A virtual business address gives your company a real US street address without renting an office. BusinessAnywhere plans start at $20 a month, include unlimited mail scanning, and come with addresses in 21 states and Washington, DC.
Key Takeaways
- A virtual business address is a real street address at a USPS-registered Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA), with a suite number that belongs to your business. It is not a PO box.
- You can put it on your website, invoices, business bank account application and IRS Form SS-4.
- It does not replace a registered agent. Your state still requires a registered agent with a physical address in the state.
- BusinessAnywhere plans cost $20, $30 or $65 a month billed annually, with unlimited incoming mail, unlimited scanning and no extra charge per page.
- USPS requires a signed PS Form 1583 and two current IDs before any mail service can receive mail for you.
What Is a Virtual Business Address?
A virtual business address is a street address that receives mail for your business and turns it into scans you read online. The address belongs to a mail center registered with USPS as a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA). Your business gets its own suite number at that address.
When a letter arrives, the mail center scans the envelope, opens it, scans the contents and uploads the PDF to your dashboard. You then choose to forward the item, keep it in storage or shred it. Packages arrive at the same address.
Unlike a PO box, the address is a street address. That matters on official forms: IRS Form SS-4, the EIN application, asks for a street address on line 5a and states “Don’t enter a P.O. box.” (IRS Form SS-4)
What You Can Use a Virtual Business Address For
- Your LLC or corporation filings. Most states accept a commercial street address as the principal office and mailing address. See the rules for a virtual address for an LLC before you file.
- Your EIN application. The address works on the mailing address and street address lines of Form SS-4. Read more about using a virtual address for an EIN.
- Business bank accounts. Banks set their own address rules, so confirm with your bank before you apply. Here is how a virtual address for a business bank account works.
- Your website, invoices and email footer. The FTC requires a valid physical postal address in commercial email, and a private mailbox registered with a CMRA meets that rule (FTC CAN-SPAM Act guide).
- Keeping your home address private. State business filings are public records. A virtual business address keeps your home address off them and off your website.
Plans and Prices
Every plan includes the same street address options and the same mail handling. The plans differ only in how many people or businesses can receive mail at your address.
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Mail recipients |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $20 a month | $25 a month | Up to 2 |
| Premium | $30 a month | $40 a month | Up to 5 |
| Advanced | $65 a month | $85 a month | Up to 20 |
Monthly plans carry a one-time $25 sign-up fee. Annual plans have no sign-up fee.
Included on every plan:
- Unlimited incoming mail and packages
- Unlimited mail scanning, with no per-page charge
- 30 days of free physical storage, with digital scans kept in your dashboard
- Free shredding and junk mail filtering
- Worldwide forwarding for $2 packing plus the carrier’s postage
- Opt-in billing: if a charge appears that you did not turn on, BusinessAnywhere refunds it doubled
Optional add-ons include extended storage, auto-forwarding and shared access for team members. See the full list on the virtual mailbox page.
Virtual Business Address Locations
BusinessAnywhere has 30 street addresses in 21 states and Washington, DC. Every location costs the same.
- Arizona: Gilbert
- California: Sacramento, Inglewood (Los Angeles)
- Colorado: Denver
- Delaware: Wilmington
- Florida: Jacksonville, Orlando (two addresses)
- Georgia: Atlanta
- Kansas: Kansas City
- Maryland: Rockville
- Massachusetts: Boston
- Nevada: Las Vegas
- New Mexico: Albuquerque, Santa Fe
- New York: Albany
- North Carolina: Raleigh
- Ohio: Cincinnati
- Oregon: Portland
- Pennsylvania: Philadelphia
- South Dakota: Sioux Falls
- Texas: Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Pearland (South Houston)
- Virginia: Norfolk
- Washington: Vancouver
- Washington, DC
- Wyoming: Cheyenne, Laramie
See street addresses for each city on the virtual mailbox locations page.
How to Get a Virtual Business Address
- Choose a location and plan. Pick the state and city you want on your documents, then choose Basic, Premium or Advanced.
- Create your account. Sign up online and add each person or business that will receive mail.
- Complete USPS PS Form 1583. USPS requires this form before a mail center can receive mail for you. Each applicant shows two current IDs: one photo ID, such as a passport or driver’s license, and one ID that shows your address, such as a lease or vehicle registration (USPS PS Form 1583). For a business, an officer signs and gives their title.
