Virtual Mailbox & Form 1583 Rules in Virginia
A commercial mail receiving agency (CMRA) or private mailbox service cannot serve as your LLC's registered agent in Virginia. However, a CMRA address may generally be used as your business address, though you should verify current requirements with the Virginia State Corporation Commission. When opening a virtual mailbox with the USPS, you must complete Form 1583, which typically requires notarization, though the USPS accepts either a notary's certification or the CMRA owner's witnessing.
Virginia has permitted remote online notarization (RON) permanently since 2012, and a Virginia notary may notarize Form 1583 via RON. This means you can complete the entire virtual mailbox setup online using an in-state remote notary. Notarization rules and CMRA regulations change periodically. You should confirm current requirements directly on the Virginia State Corporation Commission's official website before proceeding, and consider consulting legal counsel regarding your specific business setup.
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 | Va. Code §47.1-2 et seq.; 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.