To create a virtual address, you sign up with a provider that operates as a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency, submit a notarized USPS Form 1583 along with two forms of identification, and wait for the provider to activate your account before you start routing mail to the new address. The steps are set by federal postal rules, so they look similar across providers even when the pricing and locations differ.
What a Virtual Address Actually Is
Any service that accepts USPS mail for you as a business operates under a legal classification called a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency, or CMRA. The USPS defines a CMRA as a business that accepts delivery of U.S. Mail on behalf of another person or entity as a business service, covering all classes of mail.1Federal Register. Commercial Mail Receiving Agencies The classification also covers office business centers with single-point mail delivery and reshipping services that forward mail physically or electronically.
What you get, in practical terms, is a private mailbox (PMB) at the CMRA’s location. Some providers describe their addresses as “real street addresses” because the physical location is a professional building rather than a mailbox store, but the postal classification is the same either way.2USPS. Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) The CMRA receives your mail, and you interact with it through a digital dashboard or by requesting physical forwarding.
Pick a Provider and a Location
Start by deciding why you want the address. Business owners often choose a commercially recognizable zip code to project a professional image. People setting one up for privacy usually pick a dense urban area so their home address stays off public records. Basic plans generally start between $15 and $50 per month, with pricing tiered by location and by how much mail handling is included.
A few checks matter more than the monthly rate. Confirm the provider is a registered CMRA with the local post office, because an unregistered service cannot legally receive USPS mail on your behalf. Look at which handling options are included: scanning, forwarding, shredding, and package receiving vary by plan. And if you plan to use the address for business filings, confirm the provider gives you a street-format address rather than a PO Box number, since many state filing offices and banks reject PO Boxes.
Gather Your Documents Before You Apply
Federal postal rules require two forms of identification before a CMRA can accept mail for you. One must be a government-issued photo ID, and the second must verify your current physical address.3United States Postal Service. Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent
Acceptable photo IDs include:
- State driver’s license or nondriver’s ID card
- U.S. passport
- Uniformed service ID card
- U.S. permanent resident card
- Certificate of naturalization
- Matricula consular
The list for address verification is narrower than most people expect. The USPS accepts a current lease, mortgage or deed of trust, home or vehicle insurance policy, vehicle registration card, or voter registration card.3United States Postal Service. Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent A utility bill is not on that list, despite being standard proof-of-address elsewhere. A state driver’s license showing your current address can cover both requirements at once.4USPS. Acceptable Forms of Identification
If the address will be tied to a business, have your formation documents and EIN ready. Providers commonly request copies during onboarding even though the USPS form itself focuses on personal identification.
Complete and Notarize USPS Form 1583
USPS Form 1583, “Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent,” is the federal document that legally authorizes your provider to receive mail for you.3United States Postal Service. Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent Without it on file, the post office will not deliver your mail to the CMRA.
The form asks for your full legal name, the CMRA’s street address where mail will be delivered, and your current home or business address. A separate section captures your organization’s name and business type. The ID sections ask you to identify each document you’re submitting and attach copies. Most providers hand you a pre-filled version once you begin account setup, so you’re mostly verifying information and signing.
One point worth understanding: the form does not give your provider blanket authority to sign for certified or registered mail. It authorizes acceptance of regular delivery. Whether the provider signs for accountable mail depends on the service agreement you sign with them, not on Form 1583.
How the Signature Gets Witnessed
Your signature on Form 1583 must be witnessed. The USPS gives you two paths. You can sign in the physical or virtual presence of the CMRA agent or an employee, or you can have your signature acknowledged by a notary public. The notary can work in person or through remote online notarization with real-time audio and video, and must be commissioned in a U.S. state, territory, or the District of Columbia.3United States Postal Service. Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent
Most providers now use remote online notarization. You join a video call, show your ID, and sign electronically. The call usually takes under fifteen minutes. Notarization fees vary by state but typically fall between $5 and $25 per signature.
If You Live Outside the United States
Non-U.S. residents can apply, and the ID requirements don’t change: one government-issued photo ID and one address verification document. A foreign passport qualifies for the photo ID. Address verification comes from the same categories listed above, showing your foreign address. The form captures your country as your “Place of Registration.”3United States Postal Service. Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent Because the notary still has to be commissioned in a U.S. jurisdiction, remote online notarization is the practical route from abroad.
Activation and Moving Your Mail
After you submit the notarized form and copies of your identification, the provider reviews everything for compliance. Most activate accounts within one or two business days, though timing varies. Once active, you receive login credentials for the digital mailbox and your assigned PMB number.
The step people most often skip is actually redirecting their mail. You have to update your address individually with every entity that sends you correspondence: banks, insurers, government agencies, subscription services, everyone. There is no shortcut. You cannot file a USPS change-of-address form (PS Form 3575) to redirect mail from your old address to a CMRA, because the USPS treats CMRA addresses differently from residential addresses for forwarding purposes. The same limit applies at the other end: when you close the account, neither you nor the CMRA may file a change-of-address order upon termination of the relationship.3United States Postal Service. Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent Notify senders before you cancel, or you will lose mail that arrives afterward.
If anything on your Form 1583 later changes, you file a revised version with your CMRA. Write “revised” on the updated form.5USPS. Policies, Procedures, and Forms Updates
How to Format the Address on Mail
This is where people run into trouble. The USPS requires mail sent to a CMRA to include either “PMB” or the “#” symbol followed by your private mailbox number. No other designator is permitted.6Postal Explorer. Private Mailbox Addresses You cannot label your mailbox as “Suite,” “Apt,” or “Unit” on mail moving through the postal system, and you cannot combine “PO Box” with your PMB number.
The address can appear in three or four lines. If the CMRA’s street address already contains a secondary element like a suite number, use “PMB” (not “#”) in the three-line format. Incorrectly addressed mail may be returned or delayed. Some providers encourage customers to use “Suite” in marketing materials or on business cards, but the official postal address on file has to follow the PMB or # rule.
What a Virtual Address Won’t Do
Setting one up is straightforward. Knowing where it stops working matters just as much.
Bank accounts. Federal banking rules require specific address types when opening accounts. For business entities like corporations, partnerships, and trusts, banks must collect “a principal place of business, local office, or other physical location” as part of their Customer Identification Program. A CMRA address may not satisfy that requirement, because it isn’t a location where your business physically operates. Some banks accept virtual addresses; others reject them outright. For individuals, the rule requires “a residential or business street address,” which a virtual address also may not satisfy.7eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 — Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks Plan on having a physical address available for the bank even if you use a virtual address for everything else.
Registered agent duty. A virtual address can serve as your business mailing address on most state LLC and corporation filings, and the IRS accepts it for tax correspondence. It cannot substitute for a registered agent address. Every state requires a registered agent with a physical street address in the state of formation, and someone must be personally available at that address during business hours to accept service of legal process. A virtual mailbox meets neither condition.
FinCEN BOI reporting. Beneficial Ownership Information filings require a U.S. street address for the reporting company, and a PO Box is explicitly prohibited.8FinCEN.gov. Frequently Asked Questions Whether a CMRA-based virtual address qualifies as a “street address” for BOI purposes is less clear. The address must reflect the company’s principal place of business, and FinCEN’s guidance emphasizes substance over form. If your company has no other U.S. location, you may need to report the address of your registered agent instead.