US Business Address for Non-Residents: 2026 Guide

About the author: Foreign Founder Team is the editorial organization that maintains this site. This is an independent comparison of published requirements, not a record of account approvals or hands-on testing.

Source review: Provider prices were checked on July 23, 2026. Government, banking-platform, and service terms were rechecked on July 24, 2026. Rules and prices can change.

Direct answer

A non-US resident can buy a US mail-receiving or business-address service, but there is no single "US business address" that works for every form or institution. An LLC filing address, registered agent address, mailing address, principal or physical business address, owner residential address, and bank or platform verification address answer different questions. A virtual mailbox can receive, scan, and forward mail; that service does not establish where a company actually operates or where an owner lives. It also does not make an address acceptable to a state, the IRS, a bank, Mercury, Relay, Stripe, or Google Business Profile. Requirements vary by form, state, product, institution, and applicant. Before paying for an address, identify the exact field you need to complete, ask the receiving institution what address type and evidence it accepts, and compare those requirements with the provider's current terms.

Address types are not interchangeable

One location can sometimes serve more than one purpose, but only when the relevant form and institution permit it. The product label used by an address seller does not decide how a state, USPS, the IRS, or a financial institution classifies the address.

Address type	Main purpose	Typical limitations
Registered agent address	Service of process and official state notices	Usually not a general operating address, owner residence, or universal bank address
Formation or legal address	Address disclosed in state formation or company records	Fields and public-record treatment vary by state and form
Principal or physical business address	Where the business is managed or operates	May require evidence and may exclude mailbox-only locations
Mailing address	General correspondence and document delivery	Receiving mail does not prove physical operations
Virtual mailbox or CMRA	Commercial mail receiving, scanning, and forwarding	May be identified as a commercial mailbox and may require USPS Form 1583
Owner residential address	Personal residence and identity verification	An LLC, agent, or mailbox address does not automatically replace it
Bank or platform verification address	Address accepted under one institution's rules	Institution-, product-, and applicant-specific

A virtual mailbox is primarily a mail-handling service. A virtual office may add phone answering, meeting rooms, or workspace access, but the label alone does not prove that the business operates there. A P.O. Box is issued by USPS; a private mailbox (PMB) is provided through a commercial mail receiving agency (CMRA). A suite number describes part of a street address, but changing a PMB label to "Suite" does not change the location's underlying use or USPS classification.

USPS, CMRAs, and Form 1583

USPS describes a CMRA as a private business that accepts USPS mail for customers and delivers it through private mailboxes or remailing. Most US virtual-mailbox customers must complete PS Form 1583, which authorizes the CMRA to receive mail for them.

The current USPS form and Domestic Mail Manual establish several practical boundaries:

• The applicant generally presents two current identity documents; one must include a photograph, and the second must substantiate the applicant's address.
• The applicant must sign or confirm the signature in the physical or real-time virtual presence of the CMRA owner, manager, or an authorized employee. Alternatively, the applicant may acknowledge the signature in the physical or real-time virtual presence of a notary public commissioned in a United States state, territory, possession, or the District of Columbia.
• Mail should use PMB or the permitted # identifier. Where the CMRA street address already contains a secondary address element, USPS requires PMB. Replacing that identifier with "Suite" or "STE" does not convert a mailbox into an office.
• Form 1583 authorizes mail receipt. It is not proof of an operating location, a bank approval document, or a USPS change-of-address order.
• When service ends, USPS rules do not use an ordinary change-of-address order between the customer and CMRA. The CMRA must follow the current termination and remailing rules, including at least six months of remailing when the customer provides postage. Provider storage, handling, and forwarding charges can still apply.

An international founder should confirm whether the provider accepts the available passport and address evidence and offers remote witnessing or notarization. Availability depends on the provider and, for remote notarization, the rules that apply to the commissioned US notary. Being physically outside the United States does not change the USPS commission requirement: a foreign local notary should not be treated as sufficient unless that person is also commissioned in a United States state, territory, possession, or the District of Columbia. The founder should also confirm what happens to stored and newly arriving mail after cancellation.

State formation and registered-agent addresses

A registered agent is an ongoing state-law role for receiving service of process and official notices. It is not the same product as formation filing, mail forwarding, or workspace. State forms can separately request a registered office, principal office, mailing address, organizer address, or other contact information.

For example, Kansas instructs an LLC to maintain a Kansas registered office where its resident agent can be regularly found and excludes a P.O. Box for that office. The District of Columbia's LLC articles separately request an initial principal office and registered-agent information. Those are examples, not a national rule: public visibility and acceptable fields depend on the jurisdiction and filing.

