What is a CMRA address? The USPS rules behind virtual mailboxes
A CMRA address is a street address run by a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency: a business that, in the U.S. Postal Service's words, "accepts the delivery of U.S. Mail on behalf of another person or entity as a business service." Every virtual mailbox, mail-forwarding service, and private mailbox store (think a UPS Store box) is a CMRA. Your mail goes to a real street address, but you don't live or work there. That difference is why banks, Stripe, and state agencies treat a CMRA address differently from your home or office.
Short version (USPS Domestic Mail Manual, checked October 27, 2026)
📬 What it is: a business registered with its local Post Office (on PS Form 1583-A) to receive mail for customers. Office business centers and reshipping services count as CMRAs too.
🏷️ How it's written: your box number must appear as "PMB 234" or "#234". USPS may return mail that's missing it.
🪪 What you sign: PS Form 1583, with a primary photo ID and a second ID that proves your permanent address, signed in front of the CMRA or a notary (in person or by live video).
⚠️ Why it gets rejected: it's a mail address, not a place you operate or live. Many institutions ask for exactly that kind of physical address for identity checks.
The official USPS definition
The rules for CMRAs are in section 508.1.8 of the USPS Domestic Mail Manual (DMM). Its definition is broad:
"A Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) is defined as a business that, in whole or in part, accepts the delivery of U.S. Mail on behalf of another person or entity as a business service. U.S. Mail is inclusive of all classes of mail."
The same section pulls in two other kinds of business:
- Office business centers (OBCs). These are businesses that mainly provide private offices and support services. The DMM says "OBCs are considered CMRAs for Postal Service purposes." That's why many virtual office and coworking mail addresses also count as CMRAs.
- Reshipping and redelivery services. A business "that operates primarily to provide reshipping or redelivery services" is also a CMRA under the DMM.
A CMRA has to register with the Post Office responsible for delivery. The owner or manager files PS Form 1583-A and shows two forms of ID. The CMRA "accepts delivery of the mail and holds it for pickup or remails it to the addressee, prepaid with new postage." A virtual mailbox does the same thing and adds scanning, so you can read your mail online.
How a CMRA address is formatted (PMB or #)
The DMM requires a CMRA to "represent its delivery address designation for the intended addressees by the use of 'PMB' (private mailbox) or the alternative '#' sign." USPS gives two accepted formats:
| Format | Example from the DMM | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Four lines | JOE DOE PMB 234 10 MAIN ST HERNDON VA 22071-2716 | Preferred format |
| Three lines | JOE DOE 10 MAIN ST PMB 234 HERNDON VA 22071-2716 | Accepted alternative ("#234" also works in place of "PMB 234") |
| CMRA has its own suite | JOE DOE 10 MAIN ST STE 11 PMB 234 HERNDON VA 22071-2716 | Required when the CMRA's own address already has a suite or "#". You must use "PMB", and you can't merge the numbers (for example "STE 11-234") |
If the PMB is missing, the DMM says USPS "may return mail without a proper address to the sender endorsed 'Undeliverable as Addressed, Missing PMB or # Sign.'" Some providers label the box number as a "Suite" in their own marketing. When you use the address, follow the exact format your provider printed on your PS Form 1583.
PS Form 1583 and the ID you need
Before a CMRA can receive your mail, you complete PS Form 1583, Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent. Here's what DMM 508.1.8.3 and 608.10 require:
- One form per addressee for personal use. "A separate PS Form 1583 must be completed for each addressee of a Private Mail Box (PMB) for residential or personal use." Spouses each file their own, and a parent can list minors on theirs.
- Two IDs. CMRA applications need a primary photo ID and a secondary ID (DMM Exhibit 608.10.2). Primary IDs include a state driver's license or ID card, a U.S. or foreign passport, a uniformed service ID, or a permanent resident card. A secondary ID can be another primary ID, or a current lease, mortgage or deed of trust, voter or vehicle registration card, home or vehicle insurance policy, or Form I-94. USPS doesn't accept Social Security cards, birth certificates, or credit cards.
