 2026. Package postage in examples is USPS's own price; selling platforms and label services can charge their own.
Sources
Rates verified on from each official page below.
Free 1-page Reseller Cheat Sheet: fees on 8 platforms, Media Mail and stamp prices
What each platform takes from a $10, $25 and $50 sale, Media Mail 1-10 lb, Ground Advantage to Zones 1, 5 and 8, and the Forever stamp, on one printable page. The link appears as soon as you sign up.