Use the State Explorer to reach the relevant jurisdiction guide, then confirm the live Secretary of State or equivalent form. If you are deciding whether a provider bundle is useful, the LLC formation service comparison separates formation filing, registered agent, EIN help, mail services, and compliance subscriptions.

IRS and EIN address fields

The current IRS Form SS-4 instructions distinguish the entity's mailing address from its street address:

• Lines 4a-4b ask where the entity wants IRS correspondence sent. A complete foreign mailing address can be used when applicable.
• Lines 5a-5b ask for the entity's street address only when it differs from the mailing address. The instructions say not to enter a P.O. Box there.
• Line 6 asks for the county and state of the entity's primary physical location.

These fields serve IRS administration. An address on an EIN application or IRS letter does not establish that a bank will accept it as an operating address. A mail provider also cannot determine the outcome or timing of an EIN application.

Form 8822-B is the IRS form for reporting changes to a business mailing address, business location, or responsible party. Updating the IRS does not automatically update state records, banks, payment platforms, vendors, or mail senders. The non-resident EIN and SS-4 guide covers the application fields and submission routes in detail.

Banks and platforms apply their own address rules

Financial institutions can collect several addresses at once: the entity's legal address, physical or operating location, mailing address, and each owner or control person's residential address. A state filing, lease, utility bill, or received piece of mail may answer one verification question without satisfying another. An institution can request additional evidence or apply product-specific restrictions.

Mercury

Mercury's current support pages distinguish:

• a company legal address in the United States or a US territory, supported by formation documents; and
• a physical address in the United States or abroad where the company operates, supported by accepted evidence.

Mercury says a legal address may be a headquarters or registered-agent address, but not a P.O. Box, PMB, or virtual office. It separately says the physical address cannot be a registered-agent address, P.O. Box, PMB, or virtual office. A home address can be considered for the physical location when it is where the company operates and the required proof is available.

Relay

Relay's current address-verification page says it may verify both the residential address of each owner and the business operating address. It lists recent utility bills, bank statements, leases, and other matching documents and says the address must be a physical street address rather than a P.O. Box, virtual mailbox, or UPS Store.

The same page says a registered-agent address can be entered for the business in specified circumstances but cannot be used as an owner's personal address; a residential address is required for each owner. Relay's help pages are not fully consistent about US-address and identification requirements for international applicants. The fields and document requests displayed in the live application control for the specific applicant.

Stripe

Stripe's US-account requirements say a US business must provide a physical location where the majority of business activity occurs and that P.O. Boxes are not accepted for that field. Stripe can request documents such as a lease, utility bill, tax return, or government-issued business document to verify an address.

Some Stripe products have additional rules. For example, Stripe's physical-presence FAQ for Issuing, Treasury, and related capabilities says mailbox, virtual, and registered-agent locations do not satisfy those products' physical-presence review. That product-specific rule should not be presented as the complete onboarding rule for every Stripe Payments account.

Compare the live eligibility details in the Mercury vs Relay guide, the Stripe guide for non-resident LLCs, and the broader US business bank account guide. An LLC, EIN, or address service does not decide any of those separate reviews.

Google Business Profile is a separate eligibility question

Google Business Profile is intended for businesses that make in-person contact with customers during stated hours. Google's current guidance says an online-only business is not eligible, a virtual office is not eligible when the business does not operate there, and a coworking location must meet conditions such as clear signage, receiving customers, and being staffed by the business's own team. A service-area business can hide its address when it serves customers at their locations.

Mail delivery, LLC registration, or address-provider documentation does not establish Google Business Profile eligibility. Follow Google's live eligibility and verification instructions rather than trying to make a mailbox resemble a staffed location.

Virtual mailbox provider comparison

The following services are retained because current official pricing, mail features, Form 1583 guidance, and account terms are publicly accessible. This is a factual comparison, not a ranking. Prices checked July 23, 2026; forwarding postage, storage, extra scans, recipients, packages, checks, taxes, and location-specific charges may be additional.