- A witnessed signature. You sign "in the physical or virtual (in real-time audio and video) presence of the CMRA owner or manager, or authorized employee," or in front of a notary public commissioned in a U.S. state, territory, possession, or D.C. That's why online virtual mailbox providers offer online notarization.
- Your real permanent address. The CMRA must "confirm that the addressee resides or conducts business at the permanent address shown on PS Form 1583," and it must deny the application if your ID doesn't match.
- A USPS database record. The CMRA uploads your form details and ID images into the USPS CMRA Customer Registration Database, and it certifies every quarter that the forms are current.
For a full walkthrough of acceptable primary and secondary IDs, remote online notarization, and the CRD upload rule, see USPS Form 1583 explained. Our LLC guide covers how this works when the box is for a business.
CMRA vs P.O. box vs registered agent vs virtual office
| Address type | Who runs it | Street address? | Typical limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMRA / virtual mailbox / private mailbox | A private business registered with USPS (DMM 508.1.8) | Yes, written with a "PMB" or "#" box number | Not a place you live or operate. Some institutions name CMRAs as not accepted (see the table below). |
| USPS P.O. box | The Postal Service | No, it's "PO BOX 34" | Many banks rule out P.O. boxes for a street address. For example, Capital One's account rules say "a post office box may not be used," and the IRS says not to put a P.O. box on Form SS-4 line 5. |
| Registered agent address | A person or company appointed to receive legal notices for your entity | Yes, in the state of formation | It's meant for legal notices. Delaware law says a registered agent can't do the job solely through "a virtual office, the retention by the agent of a mail forwarding service." Several banks don't accept it as an operating address. |
| Virtual office / office business center | A business center that rents offices and support services | Yes | USPS treats OBCs as CMRAs. Institutions such as Mercury and Wells Fargo list virtual addresses or virtual offices as not accepted. |
For a deeper look at the registered agent side, see registered agent vs virtual mailbox and our virtual mailbox for LLC guide.
How institutions can tell an address is a CMRA
You can't hide a CMRA by leaving off the PMB. Three facts from the sources:
- USPS address data flags CMRAs. USPS's DPV (Delivery Point Validation) product page on PostalPro refers to a "DPV CMRA table" in its monthly data. DPV is licensed to address-verification software makers.
- Some institutions say they detect it. Stripe's 2026-09-30 API changelog added an error code that's "Returned when an account's address is identified as a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) or virtual mailbox address."
- Leaving off the PMB breaks delivery. As covered above, USPS may return mail that's missing the PMB or # sign.
We don't know exactly which databases each bank or fintech checks, and most don't publish it. Use the address honestly in the fields that allow it. If you've hit Stripe's CMRA error, our Stripe guide explains what to change.
Where a CMRA address is and isn't accepted
Acceptance depends on the field, not only the institution. A mailing or support address usually has looser rules than a legal, physical, or owner home address used for identity checks. U.S. banks must collect a physical address under the federal Customer Identification Program rule (31 CFR 1020.220). Here's what institutions in our database say. Each row quotes the institution's own documentation.
