Anyone who wants to rent a PO box, postal mailbox or virtual mailbox in the United States must fill out the USPS Form 1583. The form often looks confusing the first time you see it. This article will help you understand what the USPS Form 1583 is for and how to fill it out properly.
This article is for customers that have a VirtualPostMail mailbox account. You should contact your mailbox provider to find out how to complete the 1583 form and where to send it. In case your mailbox provider did not give you proper instructions, you may want to think twice about having them handle your mail.
In the United States, the U.S. Postal Service regulates how mail can be received and handled. USPS also dictates required procedures for commercial mail receiving agents (CMRAs) like us to follow. The USPS Form 1583 is used to authorize a CMRA to receive mail on the customer’s behalf. It also ensures that a responsible party is linked to the mailbox.
If you do not have a pre-generated copy of the Form 1583 from us or have made mistakes during the sign-up process or have decided to use IDs different from those you first selected, you will have to manually fill in the correct information with a new form. Here is how:
In general, the form is broken down into three sections: the CMRA information, the mailbox and owner information, and optionally the business information.
This information should be filled in with your mailbox information:
These boxes will need to be completed if you are using the mailbox for your business.
Proof of identity is verified through a notary. The notary should sign box 14a and place a notary seal on the second page of the form.
Notaries can be found almost everywhere. Courthouses and banks normally have an in-house notary who will serve you. You can also search for " notary directory" on any search engine to find a local notary. The cost is usually less than $20.
We also accept online notarized documents from notary services. We recommend using Notarycam. Fees are a little higher than in-person notaries, but you can notarize the document from anywhere as long as you have a webcam for video chat.
International/Non-U.S. Residents
If you live overseas, you may have difficulty finding a notary. Banks and embassies normally provide notary services. Both U.S. and non-U.S. notary seals are accepted. If finding a notary proves impossible, you can go through a lawyer or bank official who can sign or stamp an official seal on the form. Government seals (ie. police) are also acceptable.
Notarycam will also notarize documents with international IDs. You can notarize the documents as long as you have a webcam.
Alternative Notary Options:
There are a few different ways to send us your Form 1583 and IDs:
Following is a list of acceptable IDs as listed on the form. They can be either domestic or foreign IDs. They must be current (non-expired).
One ID must be a photo ID and the other must be an ID that matches your current residential address. A single ID cannot be used to satisfy both purposes, so two IDs must be provided.
Social security cards, credit cards, corporate IDs, and birth certificates are NOT acceptable forms of identification.
Learn how you can fill out this form, with all the information listed above condensed into this quick visual guide below:
The instructions are for an old version of the form. We're in the process of updating the video; however, you may still find it helpful.
Last updated on August 13, 2024