How to Get a Virtual Address in the US: Steps, KYC and Timeline
A virtual business address is a real street address at a staffed office building — you rent the address and the mail handling, not the desk. Getting one in the US comes down to three things: a signed USPS Form 1583, two forms of ID and a plan that starts at $47 per month. The catalog behind this guide covers 58 buildings across New York, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco, operated by Regus, Spaces, HQ and Signature, with a median plan price of $103 per month. Below is the full process — the paperwork, the KYC checkpoints and a realistic day-by-day timeline.
Step 1: Pick a real building, not just a ZIP code
Choose the city and the specific building first, because that address is what lands on your LLC filing, your website footer and your Google Business Profile. In New York the catalog lists 22 buildings from $47 per month: Regus at 260 Madison in Midtown, Signature at 250 Park Avenue and Regus at 600 Third Avenue all put a Manhattan corporate address on your letterhead for less than the cost of a Midtown parking spot. Banks and clients recognize these towers, which matters later at the KYC stage.
The pattern repeats on the other coast. Los Angeles offers 15 buildings, including Regus in the US Bank Tower and Spaces locations at City National Plaza and the Fashion District. Miami has 13 options from the HQ-run Aventura Corporate Center to Spaces CocoWalk, and San Francisco lists 8, led by Regus Mid-Market. All four cities start at the same $47 per month with a $103 median, so the price argument for a lesser address rarely holds.
Step 2: Clear KYC — USPS Form 1583 and two IDs
Every US provider that receives mail on your behalf is a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA), regulated by USPS through the Domestic Mail Manual. Before the operator may accept a single envelope, USPS requires Form 1583, the Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent. The form demands two current forms of ID: one government-issued photo ID such as a passport or driver's license, plus one document that verifies your home address — a lease, utility bill or vehicle registration. The names on both documents must match Section 1 of the form exactly; a mismatch is the number-one reason applications bounce.
USPS revised Form 1583 in April 2023 and now channels the data into its CMRA Customer Registration Database, so the same form works at any compliant operator nationwide. Your signature must be witnessed — either by a notary (remote online notarization is accepted where state law allows it) or by the CMRA operator checking your two IDs in person. Since the 2023 revision, spouses each file their own separate Form 1583. Large operators such as Regus run the whole flow online in 10–15 minutes, notary session included.
Step 3: Put the address to work — state, IRS, bank
For an LLC or corporation, a virtual address serves as the principal office and mailing address on state filings. The one caveat that trips up founders is the registered agent: Delaware's LLC Act (6 Del. C. § 18-104), like most state statutes, requires a registered agent with a physical street address in the state, staffed during business hours — a mail-forwarding-only arrangement does not qualify. The standard fix is to name a commercial registered-agent service for that single statutory role and use the virtual address for everything else the state and the public see.
Next, tell the IRS. Form 8822-B updates the mailing address tied to your EIN, and the IRS takes 4–6 weeks to process it; if your responsible party changes, that must be reported on the same form within 60 days. The form is filed by mail, so send it early rather than after your first missed notice.
Banks check the address too. Under FinCEN's Customer Due Diligence Rule (31 CFR 1010.230, mandatory for all covered institutions since May 11, 2018), a bank opening a business account must record a physical business location for the entity and street addresses for its beneficial owners. A staffed building such as 250 Park Avenue satisfies that test in a way a PO Box never will — which is exactly why the building choice in Step 1 matters.
Timeline and cost: the first 30 days
Day 1: choose a building and plan — entry pricing is $47 per month across New York, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco. Day 1–2: complete Form 1583 with your two IDs and get the signature witnessed; online notarization usually closes this the same day. Day 2–3: the operator activates the address and mail acceptance begins. Week 2: update your state filing, website, invoices and Google Business Profile. Weeks 3–6: the IRS processes Form 8822-B, and your banking correspondence follows to the new address.
Budget-wise, plan on $47–$103 per month for the address itself, depending on the building — the median across all 58 catalog locations is $103. Add-ons such as mail scanning, forwarding or a Manhattan phone answering service are priced per operator, so compare the same building tier, not just the headline rate.
FAQ: getting a virtual business address
How long does it take to get a virtual address?
Typically 1–3 business days. The only hard gate is USPS Form 1583 with its two forms of ID; once the notarized form is on file, operators like Regus activate the address immediately, and all 22 New York catalog locations follow this same flow.
Can I use a virtual address for my LLC?
Yes — as the principal office and mailing address on your state filing and IRS records. The exception is the registered agent, which under statutes like Delaware's 6 Del. C. § 18-104 must be a staffed street address in the state of formation; pair the virtual address with a registered-agent service and you are covered on both fronts.
How much does a virtual business address cost?
In the catalog's four US cities the entry price is $47 per month and the median is $103 across 58 buildings. A Manhattan address at 260 Madison costs the same entry rate as a Miami one at Dadeland, so pick the address your clients and bank will recognize.