Can I Use My Virtual Office Address as My Legal Business Address?

A virtual business address can be an extremely helpful service for small business owners. Virtual address services give you a presence in states, cities and other locations so that you can easily receive and read your mailed correspondence. They’re ideal if:

• You want to keep your real address private and separate from your business address.
• You’re relocating your business and don’t want any correspondence to go missing.
• You don’t want to maintain a full-time location in a state.
• You’re a digital nomad and you travel a lot.

Here at Incfile, we’re delighted to offer a low-cost virtual address service. Although this virtual office address can be very convenient, it’s also important to understand its limitations.

Using a Virtual Address on Your Articles of Organization

Starting an LLC is fast and easy and provides several benefits to your business. Part of starting an LLC is filing your “Articles of Organization” with your state, or having Incfile do it for you. On your Articles of Organization, you will need to include an address for your business.

In most cases, it is acceptable to use a virtual office address as your business address on your Articles of Organization.

Please note that many states do not allow you to use a P.O. Box for your office address. None of Incfile’s virtual addresses are P.O. Boxes, so you won’t run into this issue. You will receive a fixed street address, allowing you to use it on your incorporation documents.

Using a Virtual Address for Your Registered Agent Address

A Registered Agent is a person who is able to receive official legal and other documents on behalf of your business. All LLCs and corporations are required to have a Registered Agent.

A Registered Agent is required to have a physical location to accept these documents. The Registered Agent must be available at the physical location during business hours. This means a virtual office address is not suitable for a Registered Agent address.

Fortunately, there’s another easy solution. Incfile provides a complete Registered Agent service that can receive all of your official, legal documents. Even better, the service is free for the first year when you start your LLC or corporation with us.

This means you can:

• Use Incfile’s virtual office address service on your Articles of Organization and as a correspondence address for receiving mail for your business.
• Use Incfile’s Registered Agent service to receive legal documents and other official correspondence.

The Benefits of a Virtual Business Address Service

Here’s how a virtual office address can help you:

• Get one address for all your regular correspondence: Take advantage of a single, stable street address that you can give to suppliers, banks, customers and more.
• Review mail wherever you are: All of your paper mail is scanned and provided through a secure, private portal where you can read and review correspondence at your convenience. All of your correspondence will be scanned and uploaded within one business day.
• Access your mail through a web browser: There’s no special software to install. Instead, you can easily and securely access your correspondence from any modern web browser, a mobile device or a desktop device. All of your correspondence is encrypted and secure.
• Get notifications when mail arrives: We’ll send you an email notification when we scan and upload correspondence for your business, so you’ll always be in the loop.
• Enhance a professional image for your business: A business address could be more prestigious and trusted than a residential address, which might enhance your reputation and marketing.

It’s Easy to Use Incfile’s Virtual Business Address Service

Here’s what you need to do to use our service: Sign up online, send us some information and request a business address. We’ll let you know when your virtual address is ready and what it is. All paper mail is scanned and uploaded to a private portal where you can read and review your mail instantly. Keep in mind that we do not receive boxed packages — only letters and large envelopes will be accepted. Any bank checks, credit or debit cards will be mail forwarded (via USPS) to your contact address on file. Your new virtual address is ready for you to use in your Articles of Incorporation, on business cards and on your website.

Overall, using a virtual business address for your new business can provide you with the flexibility you need to run your business in the location that makes the most sense for you.