| Institution | Address field | Verdict | What the source says | Source (checked) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe — Issuing, Treasury for platforms, Opal, Corporate Card Payments / fintech | Business address and account representative address | Rejects CMRA / virtual mailbox | Stripe's docs say these products enforce validations that the address is not a PO box, private mailbox, Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) or registered agent address. New businesses are blocked from onboarding until they provide a valid physical address; existing accounts get a 30-day grace period before capabilities are disabled.“Stripe can no longer allow addresses for registered agents, mailbox services, or virtual address services.” | Stripe Docs: Address validation (Issuing) October 27, 2026 |
| Stripe — Connect Accounts API (v1/v2) error codes Payments / fintech | Account address | Rejects CMRA / virtual mailbox | A Stripe changelog entry dated 2026-09-30 adds the error code invalid_address_cmra_address, returned when an account's address is identified as a CMRA or virtual mailbox address; the account holder must update the address. A separate code covers registered agent addresses (resolvable with proof of address). The entry does not list which capabilities trigger the check, so treat it as 'may be rejected' for ordinary card payments.“Returned when an account's address is identified as a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) or virtual mailbox address.” | Stripe changelog: address validation errors for CMRAs and registered agents October 27, 2026 |
| Stripe — Public business information (support address) Payments / fintech | Customer support address (shown on receipts and card statements) | No restriction stated | Stripe requires a public support address that customers can see on card statements or email receipts. Unlike the legal/physical business address verified for KYC, Stripe’s setup documentation describes the support address as public contact information you can update any time in Account settings and states no restriction against using a virtual mailbox or mailing address there.“Your customers see the following details on either their card statements or in email receipts sent by Stripe: Business name and website URL; Support email address, phone number, and address” | Stripe Docs: Set up your account (Public business information) October 26, 2026 |
| Mercury Bank / fintech | Legal address, physical (day-to-day) address, beneficial owner home address (mailing/card address is separate) | Accepted in some fields only | Mercury's Company address requirements article says the physical address (where you and your team work day-to-day) cannot be a P.O. box, virtual address, commercial mail receiving agency, mail center or registered agent address. Its legal-address article says P.O. boxes and virtual offices/workspaces are not accepted as the legal address, and its eligibility article says registered agent addresses, P.O. boxes and UPS Store addresses are not accepted for the principal place of business. Each beneficial owner's home address cannot be a PO box, mail drop, or commercial mail-receiving or virtual address service. The mailing address (where physical cards are sent) must be a physical, USPS-deliverable address; Mercury's help pages do not name CMRAs for that field.“We don't accept a P.O. box, virtual address, commercial mail receiving agency, mail center, or registered agent address.” | Mercury Help: Company address requirements Mercury Help: Updating your company's legal address Mercury Help: Eligibility and requirements Mercury Help: Fixing undeliverable addresses October 26, 2026 |
| Relay Bank / fintech | Legal address (registered agent OK) vs. operating address and owner personal address (registered agent, PO box, virtual mailbox not OK) | Accepted in some fields only | Relay's help article (updated August 11, 2026) says a registered agent address may serve as the business's legal address, including for non-U.S. residents, but it cannot be the operating address or an owner's personal residential address. Registered agent addresses, PO boxes, and virtual mailboxes or mailbox rental services are listed as not acceptable operating addresses.“Yes, a registered agent address may serve as your business's legal address on Relay, including for non-U.S. residents establishing a U.S. business. It cannot be used as your operating address or your personal residential address.” | Relay Help: Using a Registered Agent Address and Operating Address Relay Help: Required Documents to Open a Relay Account by Entity Type Relay Help: Updating your business and billing address on Relay October 27, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo (Business & Personal Checking) Bank | Business physical address and personal residential address | Rejects CMRA / virtual mailbox | Wells Fargo’s business account documentation checklist explicitly prohibits registered agents, virtual addresses, virtual offices (on leases), and P.O. or commercial mailboxes for the physical business address. For personal checking and savings accounts, Wells Fargo’s FAQ states it cannot accept a P.O. Box or Private Mailbox (PMB) as a residential address.“Note: A physical address is required; Registered Agents, Virtual Addresses, and PO/Commercial mailboxes are not acceptable.” | Wells Fargo: Business Account Required Documents Wells Fargo: Open or Close a Bank Account FAQs (Personal) October 26, 2026 |
| Capital One Bank | Customer street address / residential address (separate mailing address allowed) | Physical address required (CMRA not named) | Capital One’s Rules Governing Deposit Accounts (Section 1.1, Customer Identification Program) and small-business application checklists require a U.S. street address and state that a post office box may not be used, listing a current lease or Certificate of Occupancy among verification documents. Application forms allow adding a separate mailing address if different from the residential/physical address. Capital One’s public disclosures do not mention CMRAs by name.“When Customer opens an Account, Customer must provide Bank with Customer’s name, street address (a post office box may not be used), employer identification number (or social security number for sole proprietorships)” | Capital One: Rules Governing Deposit Accounts Capital One Small Business: What You Need to Open an Account October 26, 2026 |
