Should I send my dispute letters by certified mail or regular first-class mail?

You may send your dispute letters by regular first-class mail or certified mail, depending on which round you’re in.

For the first one to two rounds, certified mail is optional. Regular first-class mail is perfectly acceptable and often preferred early on because it keeps the process simple and moving quickly.

Starting with Round 3 and beyond, certified mail should always be used. At that stage, certified mail becomes important for documentation, escalation, and accountability purposes.