Virtual Mailbox & Form 1583 Rules in Massachusetts
A commercial mail receiving agency (CMRA) or private mailbox (PMB) cannot serve as your LLC's registered agent in Massachusetts, though it may generally be used as a business address—verify this with your state filing office. When opening a virtual mailbox with the U.S. Postal Service, you must complete Form 1583, which requires either notarization or witnessing by the CMRA owner. Massachusetts allows remote online notarization (RON) of the 1583, and permanent RON has been in effect since January 1, 2024, enabling residents to complete the entire sign-up process online through an in-state notary.
Because notarization rules vary by postal location and requirements change, confirm current procedures on the official Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth website and with your local USPS branch before proceeding. This overview is regulatory information only and does not constitute legal advice.
How a virtual mailbox works
A virtual mailbox is a real street address at a commercial mail-receiving agency (CMRA) that scans your mail; opening one means filing USPS PS Form 1583, witnessed by a notary or the provider, with two IDs.
| Detail | As the rule stands |
|---|---|
| Can a virtual mailbox be your registered agent? | No (a PMB cannot be your registered agent) |
| Can it be your LLC business address? | Generally yes — verify |
| Online notarization (RON) for Form 1583 | Online notarization (RON) available |
| Form 1583 witnessing | Notary or CMRA-owner witness (in person or by A/V) |
| PMB designator (address line) | 'PMB <number>' or '# <number>' (USPS DMM 508.1.4) |
| Governing citation | Mass. Acts (RON, 2023); USPS DMM 508.1.8 |
Opening any virtual mailbox means filing USPS PS Form 1583. The form must be witnessed — by a notary or by the mailbox provider (the CMRA owner/manager), in person or by real-time audio-video under the 2024 CMRA Clarification rule — and you supply two acceptable IDs. It is usually notarized, and the notarization can be done online via remote online notarization (RON) wherever the state allows it.
Confirm before you file. This is informational only, not legal advice. The official state Secretary of State / notary page and USPS are the authoritative sources.
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Compiled from the USPS federal baseline (DMM 508 / 39 CFR) and the state notary/RON statute, and verified June 2026. Always confirm the current rule on the official state Secretary of State / notary page before you rely on it — RON law is still moving. How we compile this. Informational only, not legal advice.