PS Form 1583 for a Virtual Mailbox: Step by Step
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Every virtual mailbox (a commercial mail receiving agency, or CMRA) must collect USPS Form 1583 before it can receive mail for you. Here's the process from start to finish.
Steps
- Sign up with a mailbox provider and pick your address. Most providers give you a pre-filled Form 1583 in your dashboard after signup. VirtualPostMail, for example, says it provides the form after you sign up (VirtualPostMail help).
- Gather two IDs: a photo ID, and a second ID that verifies the address you enter on the form. The form lists the acceptable types (USPS PS 1583).
- Fill in your sections only. The agent (CMRA) fills in its own parts.
- Sign the form in one of the ways USPS allows: in the physical or real-time video presence of the CMRA or its employee, or acknowledged before a notary commissioned in a U.S. state, territory or D.C. (in person or by video) (Federal Register, May 2, 2024).
- Upload the signed form and ID copies to your provider and wait for its approval. Mail delivery starts after the CMRA verifies you.
Picking a signing route
| Route | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Provider's own video verification | Your provider offers it (fastest, often free) |
| Online notary | You're abroad or after hours |
| In-person notary | You're near a bank or shipping store |
Online notaries: Notarize (Proof) · OneNotary · NotaryLive
Common rejections
- The address on your second ID doesn't match the address on the form.
- Using an outdated edition of the form instead of the one your provider gives you.
- Missing signature or date.
Provider example
VirtualPostMail accepts online notarizations and says it will waive notarization if you send a clear photo of yourself holding your photo ID (same help page). VirtualPostMail (sponsored link)
Background on the rules: How to notarize PS Form 1583.
Related guides
- California Notary Fees (2026) and Where to Get Notarized
- Can Real Estate Documents Be Notarized Online?
- Can a Notary Complete Form I-9? (Authorized Representative Rules)
- Florida Notary Fees (2026), In Person and Online
- Getting a Power of Attorney Notarized: In Person or Online
- How to Notarize USPS Form 1583 (In Person or Online)