Guide · checked Oct 21, 2026
USPS Form 1583 for a virtual mailbox
Every US virtual mailbox needs a signed PS Form 1583 before it can accept your mail. Here's what the Postal Service's rules actually say, which steps are fixed and which are up to the provider, and how each provider handles it.
What the Domestic Mail Manual requires
The rules are in section 508.1.8 of the USPS Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), which was updated 7-12-26 when we read it. In plain terms:
- One form per person. A separate PS Form 1583 is needed for each addressee of a private mailbox (PMB) for personal use; spouses each complete their own. Parents can list minors on their form. DMM 508.1.8.3a
- Sign in front of someone, live. "The mail addressee (the applicant) must sign or confirm his or her signature in the physical or virtual (in real-time audio and video) presence of the CMRA owner or manager or authorized employee, or acknowledge his or her signature in the physical or virtual (in real-time audio and video) presence of a notary public commissioned in a United States state, territory, possession, or the District of Columbia." DMM 508.1.8.3a(3)
- The details must match your IDs. The CMRA must check that you live or do business at the address on the form. If the application doesn't match the IDs, the CMRA must deny it. DMM 508.1.8.3a(3)–(4)
- It goes into a USPS database. The CMRA enters the form and uploads copies of your IDs into the USPS CMRA Customer Registration Database. DMM 508.1.8.3c
- Update it when things change. If any information on the form changes, you file a new one with current IDs. DMM 508.1.8.3a(5)
The option to sign by live video in front of the CMRA's own staff came from a 2024 rule change. In its final rule the Postal Service says the revision lets the addressee "sign or confirm his or her signature … in the physical or virtual (in real-time audio and video) presence of the CMRA owner, manager, or authorized employee". Federal Register, May 2, 2024
Your address will carry "PMB" or "#"
The same DMM section says CMRA customers' mail must be addressed with "PMB" (private mailbox) or the alternative "#" sign plus the box number, for example 10 MAIN ST PMB 234 or 10 MAIN ST #234. Mail missing it can be returned as "Undeliverable as Addressed, Missing PMB or # Sign". DMM 508.1.8 That matters if you plan to use the address for a bank or state filing; see LLC & bank use.
When you cancel
Neither you nor the CMRA can file a USPS change of address when the relationship ends. The CMRA must keep remailing your mail for at least 6 months after termination. DMM 508.1.8.4 Providers may charge for that: Anytime Mailbox, for example, says storage and forwarding fees may apply after you cancel. Anytime Mailbox FAQ
Which IDs work
Providers summarize the USPS ID list the same way: one photo ID (driver's license or state ID, US or foreign passport, permanent resident card, military, university or NEXUS card) plus one address ID (driver's license, lease, insurance policy, voter or vehicle registration, mortgage or deed). Social Security cards, credit cards and birth certificates aren't accepted. PostScan Mail · Traveling Mailbox
The most common snag for people abroad is the second, address-proving ID. Utility bills and bank statements are often not on the list, as threads like this one on r/USPS1583 and this one on r/smallbusiness show. Ask your provider what it accepts before you pay.
How each provider handles Form 1583
| Provider | Process (provider's own description) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Traveling Mailbox | Complete Form 1583 inside your account, then verify identity and e-sign on a video call with Traveling Mailbox staff; the company says no notary is needed. If you can't do the video call, get the form notarized (UPS Store, bank, US embassy, or online notary) and upload it. Note: the terms of service (last updated 11/22/2022) still say a notarized form is required, so the newer FAQ and the older terms disagree. | travelingmailbox.com travelingmailbox.com |
| iPostal1 | After signup you get a mailbox number. For US locations the form must be completed, notarized and filed with two forms of ID. Your mail center may let you sign in person for a small fee; otherwise iPostal1's online notary costs $25. | ipostal1.com |
| PostScan Mail | PostScan says that as a CMRA it must collect a notarized Form 1583 for each customer. Fill it in with the online wizard (Settings › Account Settings › USPS Form 1583), then notarize through its webcam online notary (submitted automatically) or a local notary and upload it. Some locations also notarize in person. You need one photo ID and one address ID. | postscanmail.com |
| Earth Class Mail (LegalZoom Virtual Mail) | The LegalZoom Virtual Mail page we read does not describe its Form 1583 or notary process. | none found |
| Stable | The Stable pricing page does not describe its Form 1583 process. | none found |
| US Global Mail | US Global Mail pre-fills Form 1583 for you; you upload ID and sign, and it says 'No need to find a notary separately — we'll complete your identity verification online.' | usglobalmail.com usglobalmail.com |
| Anytime Mailbox | Upload two IDs (photo and address), then complete and notarize Form 1583. You can click 'Use Online Notary' for a video call with a licensed notary 'for a nominal fee' (amount not stated), or ask your location's operator about in-person signing. | anytimemailbox.com anytimemailbox.com |
| PhysicalAddress.com | After signup PhysicalAddress.com emails you a link to complete Form 1583, with an option that supports international clients. The notary price is not on the page we read. | physicaladdress.com |
| Opus Virtual Offices | Not described on the pages we read. | none found |
Checked Oct 21, 2026. Notary fees are one-time and aren't included in our cost calculator.
The usual sequence
- Pick a provider and an address, and pay for the first period.
- Get your mailbox number, then complete Form 1583 (most providers pre-fill it in your account).
- Upload your two IDs.
- Sign: by video with the provider's staff, with an online notary, or in person, depending on the provider.
- Wait for approval, then give senders your new address or file a USPS change of address.
This is general information about USPS rules, not legal advice.