How to fill out USPS Form 1583 (and why you need to)

Why Form 1583 exists

The USPS requires Form 1583 for the same reason banks require KYC: to stop people from using anonymous mail drops to commit fraud or hide identities. The form ties a real, identified human (you) to the mail that arrives at a CMRA's street address. The CMRA is required to keep the form on file for at least four years after the service ends, and the postal inspector can demand to see it.

What you need before you start

• Two forms of ID. One must be a photo ID issued by a federal, state, or tribal agency: passport, driver's license, state ID, military ID. The second must be a non-photo verification of a current address: utility bill, mortgage or lease, vehicle registration, or similar.
• For a business, the legal entity's formation document — the certificate of incorporation for a corporation, articles of organization for an LLC.
• The list of every individual who will receive mail at the address — yourself, partners, co-founders, anyone you want to be able to receive mail at that street address.

Walking through each box

Box 1 — Date

The date you sign the form. Use the date you actually sit down with the notary, not the date you started filling it out.

Box 2 — Applicant name

The full legal name of the human applying. If you're signing on behalf of a business, this is still your name as the authorized representative — the business name goes in Box 7.

Box 3 — Applicant address

The applicant's home address, not the CMRA address. The form is establishing the link between you and the mailbox.

Box 4 — Telephone

Reachable phone number for the applicant.

Boxes 5 and 6 — ID

Type and number of the photo ID, plus type of the secondary verification. The notary will record both.

Box 7 — Business name (if applicable)

If the mail is for a business, the business legal name. Match this exactly to the formation document — abbreviations matter.

Box 8 — Business address

The business's official address, which can be the same as your home address if you have no other.

Box 9 — Type of business

Sole proprietor, LLC, corporation, partnership, etc.

Boxes 10 and 11 — Business registration

State of incorporation and date.

Boxes 12 and 13 — Names receiving mail

Every individual or entity authorized to receive mail at this address. This is the box people most often get wrong: include every name and variation a sender might use. If you operate as both "Acme LLC" and "Acme," list both.

Box 14 — Signature

Sign in the notary's presence — never in advance. The notary will witness, stamp, and add their commission information.

How notarization works in 2026

You have three practical options:

1. Remote online notarization (RON). The most common choice today. You join a short video call with a commissioned notary, present your IDs, and sign electronically. Most providers partner with a RON service so the form gets created, notarized, and transmitted automatically.
2. In-person notary. Banks, UPS Stores, AAA offices, and most attorneys can notarize. You'll print the form, bring your IDs, and sign in front of the notary.
3. Mobile notary. Some services will send a notary to your home or office for a fee. Useful if you can't easily get to a physical location.

Common mistakes

• Signing before meeting the notary. The signature must happen in front of the notary or it's invalid.
• Mismatched business names — the formation document says "Acme Holdings, LLC" but the form says "Acme Holdings LLC". Match exactly.
• Forgetting trade names ("doing business as"). If anyone might address mail to a DBA, list it.
• Skipping co-owners. If your partner is going to receive mail too, they need to be listed and they need their own notarized form.
• Letting the secondary ID expire. A utility bill from eight months ago doesn't count as "current address verification."

Frequently asked questions