Tenley Cotten

If you have shopped for a virtual mailbox, private mailbox, or business address service, you have probably run into the acronym CMRA - usually right around the moment someone asked you to fill out USPS Form 1583. Here is what a CMRA actually is, and why that form exists. The Definition A CMRA - Commercial Mail Receiving Agency - is a private business that receives mail on behalf of other people or businesses. The category includes: Virtual mailbox services (they scan your mail so you can read...

If your virtual mailbox provider just told you that your USPS Form 1583 needs to be notarized, take a breath. You do not need to drive across town, and you do not need to figure out which shipping store has a notary on duty this week. You can complete the entire notarization online, from your couch, in about 20 minutes. Here is exactly how the process works, step by step. Why People Need Form 1583 Notarized USPS Form 1583 is the application that authorizes a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency...

Short answer: no, not always. Longer answer: it depends entirely on your mailbox provider - and that nuance trips up a lot of people setting up a virtual mailbox for the first time. What the Rules Actually Say USPS Form 1583 authorizes a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) to receive mail on your behalf. USPS rules give providers two ways to verify the form: The provider verifies your identity and witnesses the form themselves, through an authorized representative, or You obtain a...