So you just signed up for a virtual mailing address. Congratulations!
Now that you have your new address, you need to complete and submit a notarized USPS Form 1583 so that Virtual Mail Now can accept your mail.
The goal of this article is to help you understand what USPS Form 1583 is, what it is for, and why we are required to collect it. We’ll also walk you through the entire process of completing and submitting the form so you can start receiving mail at your virtual mailbox right away!
Use the links below to skip around to the parts that matter most to you, or read it all to learn how to fill out USPS Form 1583.
- What is USPS Form 1583
- Why do I need to submit USPS Form 1583
- Does USPS Form 1583 change my address?
- How do I complete USPS Form 1583?
- How do I get my USPS Form 1583 notarized?
- How do I submit my completed USPS 1583 Form?
What is USPS Form 1583?
USPS Form 1583 (Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent) is a one-page form issued by the United States Postal Service (USPS) that authorizes a commercial mail receiving agency (Virtual Mail Now in this case) to receive, open, and scan your mail on your behalf.
It also provides the USPS with some basic information about the individual or business registering the new address (that’s you), and verifies your identity to ensure that only you and those you designate have access to your mail.
Why do I need to submit a USPS Form 1583 to sign up for a virtual mailing address?
The shortest answer to this question is that the USPS requires it.
All Commercial mail receiving agencies (including Virtual Mail Now) are required to keep a notarized USPS Form 1583 on file for every addressee, ready to be reviewed by the postmaster or Postal Inspection Service at any time.
For this reason, you’ll need to submit a USPS Form 1583 for each applicant along with two forms of identification.
USPS requires that you fill out this form mainly to protect the privacy and security of your mail. Without it, a virtual address could be used to intercept mail without consent, to perpetrate phishing schemes, or to commit other types of fraud. This is also the reason why your 1583 must be notarized (more on this later).
Does USPS Form 1583 change my address?
USPS Form 1583 does not forward your mail or change your address. To do that, you’ll need to update your previous address registered with USPS to the address you chose when you set up your account. (You can find that address easily by accessing your account dashboard.)
The process of updating your address is straightforward and can be completed in just a few minutes on the USPS website.
If your virtual address is for a new business or will be used as a second address, you do not need to submit a change of address. After you have completed and submitted Form 1583, simply provide your virtual address to senders as you see fit to start receiving mail.
How do I complete USPS Form 1583?
Don’t let the poor layout of the form fool you, the process of completing USPS Form 1583 is actually pretty straightforward. So much so that the form has remained unchanged since 2004! If only the same could be said for my hairline…
Before you get started, there are a few pieces of information you’ll need to have on hand to make the process a bit easier.
- You’ll need your new address (your virtual address). You can find it in your account dashboard and your order confirmation email along with your mailbox number. Make sure you include that in Box 3a.
- You’ll need to know the name of the company that will receive your mail (Virtual Mail Now) and our address. The forms provided to you in your account dashboard have all of this information pre-filled in for you for convenience.
- If you are setting up an address for a corporation, you will need the names and addresses of your company officers.
- You will need 2 forms of identification for everyone listed on the form, scanned and ready to upload.
What are acceptable forms of identification?
Each applicant will need to present two forms of identification to complete the 1583 form. At least one needs to contain a photograph of the addressee(s). The following is a list of acceptable forms of identification that you can use to meet that requirement:
- Valid driver’s license or state non-driver’s identification card
- Military ID or other government issued ID card
- U.S. University ID
- Recognized corporate identification card
- Passport (from the United States or another country)
- Alien Registration Card
- Certificate of Naturalization;
- Tribal Identification card
If you only have one of the above, you can also use the following items as a secondary form of identification.
- Utility bill with your name and current address
- Current apartment lease
- Mortgage documents
- Deed of Trust
- Voter registration
- A valid vehicle registration card
- Home or vehicle insurance policy
Now that you have gathered everything you need, it’s finally time to complete the form.
