Virtual Mailbox & Form 1583 Rules in California
A commercial mail receiving agency (CMRA) or private mailbox in California cannot serve as your LLC's registered agent with the Secretary of State, though it may generally be used as a business address for other purposes. When opening a virtual mailbox with the U.S. Postal Service, you must complete Form 1583, which requires notarization. California does not yet permit remote online notarization (RON) by in-state notaries—SB 696 authorizes it but does not become operative until January 1, 2030. However, California accepts notarizations performed by notaries commissioned in other states that allow RON, so you can complete the 1583 remotely through an out-of-state RON notary. Alternatively, you may notarize the form in person locally.
The requirement for notarization on Form 1583 typically applies; USPS also accepts witnessing by the CMRA owner in some cases, though notarization is the standard path. Regulations in this area change and vary by context. You should confirm current requirements on the official California Secretary of State website and the USPS Form 1583 instructions. This overview is informational only and not 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 | Out-of-state RON only |
| 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 | Cal. SB 696 (2023), Gov. Code §1240 (eff. 2030); 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.