India Post Proof of Delivery (POD) — How to Get It and Why You Need It
How to ask for POD at the counter, what it costs, how the signed proof comes back to you, and what you can still do if you forgot to ask for it.
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India Post proof of delivery (POD) is a record, signed by the person who received your article, that comes back to you after delivery. You get it by asking for it at the counter when you book the Speed Post. India Post charges ₹10 per article for it, on top of the normal Speed Post charge, and GST is added to the bill.
The catch: POD is no longer automatic. Since Registered Post was merged into Speed Post on 1 September 2025, proof of delivery and acknowledgement are paid add-ons that you have to ask for. If you didn't ask, plain tracking is all you get. It's not hopeless though. You can still request a delivery report from the post office, raise a complaint for a copy of the delivery slip, and use a saved tracking printout as backup proof.
Below is exactly what to say at the counter, what the proof contains, how it comes back to you, and what to do if you're reading this after you've already posted.
What POD Is — and When You Actually Need It
Tracking tells you that India Post says it delivered your article. POD shows who took it, with their signature and the date. That difference matters the day someone says "I never got it."
Legal notices and court papers
Cheque bounce notices, tenancy notices, replies to notices. The date the other side received it starts legal deadlines, so your advocate will want signed proof. See our legal notice by Speed Post guide.
Business shipments and invoices
Goods sent to a buyer, invoices, contracts. If a customer claims non-delivery to avoid paying, a signed POD settles it quickly.
University and job documents
Original certificates, application forms, joining documents, resignation letters. If the office later says "we never received it", you can show who signed for it and when.
Letters to government offices
Applications, appeals and replies with a deadline. Proof of the receiving date protects you if the office's reply clock is ever questioned.
Simple rule: if you'd be in trouble when the other side says "never received", pay the ₹10. For a birthday gift to your cousin, tracking is enough.
Why You Must Ask for POD Now (The 2025 Change)
Earlier, people sent important letters by Registered Post with AD (acknowledgement due), and the signed card came back as a matter of routine. From 1 September 2025, the Department of Posts stopped Registered Post as a separate service and folded it into Speed Post. Proof of delivery and acknowledgement were not carried over as defaults. They became optional, paid add-ons on a Speed Post booking.
Then, from 1 October 2025, Speed Post got a new tariff and new options. India Post's own Speed Post page lists Proof of Delivery, Insurance, Registration and OTP-based delivery as value-added services, each on payment of a fee. Here's how they compare:
| Add-on | What it does | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Proof of Delivery | Signed delivery record comes back to you | ₹10 per article |
| Registration | Delivered only to the addressee or someone they've authorised | ₹5 + GST |
| OTP-based delivery | Handed over only after the recipient's OTP is verified | ₹5 + GST |
| Insurance | Covers the declared value, up to ₹5 lakh | Depends on value — ask at counter |
For a 50 g legal notice, that's ₹19 locally or ₹47 outstation, plus ₹10 for POD, plus ₹5 for Registration, plus GST. Still well under ₹100. Full rate tables are in our Speed Post charges guide, and the history of the merger is in Speed Post vs Registered Post.
How to Request POD at the Counter — Step by Step
POD is an add-on you choose and pay for when you book. Don't count on being able to add it once the article is booked and in the bag. So do it right the first time.
Say it before the clerk weighs the envelope
Counters are busy, and clerks book plain Speed Post by default. Tell them up front, in plain words:
"Speed Post with proof of delivery, please. I need the signed acknowledgement back."
For legal or addressee-only items, add: "With Registration too."
Ask exactly what form the proof will take
The proof may come as a physical acknowledgement card fixed to the envelope, or in another form, so don't assume. Ask: "Will I get a card back, or a printed confirmation?" If a card is offered, take it. A card signed in ink is the easiest thing to show a judge, an HR department or a university office.
Fill in the card carefully (if you get one)
Write your own name and full return address with PIN on the side that comes back to you. That is where the card will be posted after delivery. Note the article details so you can match it later. A half-written return address is an easy way for the card to go astray.
Check the receipt before you leave the counter
Check the booking receipt for the POD charge (and Registration, if you asked for it). If you can't see it, ask the clerk now, while you're still standing there. Ten minutes later is too late.
Keep your own evidence file
- The original booking receipt (photograph it the same day — thermal paper fades)
- A photocopy of what you sent, plus a photo of the addressed envelope
- The tracking history, saved on the day it shows "Delivered"
- The signed POD or card when it arrives, stapled to your copy
What the Proof of Delivery Shows
A POD exists to answer one question: who received it, and when? Expect these details:
What about GPS stamps and QR codes?
You'll read online that a Speed Post POD carries a GPS location stamp and a QR code. India Post's Speed Post pages don't list that as a standard feature of POD, so don't promise it to a lawyer or employer.
If a GPS location or QR code shows up on the copy you get, good. Just don't count on it. The things that carry weight are the signature, the name and the date.
The Acknowledgement Card Journey — From Counter Back to You
If you're given a physical acknowledgement (AD) card, this is what happens to it:
At booking: card fixed to your envelope
You fill in your return address, the clerk attaches the card to the article and books it with the POD charge.
