USPS Form 1583 + ID checklist
Almost every US virtual mailbox is a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA). Before mail can be delivered to your private mailbox (PMB), USPS requires PS Form 1583—Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent. Incomplete IDs are the #1 reason accounts stall or get shut down.
Based on USPS public Form 1583 instructions (June 2024 revision) and USPS FAQ on acceptable ID. Confirm current rules on usps.com before you apply.
Do this before you pick a brand
Gathering two valid IDs and arranging a notary (often remote/video) takes longer than comparing monthly fees. Budget a few days—not an afternoon.
What Form 1583 is for
You authorize a CMRA (the agent) to receive your mail. The form goes on file with the local Post Office. Your street-style address will usually include a PMB or suite number—banks and state agencies sometimes treat that differently from a home address. See our LLC / business address guide.
Printable-style checklist
- Download the current PS Form 1583 from USPS (pdf). Your mailbox provider often walks you through their copy—still verify fields match USPS rules.
- Decide: personal vs business use. Business/organization use has extra fields (item 7 on the form). Each adult receiving residential mail typically needs their own 1583.
- List your real physical home/business address (not the CMRA). It must match your address-verification ID.
- Two current (not expired) IDs for the applicant:
- One government-issued photo ID (examples commonly accepted for CMRA: driver’s license / state ID, US or foreign passport, Matricula Consular, NEXUS, certain military/government IDs—see USPS “Acceptable Forms of Identification”).
- One document that confirms the address you listed (examples USPS lists: lease, mortgage/deed, voter or vehicle registration, home or vehicle insurance policy, Form I-94). Utility bills are generally not accepted for this purpose.
- Driver’s / nondriver’s ID rule: A driver’s license may count as photo ID or address ID—not both. Bring a second document for the other slot.
- Names must match across form + IDs (or be clearly documented if you use a DBA / married name).
- Attach copies of photo and address IDs as the form requires.
- Signature witnessed: by the CMRA / authorized employee, or a US notary (many providers accept live video notarization). Digital-only “upload and hope” without a proper witness is a red flag.
- If someone else picks up mail: list them as Authorized Individual and plan for their two IDs too.
- Business: list people who will receive mail at the PMB; they may need to present ID to USPS on request.
- Do not file a USPS Change of Address from the CMRA to another address in ways that break CMRA rules—read the agreement on the form. Mail forwarding from a CMRA is handled by the CMRA, not a normal USPS COA in the usual sense.
Mistakes that get mailboxes shut down or stuck
- Using the same driver’s license for both ID slots.
- Address on the form doesn’t match the lease / registration document.
- Expired passport or license.
- Submitting a utility bill as “address ID” when USPS doesn’t accept it for CMRA.
- Skipping notary / agent witness because the signup UX felt optional.
- Expecting a PO Box–style address without PMB/suite—CMRA addresses are not the same as USPS PO Boxes.
- Putting only a DBA on the form without the legal applicant / officer signing for business use.
Expat tip
If you’re abroad, plan remote notarization early. Many people are surprised that “creating an LLC was easier than the mailbox verification.” Budget notary fees separately from the mailbox plan.
After you’re approved
- Use the exact address format your provider gives you (including PMB / suite).
- Update IRS, SOS, bank, and Amazon/seller accounts deliberately—don’t mix old and new addresses mid-verification.
- If you terminate the PMB, the CMRA is generally responsible for forwarding remaining mail for a period (USPS FAQ notes six months of CMRA forwarding obligation). USPS does not process a normal COA “from CMRA to elsewhere” the way people expect—plan your exit.