Provider	Published starting price	Address or service type	Form 1583	Mail scanning	Forwarding	Important limitation
VirtualPostMail	$20/month	Virtual mailbox through a CMRA	Required; provider publishes identity and notarization workflow	25 envelope scans and 10 content scans on Starter	Postage and handling vary	Mailbox plan is not a physical office; cancel before renewal
Anytime Mailbox	Advertised from $9.99/month; location pricing varies	Marketplace of independent mailbox operators	Required; provider offers an online workflow	Actions and allowances vary by location	Operator fees vary	Operator terms can differ; confirm price, refund, and closure handling
PostScan Mail	$10/month, or $8.33/month equivalent on a $100 annual Starter plan	Virtual mailbox at selected locations	Required; online-notary workflow published	Starter includes 30 incoming items but no content scans	From $2 plus shipping on current pricing	Annual and monthly allowances differ; confirm renewal and refund terms
Stable	Grow $59 monthly or $49/month billed annually	Virtual business address and CMRA mail handling	Required; provider publishes ID workflow	Current plan allowances include 30 or 50 mail items monthly	Postage is additional	Subscription auto-renews unless timely canceled; address is not the customer's physical premises

VirtualPostMail

VirtualPostMail publishes Starter, Plus, Business, and Premium mailbox plans at $20, $35, $60, and $90 per month. The Starter plan includes two recipients, 25 envelope scans, and 10 content scans. Extra recipients, scans, check deposits, postage, and forwarding handling can add cost. Its mailbox terms allow cancellation before the next renewal.

VirtualPostMail separately markets TruLease, a lease-document and mail service with eligibility and document requirements. Its current public page did not present a stable, directly comparable price during this review, so confirm current pricing and deliverables at checkout. A lease product can provide documents, but the receiving institution still decides whether the location and evidence fit its particular field.

Anytime Mailbox

Anytime Mailbox is a marketplace: independent operators set locations, mail actions, and some terms. Its current landing page advertises plans from $9.99 per month, but the selected location and checkout control the actual subscription, scans, forwarding, package, and pickup charges. Its renter terms allow written cancellation, while operator-specific obligations can continue and invoicing can take up to 30 days to stop. The current FAQ describes a conditional 30-day refund only if the mailbox has not received mail or otherwise been used.

PostScan Mail

PostScan Mail currently publishes monthly Starter, Standard, and Premium plans at $10, $20, and $30. The corresponding annual totals are $100, $200, and $300. Starter includes 30 incoming items but no content scans; higher plans include limited content scans and more recipients. Extra scans, mail items, recipients, forwarding handling, and shipping are separately priced. The provider describes dashboard cancellation and a Form 1583 online-notary workflow; confirm the renewal date, refund treatment, and location-specific fees before paying.

Stable

Stable's live pricing page currently lists Grow at $59 monthly or $49 per month billed annually, and Scale at $99 monthly or $83 per month billed annually. Those plans include scanning actions within published mail-volume allowances; shipping postage and optional services such as check deposits or registered-agent service can add cost. Stable's terms say subscriptions automatically renew for the same term unless the customer gives timely written notice of non-renewal or termination. The terms also say the address is not a physical location where the customer can be found or visited.

Which address setup may fit your situation?

Use the required purpose, not the provider's marketing category, as the starting point.

• Only legal notices: arrange a registered agent that meets the formation state's rules. Do not assume the agent also provides general mail scanning.
• Mail scanning and international forwarding: compare CMRA plans, identity onboarding, postage, package limits, and closure handling.
• A principal or operating address: identify where management or operations actually occur and what evidence the target form accepts. A mailbox subscription alone does not create operations.
• Bank or Stripe verification: ask which legal, physical, mailing, and owner addresses are collected and which documents are accepted. Buy nothing until those fields are clear.
• Privacy on state records: inspect every address field on the live state form. A registered agent may keep one address off a filing while another required address remains public.
• Operating from outside the United States: confirm that the state, IRS form, bank, and platform permit the relevant foreign address and that the mailbox provider accepts your identity documents.
• Checks or packages: compare item sizes, check-deposit eligibility, storage deadlines, forwarding carriers, customs, insurance, and per-action charges.
• An address in a particular state: confirm whether the need is legal registration, mail delivery, tax or licensing nexus, or actual workspace. An address purchase can have legal and tax consequences beyond mail.

The complete non-resident US LLC guide places address selection alongside formation, EIN, banking, tax, and ongoing compliance.

Questions to ask before paying

1. How does USPS classify the location: CMRA, PMB, P.O. Box, shared office, or something else?
2. Is the product a mailbox, virtual office, coworking membership, dedicated office, or lease-document service?
3. Does the target state's current form accept that address for the specific field?
4. Does the IRS form ask for a mailing address, street address, or primary physical location?
5. Does the bank or platform ask for a legal, physical, operating, mailing, or owner residential address?
6. What proof can the provider issue, and has the receiving institution said it accepts that evidence?
7. Must each recipient or company officer complete Form 1583?
8. Are your passport and non-US address documents accepted, and how is identity witnessed or notarized?
9. What do envelope scans, content scans, forwarding, postage, packages, checks, storage, pickup, and shredding cost?
10. Is billing monthly or annual, does it renew automatically, and what notice is required to cancel?
11. How are stored mail and new arrivals handled after cancellation, and who pays remailing postage?
12. Which state agencies, IRS records, banks, platforms, vendors, and customers must be updated after an address change?