- Get the form witnessed. The signature must be witnessed by the mail center or by a notary commissioned in a US state or territory, in person or over live video (USPS PS Form 1583). Use the BusinessAnywhere online notary service for $37, or upload a form you notarized yourself at no charge. Here is how to notarize USPS Form 1583 online.
- Start using your address. Once your form is approved, update your website, invoices, bank and state records with your new address.
Virtual Business Address vs. PO Box vs. Registered Agent
| Virtual business address | PO box | Registered agent address | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of address | Street address with a suite number | PO box number at a post office | Physical address in your state of formation |
| Accepts packages from UPS, FedEx and DHL | Yes | Only at post offices with USPS Street Addressing | Legal documents only |
| Mail scanned online | Yes | No | Not for general mail |
| Works on the Form SS-4 street address line | Yes | No | Not its purpose |
| Meets the state registered agent requirement | No | No | Yes |
Every LLC and corporation needs a registered agent, and a virtual business address covers the rest of your mail. BusinessAnywhere offers registered agent service for $147 a year, so both sit in one account.
Who Uses a Virtual Business Address
- LLC owners and founders outside the US. Get a US address for your filings, EIN and bank, then manage your mail from anywhere. Start with how to start an LLC.
- Real estate investors. Keep each property LLC’s mail separate from your home. See the virtual mailbox for real estate investors guide.
- Home-based businesses. Put a business address on your website and invoices instead of your home address.
- Digital nomads. Keep one permanent US address while you travel. Compare the best virtual mailbox for digital nomads.
- Full-time RVers. Receive mail at a fixed address and forward it to wherever you park next. Read about using a virtual mailbox as a full-time RVer.
Why BusinessAnywhere
- One account for your whole business. Business registration, EIN application, registered agent service and your virtual business address sit in one dashboard.
- No per-scan fees. Every plan includes unlimited scanning. Read more about the mail scanning service.
- Billing you control. You pay only for what you turn on, and a charge you did not request is refunded doubled.
- Rated 4.8 on Trustpilot by founders and investors in the US and abroad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a virtual business address for my LLC?
Yes. Most states accept a commercial street address as an LLC’s principal office and mailing address. The registered agent address is a separate requirement: it must be a physical address in your state of formation where the agent receives legal documents during business hours.
Is a virtual business address the same as a PO box?
No. A virtual business address is a street address with a suite number, it accepts packages from every carrier, and your mail is scanned online. A PO box is a box number at a post office. It does not accept UPS, FedEx or DHL deliveries unless the post office offers USPS Street Addressing, and IRS Form SS-4 rejects it on the street address line.
Can I use a virtual business address as my registered agent address?
No. A registered agent must be available at a physical address in the state during business hours to accept legal documents. A mail center does not take on that role. Use a registered agent service for that address.
Does the IRS accept a virtual business address?
Form SS-4 asks for a mailing address on line 4a and a street address on line 5a, and it rejects PO boxes only on the street address line. A virtual business address is a street address, so it works on both lines.
Can I open a business bank account with a virtual business address?
Banks set their own rules for business addresses, so confirm the address with your bank before you apply.
How much does a virtual business address cost?
BusinessAnywhere plans cost $20, $30 or $65 a month billed annually, or $25, $40 or $85 a month billed monthly with a $25 sign-up fee. Scanning is unlimited on every plan.
Why do I need USPS Form 1583?
USPS requires a signed PS Form 1583 before any Commercial Mail Receiving Agency can receive mail on your behalf. It authorizes the mail center to accept your mail and confirms your identity with two current IDs.
Can non-US residents get a virtual business address?
Yes. You sign up online, and a passport works as the photo ID on Form 1583. The second ID must show your current address. You then complete the form with a US-commissioned notary over live video, such as the BusinessAnywhere online notary service.
Can I use one virtual business address for more than one business?
Yes. Each business and each person receiving mail is listed as a recipient. Basic covers up to 2 recipients, Premium up to 5 and Advanced up to 20.
Can I cancel my virtual business address?
Yes, at any time. Your mailbox stays active until the end of the period you paid for, and you keep your login for 6 more months to view scans and forward items.
Get Your Virtual Business Address
Choose a location, pick a plan and start receiving mail at a real US street address from $20 a month.
