If you just need proof an item arrived, Royal Mail gives you two main options: Delivery Confirmation, which shows a parcel was delivered, and Signed For, which captures a signature. They sound similar but satisfy different needs, and picking the wrong one can leave you without the evidence a dispute actually requires.
What Delivery Confirmation gives you
Delivery Confirmation records that an item was delivered or attempted, without requiring a signature. It's commonly attached to tracked services, where the delivery scan itself is the proof, and it's enough for most everyday e-commerce. You'll see the item marked as delivered with a date and time, but no recipient signature.
What Signed For gives you
Signed For captures a signature on delivery in addition to standard 1st or 2nd Class post. It's the traditional proof-of-receipt option and matters when a signature is specifically required, such as for legal documents or where a recipient disputes receipt. Our Signed For prices guide explains the cost.
The key difference: signature vs scan
The essential difference is a signature versus a delivery scan. Delivery Confirmation proves an item was delivered; Signed For proves who signed for it. In practice, most marketplace and e-commerce disputes are satisfied by a delivery scan, which is why tracked services with Delivery Confirmation have become the default for online sellers.
When you actually need a signature
Genuinely signature-required situations are narrower than most sellers assume: legal or contractual documents, high-value goods where the recipient's identity matters, and certain regulated shipments. For routine parcels, a tracked delivery scan is almost always sufficient and cheaper than a signature service.
How this maps onto tracked services
Royal Mail's tracked parcel services include Delivery Confirmation by default, and some add a signature or photo on delivery as well. So if you're using Tracked 24 or Tracked 48, you already have delivery confirmation without buying a separate Signed For add-on.
Cost and how to buy each
Delivery Confirmation comes as part of tracked postage rather than a standalone bolt-on in most cases, while Signed For is bought as an upgrade to 1st or 2nd Class. Both are available through Click & Drop, and both print as a standard 100 × 150mm label alongside the postage barcode.
Which should a seller choose?
For almost all e-commerce, a tracked service with Delivery Confirmation is the right default, giving you proof of delivery and tracking at a sensible price. Reserve Signed For for the genuinely signature-required cases, and avoid paying for a signature when a delivery scan already satisfies your customer and any marketplace protection policy.
Frequently asked questions
Does Delivery Confirmation need a signature? No. Delivery Confirmation records delivery by scan without requiring a signature. Signed For is the service that captures a signature.
Is Delivery Confirmation free with tracked postage? Yes, tracked services include delivery confirmation by default, with some also capturing a photo or signature on delivery.
Which gives better proof for a dispute? A tracked delivery scan is usually enough for marketplace and e-commerce disputes. A signature adds recipient-level proof but is rarely required.
Proof of delivery starts with a scannable label
Delivery confirmation depends on clean barcode scans. A sharp 100 × 150mm direct thermal label makes every scan register reliably.
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