| Federal bank Customer Identification Program rule (31 CFR 1020.220) Regulation | Address banks must collect | Physical address required (CMRA not named) | U.S. banks' CIP must collect, for an individual, a residential or business street address, and for a non-individual (corporation, partnership, trust), a principal place of business, local office or other physical location. This is why bank KYC asks for a physical address in addition to any mailing address.“For a person other than an individual (such as a corporation, partnership, or trust), a principal place of business, local office, or other physical location” | eCFR: 31 CFR 1020.220 October 27, 2026 |
| IRS — Form SS-4 (EIN application) Government agency | Line 4 mailing address / Line 5 street address | No restriction stated | The SS-4 instructions describe line 4 as the mailing address for the entity's correspondence (generally used on all tax returns) with no stated restriction on type. Line 5 is the physical street address, needed only if different from the mailing address, and must not be a P.O. box. The instructions do not mention CMRAs.“Provide the entity's physical address only if different from its mailing address shown on lines 4a–4b. Don't enter a P.O. box number here.” | IRS: Instructions for Form SS-4 October 27, 2026 |
| Delaware — LLC registered agent (6 Del. C. § 18-104) State law | Registered office / registered agent | Rejects CMRA / virtual mailbox | Every Delaware LLC must keep a registered office and agent in Delaware. The agent must keep an office that is generally open (or be generally present) to accept service of process, and may not perform its duties solely through a virtual office or a mail forwarding service. Filed addresses must include street, number, city and postal code.“A registered agent may not perform its duties or functions solely through the use of a virtual office, the retention by the agent of a mail forwarding service, or both.” | Delaware Code Title 6, Chapter 18, Subchapter I (§ 18-104) October 27, 2026 |
| Washington Secretary of State — registered agent State agency | Registered agent address | Rejects CMRA / virtual mailbox | The registered agent must keep a physical address in Washington; PO boxes and PMBs (private mailboxes) are prohibited. A PO box can be added only as a separate mailing address. Without a WA physical address you can hire a Commercial Registered Agent.“The Registered Agent must maintain a physical address in Washington State (PO Boxes or PMBs are prohibited).” | WA Secretary of State: Registered Agents October 27, 2026 |
The full list, with more banks and states, is in the acceptance database. Our business bank account guide goes bank by bank, and the Mercury page covers Mercury field by field.
What happens when you close a CMRA box
- No change-of-address order. The DMM says that when the relationship ends, "neither the addressee nor the CMRA will file a change-of-address order with the Post Office." You'll need to update your address with each sender yourself.
- Six months of remailing. The CMRA "must remail mail intended for the addressee (customer) for at least 6 months after the termination date," with new postage. You give the remail address on PS Form 1583. You can tell the CMRA in writing not to remail certain mail.
- The form stays on file. The CMRA keeps your PS Form 1583 for at least 6 months after you close the box.
Who pays the new postage on that remailed mail depends on your provider's terms, so check them before you cancel.
Virtual mailbox (CMRA) providers compared
Every provider below is a CMRA, so the PMB rules and PS Form 1583 apply to all of them. Prices come from each provider's own pricing page on the date shown.
| Provider | Entry plan | From (per month) | Included | Opening & scanning | Registered agent add-on | Source (checked) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traveling Mailbox | Basic | $15.00 | 40 incoming envelopes + 35 page scans / month; 3 recipients | Page scans included in plan (35 on Basic); $0.50 per page over allotment; $0.25 per extra envelope | Not offered / not stated | Pricing page October 22, 2026 |
| iPostal1 | Virtual Business Address (30 items) | $14.99 varies | 30 mail items / month; 1 company name + up to 6 recipient names | Not included: $2.25 per scan order (up to 10 pages), then $0.25/page; prepaid bundles from $10 for 5 orders | $99/year add-on with any business plan, in listed states only (AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, MA, MN, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, SC, TX, UT, VA, WA, WY as of check date) | Pricing page October 27, 2026 |
| Anytime Mailbox | Varies by location (each mail center sets its own plans) | $9.99 varies | Set per location; shown before signup | Plan- and location-dependent | Not offered / not stated | Pricing page October 22, 2026 |
| Earth Class Mail (now LegalZoom Virtual Mail) | Starter MailBox | $39.00 | 5 mail items digitized / month (junk excluded); 2 recipients | Included up to plan limit for documents of 20 pages or less | Not offered / not stated | Pricing page October 22, 2026 |
| Stable | Grow | $59.00 | 30 pieces of mail / month (360/yr on annual); 1 user, unlimited recipients | Free open & scan on request or automatically | $25/month per state, all 50 states + DC + Puerto Rico | Pricing page October 27, 2026 |
| PostScan Mail | Starter | $10.00 varies | 30 items / month; 1 recipient (monthly) | $2.00 per envelope up to 10 pages, then $0.25/page (Standard plan includes 5 free open & scans) | Not offered / not stated | Pricing page October 22, 2026 |
Using a CMRA address on the road or from overseas? See mail forwarding for full-time RVers (South Dakota, Texas and Florida domicile rules) and virtual mailbox for expats (banking, IRS and voting rules).
