How to Notarize USPS Form 1583 (In Person or Online)
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If you open a private mailbox or virtual mailbox (a "CMRA"), USPS requires PS Form 1583, Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent. Your provider usually tells you to get it notarized.
What USPS actually requires
The form says the applicant must sign or confirm their signature in the physical or virtual (real-time audio and video) presence of the mailbox agent or its authorized employee, or acknowledge their signature in the physical or virtual presence of a notary public commissioned in a U.S. state, territory, possession, or D.C. (USPS PS 1583; Federal Register, May 2, 2024).
That means a notary is one option, not the only one. Some mailbox providers verify you on video themselves. Check your provider's instructions first.
Before you start
- Use the current official form from USPS. Don't redesign it.
- Have a government photo ID and a separate ID showing the address you list on the form (the form lists acceptable ID types).
- Don't fill in the agent-only sections.
In person vs online
| In person | Online (remote online notary) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Bank, UPS Store, mobile notary | Video call from your computer or phone |
| Allowed by USPS? | Yes | Yes, "virtual presence (real-time audio and video)" |
| Notary must be | Commissioned in a U.S. state/territory/D.C. | Same |
| Best for | You're near a notary during business hours | You're abroad, traveling, or need it at night |
Get it done online
Still choosing a mailbox?
Some providers make the 1583 step easier. For example, VirtualPostMail says it gives you the form after signup, accepts a foreign document as your second (address) ID, accepts online notarizations, and will waive the notary step if you send a clear photo of yourself holding your photo ID (VirtualPostMail help). Check that this still applies before you sign up. - VirtualPostMail (sponsored link)
Step-by-step walkthrough: PS Form 1583 for a virtual mailbox. Living on the road or abroad? See PS-1583 for RVers and nomads.
After notarization, send the form back the way your mailbox provider instructs. The provider, not the notary, activates your mailbox.
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