Virginia Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA)
Virginia Registered Agent is a USPS-certified Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) providing secure mail handling, a real business street address, and the privacy protection that keeps your home address out of public records.
What is a Virginia CMRA?
A Virginia Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) is a private mail service that’s approved by the U.S. Postal Service. Instead of sending everything to your home or business, your mail goes to your CMRA’s physical location. From there, they can hold it for you for pick up, forward your mail to you in a packet, or scan your mail for digital forwarding to your online account.
CMRA services must collect USPS Form 1583 from every client. The information on this form adds an extra layer of verification, accountability, and security for you and your mail. It helps to prevent your mail from being mishandled, lost, or falling victim to mail fraud and scammers.
Why Should I Use a Virginia CMRA Address?
A Virginia CMRA isn’t just a mailing address, it’s a simple way to protect your privacy, upgrade your business image, and stay in control of your mail no matter where you are. When you sign up, you get perks like:
- Privacy & Professional Image: Keep your home address off public records and use a real Virginia business street address that looks professional and inspires trust.
- Secure Mail Handling: Your business mail arrives safely to our Richmond, VA building and is handled by trained staff.
- Anytime Access: We scan your mail and upload it to your secure online account. View it anytime from anywhere on your phone or computer.
- Flexible Plans: Pick a mail-scanning package that fits your workload and your budget.
A CMRA gives you a safer, more convenient way to manage your business mail while keeping your personal details private. It’s a small change that makes running your business easier.
What’s the Difference Between a Virginia Registered Agent & a CMRA?
A Virginia registered agent and a CMRA serve two different purposes:
Virginia Registered Agent:
- Legally required for every Virginia LLC or corporation
- Listed on formation documents to receive official state notices and legal service of process
- Must maintain a physical Virginia street address and be available during normal business hours
CMRA Service
- A private mail-receiving and business address service for all your regular mail
- Helps protect your privacy and gives you a professional street address
- Cannot serve as or replace the legal responsibilities of a registered agent
With Virginia Registered Agent, you can get both our licensed registered agent service and certified CMRA mail service. We can meet your state business compliance needs and provide secure mail handling all in one place.
How Our Virginia CMRA Service Works
At Virginia Registered Agent, we treat CMRA clients with the same care and attention as our registered agent clients. Handling your mail securely, processing it correctly, and making it easy for you to access is our priority.
- Use Our Address & Suite Number: Send your business or personal envelope mail (no packages) to our address using your assigned suite number. No more compromises on your address privacy!
- Access Your Mail Anytime: We open and scan your incoming mail, then upload the images to your secure online account. View it right away from your phone or computer wherever you are!
- Goodbye Junk Mail: We filter out the junk, so you only spend time on the mail that matters.
- Request Physical Forwarding When Needed: Need the original copy of your mail? We store it for 50 days from receipt, just in case you need to make a forwarding request from your online account. We’ll pop it in the mail for you for a small postage and handling fee.
- Boost Your Business Image: Use your Virginia CMRA street address on business cards, marketing materials, and your business website for a polished, trustworthy presentation.
For security reasons, we do not offer physical pick-up of your mail at our location. You can have mail items physically forwarded to you for an additional fee. We cannot accept and hold packages for you, also for security reasons. You will need to have packages sent directly to you.
How Do I Sign Up for Virginia CMRA Service?
Getting signed up for Virginia CMRA service is fast and easy:
1. Choose the mail service package that suits your needs:
| Standard Digital Mail Scanning ($49/yr) | Deluxe Digital Mail Scanning ($99/yr) | Virtual Office ($19/mo) | |
| Business Address | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mail Scans Included | +10 | +25 | Unlimited |
| Secure Online Account | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Same-Day Mail Scans | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Unique Suite Number | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Month-to-Month Office Lease | ✓ | ||
| Conference Room Access | Option to Rent | ||
| Virginia Phone Service | 90 days free | 90 days free | ✓ |
2. Sign in to your private online account to fill out USPS Form 1583
After you select a mail scanning plan, you’ll be guided to your online account to complete USPS Form 1583. Each field you need to fill out is clearly highlighted for you, so there’s no confusion or guess work. If you have questions, we’re happy to help you over the phone or by email.