In transit: travels with the article
The card moves with your envelope through every hub. You can follow the article on the tracker as usual.
At delivery: recipient signs the card
The postman gets the card signed and dated by whoever accepts the article, then detaches it.
After delivery: posted back to you
The signed card goes back through the post to the return address you wrote on it, so expect it some days after the "Delivered" status, not the same day.
Card not back after two to three weeks? Don't keep waiting. Cards can go missing on the return trip. Save the tracking page and raise a complaint asking for the delivery record (steps below). Asking early gives you the best chance of getting it.
Forgot to Ask for POD? Here's What You Can Still Do
Don't count on adding the ₹10 POD service after booking. But the delivery was still recorded, and that record sits with India Post. Your job is to ask for a copy of it, and quickly, because the sooner you ask, the easier it is to trace.
Say you posted a resignation letter from Pune on Monday, tracking showed "Delivered" on Wednesday, and now HR says it never arrived. Do this, in this order:
Save the tracking history today
Open the tracker, enter the consignment number, and save the full event list as a PDF or screenshot. Make sure the "Delivered" line, the delivery office and the date are visible. More on this below.
Give a written request at the booking post office
Write a short letter to the Postmaster asking for a delivery report or a copy of the delivery record for your article, and attach a photocopy of the booking receipt. Ask the counter what the process is at your office, and whether any fee applies.
Raise a complaint asking for the delivery slip
If the office doesn't help, register a complaint on India Post's complaint portal (linked from indiapost.gov.in) or call the toll-free number 1800 266 6868. Say clearly that you need proof of delivery, not a search for a lost article, and ask for a copy of the signed delivery slip. If you get one, print it and keep it with your receipt.
Escalate if there's no reply
Go to the Superintendent of Post Offices for your area with the complaint number. Our Speed Post complaint guide has the full escalation ladder.
Request wording you can copy
To, The Postmaster, [Booking Post Office name]
Subject: Request for proof of delivery — Speed Post article no. [EX123456789IN]
Sir/Madam, I booked the above Speed Post article at your office on [date], addressed to [name, city, PIN]. Tracking shows it as delivered on [date] at [delivery office]. The addressee says it was not received. I need proof of delivery for official purposes. Kindly provide a copy of the delivery record or delivery slip showing the receiver's name, signature and date. A copy of my booking receipt is attached.
[Your name, address, mobile number, date]
If the addressee says they never got it and you suspect it went to the wrong person, that's a different problem. Read Speed Post delivered but not received.
Using the Tracking Printout as Proof
A tracking printout is informal proof. It's India Post's own record that the article was booked on a certain date and delivered on another, at a named office. File it alongside the booking receipt. For everyday disputes (a seller, a college office, a landlord) that pair is often enough to settle things.
Its weakness: it doesn't show a signature or who took the article. For a court case, your advocate will decide whether it's enough. Treat it as your backup, not your main proof. To make it as useful as possible:
- Save it the day it shows "Delivered". Don't rely on old tracking data staying online.
- Capture the full history, from "Booked" to "Delivered", with the consignment number visible at the top.
- Print one copy from India Post's own website (indiapost.gov.in) too, since that's the official source.
- Keep the delivery SMS if you got one. A screenshot with the date showing is useful extra evidence.
Not sure what a status like "Item Delivered" versus "Delivery Attempted" means? Our tracking status guide explains each one.
OTP Delivery and 24 Speed Post — the Digital Version of POD
Since October 2025, you can book regular Speed Post with OTP-based delivery for ₹5 plus GST. The article is handed over only after the recipient gives the postman the OTP sent to their mobile. That's a strong digital record that the right person received it, since a neighbour or guard can't just sign it away.
24 Speed Post, launched on 17 March 2026 for all PIN codes in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad, includes OTP verification free. According to India Post's FAQs, it promises next-day delivery and refunds the full postage if it misses. Details are in our 24 and 48 Speed Post guide.
One honest caveat: OTP delivery confirms the handover, but it doesn't give you a signed paper. If you need something to staple into a court file or HR record, book POD as well. That's ₹10 for POD on top of the ₹5 plus GST for OTP.
| Proof type | Shows who received it? | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Signed POD / AD card | Yes — signature, name, date | Legal notices, court, employers |
| OTP delivery | Confirms OTP holder took it | Valuables, documents for one person |
| Delivery report from post office | Usually, from the delivery record | When you forgot POD |
| Tracking printout + receipt | No — only date and office | Everyday disputes, backup proof |
Frequently Asked Questions
What to Do Now
- Haven't posted yet? Ask for "Speed Post with proof of delivery" (plus Registration for legal items), fill your return address on any card you get, and check the POD line on the receipt. A refresher on the counter process is in how to send Speed Post.
- Posted with POD, waiting for the card? Track until "Delivered", save the page, and give the card two to three weeks before you complain.
- Posted without POD and now need proof? Save the tracking history today, then submit the written request above at your booking post office this week.
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