Business address options: PO Box, private mailbox, home or registered agent
Edited by Moe Ameen · Published
You can run a business from a PO Box, a private mailbox or your home, but each has limits. USPS says its PO Box street-address option can't be your place of business on legal documents, and Mercury, Relay and Bluevine reject PO Boxes and registered agent addresses as your business address. Bluevine says a home address is fine, but California and Florida put the addresses on business filings into the public record.
Key takeaways
- A PO Box works for mail but not as your place of business on legal documents.
- A private mailbox needs USPS Form 1583 and two IDs, and the address uses "PMB" or "#".
- Mercury, Relay and Bluevine reject PO Boxes and registered agent addresses as your business address.
- Addresses on state business filings are public record in California and Florida.
Can I use a PO Box as my business address?
For mail, yes. But USPS says its PO Box street-address option can't be used as your place of business on legal documents.
Where USPS offers Street Addressing, you can use the post office's street address with your box number so UPS, FedEx and others can deliver [2]. USPS's agreement says you may not use that address as your residence or place of business in legal documents, and misuse can get the box closed [1]. The box number is written after a "#" or "UNIT" [3].
How does a private mailbox work as a business address?
A commercial mail receiving agency rents you a box at its street address. You file USPS Form 1583 with two IDs, one of them a photo ID.
The second ID has to confirm your address [4]. You can sign in person or over a live video call with the store or a US notary [5]. Your address uses "PMB" or "#" before the box number, for example 10 Main St PMB 234 [5]. Several banks won't accept these as a business address, as the table below shows.
Can I use my home address for my LLC?
Yes, but in many states it becomes public. California and Florida both say information on business filings is public record.
California's filing office says names and mailing and street addresses on filings are public, except as statutes provide [6]. Florida says anything you submit becomes part of the public record on its website [7]. Texas lets the initial mailing address be a PO Box, but its registered office can't be solely a mailbox service [8]. A registered agent can keep your home off the agent line, though not every field.
Which banks reject PO Boxes or virtual business addresses?
Mercury, Relay and Bluevine. All three reject PO Boxes and registered agent addresses; Mercury and Relay also reject virtual mailboxes.
Relay won't take a registered agent address, PO Box or virtual mailbox as your operating address, though a registered agent address can be your legal address [10]. Mercury rejects a PO Box, virtual address, mail receiving agency, mail center or registered agent address as your physical address [11]. Bluevine says a home address is fine, but a registered agent address or PO Box will prevent you from opening an account [12].
How do I change my business address with the IRS?
File Form 8822-B. It covers a new mailing address, location or responsible party; only responsible party changes carry a 60-day deadline.
That's from the IRS's own Form 8822-B page [13]. Your EIN stays the same; see how to get an EIN.
Glisten check
Each address type against USPS, bank and state rules
| Address type | USPS rule | Relay, Mercury, Bluevine | On state filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| PO Box | Mail only [2] | Rejected by all three [10][11][12] | Texas allows it as the initial mailing address [8] |
| PO Box with Street Addressing | Not your place of business on legal documents [1] | Treated as a PO Box | Same as a PO Box |
| Private mailbox (CMRA) | Form 1583, two IDs, "PMB" or "#" [4][5] | Rejected by Mercury and Relay [10][11] | Not as a Texas registered office alone [8] |
| Registered agent's address | Not a USPS product | Rejected by all three as the business address; Relay allows it as legal address [10][11][12] | Standard for the agent line |
| Home address | Regular delivery | Accepted by Bluevine [12] | Public record in California and Florida [6][7] |
Is this right for you?
Best for
- Home-based owners deciding what address to put on filings and bank applications.
- Anyone weighing a private mailbox against a PO Box.
Not ideal for
- Owners at risk who need address confidentiality. California's Safe at Home program covers specific groups, such as victims of domestic violence [9].
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a virtual address for my business bank account?
Not at Mercury or Relay; both reject virtual addresses [10][11].
Is my LLC's address public?
In California and Florida, information on business filings is public record [6][7].
What's the difference between a PO Box and a private mailbox?
A PO Box is at the post office. A private mailbox is at a commercial mail receiving agency, needs Form 1583, and uses "PMB" or "#" [4][5].
Do I have to tell the IRS if my business moves?
Use Form 8822-B. The IRS sets a 60-day deadline only for responsible party changes [13].
How we know this
On October 28, 2026 we read USPS's PO Box pages and agreement, Publication 28, PS Form 1583 and Domestic Mail Manual section 508, the California, Florida and Texas filing offices' pages, Relay's, Mercury's and Bluevine's address rules, and the IRS's Form 8822-B page.
- Premium PO Box service agreement (PDF), USPS. Checked October 28, 2026.
- PO Boxes, USPS. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Publication 28: PO Box addresses, USPS. Checked October 28, 2026.
- PS Form 1583 (PDF), USPS. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Domestic Mail Manual 508, USPS. Checked October 28, 2026.
- bizfile privacy warning, California Secretary of State. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Florida LLC e-filing, Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz). Checked October 28, 2026.
- Form 205 instructions, Texas Secretary of State. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Safe at Home, California Secretary of State. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Using a registered agent address and operating address, Relay. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Company address requirements, Mercury. Checked October 28, 2026.
- How to apply for a business checking account, Bluevine. Checked October 28, 2026.
- About Form 8822-B, IRS. Checked October 28, 2026.