Can A Virginia Corporation Register Its Address As A Po Box

Almost all LLC registrations in the Usa require the "Concrete Mailing Accost" of the company to exist identified. The general dominion is that such an accost can exist located anywhere, information technology just cannot exist a PO Box. Some states, such every bit Alabama (AL), California (CA), Massachusetts (MA), Maryland (MD) and Oregon (OR), even require that such an address be located within their state's borders.

Some of our competition will permit their Registered Agent accost to exist used every bit the visitor's address. If y'all telephone call the Secretary of State'due south office, they will also tell y'all that the Registered Agent accost tin be used as the company's address.

We exercise not allow this, UNLESS y'all actually ain or control the Registered Address (which means you're acting every bit your own Registered Amanuensis). This is because doing so can potentially eliminate the liability protection of the LLC.

If you're not your own Registered Agent, then y'all SHOULD NOT Utilize the Registered Address as your company's business accost. The reason is this address is not in your command. Seldom will they be equipped to really process postal service, and unless y'all've filled out USPS Form 1583, the Registered Agent is non authorized to be a receiving amanuensis for you. In short, you would violate U.s. Post regulations.

Filing a LLC like this would be considered a "fraudulent filing."

Considering of this, if the LLC is sued and a skilled plaintiff'south chaser figures this out, they tin use this as a reason to "pierce the corporate veil" of your LLC and therefore sue you personally.

The best practise, is to either apply an address nether your command or (if you're concerned about anonymity), buy an actual virtual office or mailbox. When you practice this, y'all're really nether contract to lease / rent that mailbox and you are actually conducting business using that mailbox. To do this properly, you really demand to sign USPS forms and see their requirements for the use of such a mailbox. This means you lot are certainly under control of the mailbox.

Larry Donahue

Larry Donahue is an attorney and founder of Law 4 Pocket-sized Business, P.C. He is licensed to practice law in Illinois, New Mexico and the Us Patent and Trademark Office.