A California address when you do not live in California
Plenty of people need a California street address without being anywhere near California — founders expanding into the state, remote companies, and non-residents setting up a US business. Here is what a virtual mailbox does for that, and what it does not.
Who this is for
- Out-of-state businesses that need a California presence for filings, invoicing or credibility with local customers.
- Non-US founders setting up a US entity, who need a real street address for banking and registration and have nowhere to receive mail.
- Remote-first companies with no office but a legal need for a fixed address that is not somebody's apartment.
- People who have moved and want a stable address while everything else is in motion.
What you get
A real street address in Twentynine Palms, California — 6259 Adobe Rd — with a private mailbox identifier. Not a PO box. You can put it on filings, bank applications, invoices, a website footer and business cards. Mail and packages arrive from every carrier, not just USPS, because a street address can be signed for.
The form, from a distance
Every US virtual mailbox requires USPS Form 1583, and your signature has to be witnessed live. There are two valid routes and both work from anywhere in the world:
- We witness it over a live video session. As a CMRA we are permitted to do this ourselves, verifying your two forms of identification in real time. No notary, no fee.
- A notary witnesses it. They must be commissioned in a US state, territory or the District of Columbia — remote online notarisation is fine where state law allows.
Important if you are outside the US: a notary commissioned in another country cannot witness this form, no matter how the document is later apostilled. That trips people up regularly. The video route with us is usually the simpler path.
Also worth knowing: the permanent address field on the form is your actual home or business address in your own country — not the Twentynine Palms address you are applying for. That belongs in the agent section.
What a virtual mailbox does not do
Being straight about this saves everyone time.
It is not a registered agent. If your entity needs a registered agent in California, that is a separate service with separate legal obligations. A mailbox does not satisfy it.
It does not create a business presence for tax purposes. Whether your business has nexus or an obligation in California depends on what you actually do, not where your mail lands. Ask an accountant.
It will not be accepted everywhere. The address is recorded as a CMRA, and some banks and some filings treat that differently. Most are fine. Ask before you depend on it for something that matters.
We are not a mail forwarding service, currently. Mailbox holders collect in person during open hours. If you need mail forwarded internationally, tell us — we are gauging demand, and we would rather say so than take your money and disappoint you.
This page explains a postal service and is not legal, tax or immigration advice.
What it costs
$180 for the year, or $25 a month if you would rather not commit. Includes mail receipt and notification, some conference room time each month, and member rates on additional use.
Team accounts cover more than one named person on a single address — useful if two founders both need to appear at the same place.