Frequently asked questions
What does CMRA stand for?
CMRA stands for Commercial Mail Receiving Agency. The USPS Domestic Mail Manual (section 508.1.8.1) defines it as a business that, in whole or in part, accepts the delivery of U.S. Mail on behalf of another person or entity as a business service.
Is a virtual mailbox a CMRA?
Yes. A virtual mailbox receives U.S. Mail for customers as a business service, which is the USPS definition of a CMRA. It must register with its local Post Office on PS Form 1583-A, and each customer must complete PS Form 1583. Office business centers and reshipping services are also treated as CMRAs under the DMM.
What does PMB mean in an address?
PMB means private mailbox. USPS requires a CMRA address to show the customer's box as "PMB" plus a number or "#" plus a number, for example 10 MAIN ST PMB 234. If the CMRA's own address already includes a suite or #, the customer must use "PMB". USPS may return mail that is missing the PMB or # sign.
Is a CMRA address the same as a P.O. box?
No. A P.O. box is rented from the Postal Service and is written as PO BOX plus a number. A CMRA address is a private business's street address with a PMB or # box number. Both require a primary and a secondary ID under DMM 608.10, and many institutions reject both for fields that need a physical address.
What ID do I need for PS Form 1583?
Under DMM 608.10, a CMRA application needs a current primary photo ID (such as a state driver's license or ID card, a U.S. or foreign passport, or a permanent resident card) and a secondary ID that verifies your address (another primary ID, or a lease, mortgage or deed of trust, voter or vehicle registration card, home or vehicle insurance policy, or Form I-94). Social Security cards, birth certificates and credit cards are not accepted.
Can I sign PS Form 1583 online?
Yes, in the sense the DMM allows: you must sign in the physical or virtual (real-time audio and video) presence of the CMRA owner, manager or authorized employee, or in the physical or virtual presence of a notary public commissioned in a U.S. state, territory, possession or D.C.
Can banks tell if my address is a CMRA?
Often, yes. USPS's DPV address data includes a CMRA table, and Stripe's 2026-09-30 API changelog describes an error returned when an address is identified as a CMRA or virtual mailbox. Banks such as Mercury and Wells Fargo state on their own pages that virtual or commercial mailbox addresses aren't accepted for the addresses they verify.
What happens to my mail if I cancel my CMRA mailbox?
Under DMM 508.1.8.4, neither you nor the CMRA files a USPS change-of-address order. The CMRA must remail your mail, with new postage, for at least 6 months after the termination date to the remail address on your PS Form 1583, unless you gave written instructions not to remail certain mail.
Sources
USPS sources were checked on October 27, 2026. Institution sources are linked in the table above, and provider pricing pages are linked in the comparison table, each with its own check date.
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 508.1.8, Commercial Mail Receiving Agencies: pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/508.htm
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 608.10, Acceptable Identification: pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/608.htm
- USPS PS Form 1583, Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent: about.usps.com/forms/ps1583.pdf
- USPS PS Form 1583-A, Application to Act as a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency: about.usps.com/forms/ps1583a.pdf
- USPS PostalPro, DPV product page: postalpro.usps.com/address-quality/dpv
- Stripe changelog, Address validation for CMRA and registered agents (2026-09-30): docs.stripe.com
- 31 CFR § 1020.220, Customer identification program requirements for banks: ecfr.gov
- Delaware Code Title 6, Chapter 18, Subchapter I (registered agent rules): delcode.delaware.gov