- Enter the full name of the individual or business that will receive mail at this mailbox into Box 2.
- Enter your new virtual mailbox address, including the mailbox number into Boxes 3a – 3d.
- If you did not use one of our pre filled forms, you’ll need to enter our information in Box 4.
Virtual Mail Now
1060 Broadway
Albany, NY 12204
- Add your signature to Box 5 to authorize us to receive restricted-delivery mail on your behalf. Restricted Delivery is a service provided by the USPS specifically for sensitive mail such as confidential legal documents, important contracts, classified documents, and high-value packages or papers.
- Enter the name of the person who is applying for this mailbox into Box 6, and enter their address into Boxes 7a – 7d. This has to be the name of an individual, even if this mailbox is for a business. In most cases, this will be the same name you entered into Box 2 during the first step.
- Enter the two forms of Identification that you will use to prove your identity and the ID numbers into Box 8. One must be a photo ID. You can find a list of acceptable IDs earlier in this article.
- Box 16 is where you will add your signature to the form. Don’t do this yet! Wait to sign your form in the presence of the notary public, who will also sign the document in Box 15.
If your mailbox is intended to be used for a business, you’ll need to complete a few more steps.
- Enter your business contact information into Boxes 10a – 10e. If your business is a home based business, use your home address. Otherwise you may use your business’s current mailing address or registered agent address.
- In Box 11, you need to Indicate what products or services your business provides. For example, “retail,” “computer repair,” “information technology“,” etc.
- Enter the names of each member or employee who will receive mail at this address into Box 12.
How do I get my USPS Form 1583 notarized?
In order for us to approve your USPS Form 1583, it must be notarized. The presence of a notary’s seal and signature proves that your identity has been verified, and that you are the person authorizing us to receive mail in your name or your company’s name.
Most banks offer notary services to their customers, so checking in with your bank is usually the best place to start. In many cases, this service will be free.
Of course you can often find a notary public simply by searching online. And if you just hate driving, you can use an online notary service.
What about non U.S. residents or citizens living abroad?
If you are currently living abroad and/or are not a U.S. resident, not to worry. We accept both U.S. and non-U.S. notary seals.
Notarizing officers at any US Embassy or Consulate can provide a service similar to the functions of a notary public in the United States. It is also possible to have a document notarized by a local foreign notary and then have the document authenticated for use in the United States.
You can also get your form notarized from most online notaries without any issues, assuming you have the proper identification.
How do I submit my completed USPS 1583 Form?
Now that you have completed your form and had it notarized, it’s time to send it to us so we can start accepting your mail. We’ve simplified the process of submitting your form so you can start receiving mail at your virtual address right away.
First, you’ll need a digital copy of your completed form. If you don’t already have one, you can create one by scanning it into your computer or by taking a photo of the form with your phone.
If you choose to submit a photo, make sure to take the photo straight on in a well lit area so that the text is legible. We only require the first page, so a single image will do.
You’ll also need to submit your proof of identification; the same forms of identification you used to complete the form. You can use the same process of either scanning or taking a photo to digitize those so they can be uploaded.
To upload the form and your proof of identification to your account, simply log in using the email and password you created when you ordered your virtual address. In the main navigation, click on the Account tab, and select Dashboard from the dropdown menu.
There, you will see your virtual mail subscription(s) and the status of the 1583 for each of your addresses. Click on the “Upload My 1583” button on the applicable address.
On the upload screen, click browse and navigate your file system to attach your file. We accept pdf, jpg, tiff, and png files up to 25MB each.
Once your form and proof of identification has been submitted, our team will be notified and will start the review process. Typically, we will review your documents within two business days of your submission. Once we have reviewed and approved your form, you will receive a notification in your dashboard indicating that your virtual address is ready to use.
What’s next?
Now that your USPS Form 1583 has been submitted and approved, you can start using your virtual mailbox right away. Simply provide your new address to senders, customers, and vendors as you see fit.
If you have any questions or run into any issues during the process, contact us for assistance.