Keep the address and evidence current

Save formation documents, address agreements, invoices, accepted proof, Form 1583 records, and important correspondence outside the mailbox dashboard. If the business moves or the service ends, update each relevant record separately. Form 8822-B handles certain IRS changes, while state filings, registered-agent records, bank profiles, payment platforms, licenses, insurance, vendors, and customer notices have their own processes.

Do not let an essential recovery document or payment instrument depend on one mailbox account. Monitor renewal notices, mail-storage deadlines, provider status, and requests from institutions that need refreshed evidence.

Frequently asked questions

Can a non-resident get a US business address?

Yes. A non-resident can purchase US mail handling, registered-agent service, workspace, or other address-related products when the provider accepts the applicant's identity documents. The right product depends on the exact state, IRS, banking, platform, and mail purpose.

Can I use a registered agent address as my business address?

Only when the specific form or institution permits it. A registered agent's core role is receiving legal and state notices. Some state filings or company legal-address fields may accept it, while physical operations and owner-residence fields often ask a different question.

Can I use a virtual mailbox for a bank account?

A bank may accept a virtual mailbox for correspondence while requiring another address for the business's physical location or an owner's residence. Policies and evidence requests vary. Confirm the bank's current fields before purchasing a mailbox.

What is USPS Form 1583?

It authorizes a CMRA to receive mail for a customer and records the required identity evidence. It does not turn a mailbox into an office, change the address's classification, or establish financial-account eligibility.

Is a virtual mailbox a physical business address?

It is a physical location where the operator receives mail, but it is not automatically the customer's operating premises. An institution asking where the company conducts business may require a different location and evidence.

Can I use the same address for an LLC, EIN, and bank account?

Possibly, if every relevant form and institution accepts it for the field being completed. Do not infer bank acceptance from a state filing or IRS record; verify each use separately.

Will a virtual address work for Stripe, Mercury, or Relay?

Each platform distinguishes address fields and can request evidence. Their current published rules exclude mailbox-only locations from certain physical or operating-address fields. The live application and review for the specific product and applicant control.

Official sources

Sources below were rechecked on July 24, 2026, except provider prices, which were checked on July 23, 2026.

USPS

• PS Form 1583: Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent
• Domestic Mail Manual 508: Recipient Services
• USPS CMRA FAQ
• USPS clarification of physical and virtual witnessing for Form 1583
• Postal Addressing Standards: Private Mailbox Addresses

State and IRS

• Kansas Secretary of State: Register a Business
• Kansas Secretary of State: General LLC articles and instructions
• District of Columbia: Articles of Organization for a Domestic LLC
• IRS Instructions for Form SS-4
• IRS Form SS-4
• IRS: About Form 8822-B

Banking platforms, Stripe, and Google

• Mercury: Address requirements
• Mercury: Eligibility and requirements
• Relay: Accepted address verification documents
• Relay: Required documents by entity type
• Relay: How to open an account
• Stripe: Requirements for a US account
• Stripe: Verifying a business address
• Stripe: Physical-presence requirement FAQ for specified products
• Google Business Profile eligibility and ownership guidelines
• Google Business Profile representation guidelines
• Google Business Profile address guidance

Mailbox providers

• VirtualPostMail mailbox pricing
• VirtualPostMail mailbox terms
• VirtualPostMail Form 1583 guidance
• VirtualPostMail TruLease pricing and requirements
• Anytime Mailbox current virtual-mailbox offer
• Anytime Mailbox Form 1583 guidance
• Anytime Mailbox renter terms
• Anytime Mailbox renter FAQ
• PostScan Mail pricing
• PostScan Mail Form 1583 guidance
• PostScan Mail FAQ
• PostScan Mail terms of use
• Stable pricing
• Stable terms
• Stable Form 1583 guidance
• Stable onboarding ID requirements

Related Guides

• Non-Resident LLC Compliance Guide 2026 (Taxes, BOI Status & ITIN)
• Wyoming vs Delaware LLC for Non-Residents: Fees, Annual Tax, and Use Cases (2026)
• How to Build US Business Credit for Non-Resident LLCs (No SSN)
• How to Open a Wise Business Account for a US LLC (2026 Guide)
• US Personal Credit for Non-Residents: ITIN, Reporting, and Eligibility (2026)