Once you submit the form, we take care of the required authentication through our in-house verification process. It’s fast, simple, and 100% paperless.
Note: If all you need is our Virginia Registered Agent Service, you will NOT need to complete USPS Form 1583. As a state certified registered agent, we are already authorized to receive your state and legal business notices.
3. Check your email for new mail alerts
You will receive email confirmation once your Form 1583 is successfully processed. Then, you can start using our address and your unique suite number for all your business or individual mail.
We’ll also email you every time we scan new mail into your account. Just log in from any secure internet connection to view, download, or print out your mail.
How Do I Fill Out Form 1583?
Form 1583 asks for your:
- full name
- residential street address
- copy of photo I.D.
- proof of address
- digital signature.
Filling out Form 1583 in your online account is quick and easy. Here is all the information you need:
What forms of photo ID are accepted on Form 1583?
- U.S. State/Territory/Tribal Driver’s or Nondriver’s ID Card
- Matricula Consular
- Uniformed service ID
- U.S. University ID
- U.S. Permanent Resident Card
- U.S. Access Card
- Certificate of Naturalization
- Passports
- NEXUS Card
What forms of I.D. are not accepted?
- Social Security Card
- Credit Card
- Birth Certificate
- Concealed Carry Permit
What is accepted as proof of address on Form 1583?
- U.S. State/Territory/Tribal Driver’s or Nondriver’s ID Card (if not already used for your photo ID)
- Deed of Trust
- Current lease document
- Mortgage documentation
- Home or vehicle insurance policy
- Vehicle registration card
- Voter registration card
Why is Form 1583 required?
Form 1583 is required to make sure that only authorized CMRAs are operating within the state of Virginia. This protects you from dealing with disreputable mail service companies that might be scamming their clients and selling their information.
Who has access to the information on my Form 1583?
Only the CMRA and the USPS have access to the information on your Form 1583. This information is kept private and unavailable to the public.
What Are The Benefits of Virginia CMRA Service?
Here are the key benefits you get with CMRA service from Virginia Registered Agent:
- Privacy: Keep your personal address off public records
- Security: Your business mail is received, sorted, and handled only by authorized staff
- Professional Image: Use a real Virginia address, not a residential or PO Box, to strengthen your company’s credibility
- Stability: Because we own our building, you get a reliable long-term mailing address that won’t disappear when a lease ends
- Convenience: Your mail stays in one secure place, junk is filtered out for you, and you can access your mail anytime from your phone or computer
Protect your privacy, secure your mail, and give your business a professional Virginia identity with a USPS-certified CMRA address. Reach out today to set up your Virginia business address and pick the mail-handling option that works best for your growing company.
Virginia CMRA FAQs
Still have some questions? No problem, check out our FAQ section below or contact us to speak to one of our Virginia business experts.
Do I have to submit the Form 1583 to get Registered Agent Service?
No, hiring us as your Virginia registered agent does not require the Form 1583. As a state certified registered agent, we are qualified to receive state business notices and legal mail on behalf of you and your business. That’s part of being a registered agent. However, if you hire us for extra mail receiving services for all your mail, like our Virtual Office or Digital Mail Scanning service, this does require the Form 1583.
Do I need to get Form 1583 notarized?
CMRAs are allowed to verify a 1583 in place of the notary requirement, so we’ll handle the authentication of your form to make the sign up process super easy for you.
Can I use one Form 1583 for more than one business?
No, you will need to submit a Form 1583 for each business or individual using CMRA services.
Does a CMRA service accept mail from all mail services?
Yes! A CMRA service can accept mail from USPS, UPS, DHL, FedEx, and more!
Can I use a CMRA if I don’t live in the USA and I’m not a US citizen?
Yes, non-US citizens who do not live in the USA can still use a CMRA, as long as the ID and proof of address requirements are met (see above). Non-US addresses are perfectly acceptable.
Can I use the same document for both ID and proof of address?
No, you will need to provide a picture ID and a separate document for proof of address.