How to get an address somewhere you don't live

When you see the mailing address of a local business, you probably don't think twice about it. You might recognize the street name or at least have an idea of what part of town it's in based on the ZIP code.

But increasing numbers of remote or home-based businesses don't have a storefront or office building. Business owners need a mailing address for marketing and to protect their privacy. For that reason, Earth Class Mail, a LegalZoom company, offers virtual addresses. We collect your mail, scan it, and allow you to review it and decide if you want it shredded, shipped to you, or stored.

Need a real street address for business

When you register a business, you'll need a mailing address—both to receive mail and to display on your branding and marketing materials. Many states require a street address, not a P.O. Box, for this.

Virtual offices and remote businesses still need mailbox services. If you don't want to rent office space just for the address, a virtual mailbox could solve your problems. Virtual mailboxes receive all your mail and digitize it into text-searchable PDFs, so you won't have to worry about losing important documents.

Moving to a new state and need an address there

When life takes you somewhere new, you might need an address there—or where you're coming from—to help keep things in order.

For example, if you plan to move out of state or to a new city, a virtual street address to list on paperwork could speed things along. Perhaps you need to file for permits or establish a business presence there while you plan your move.

Need to keep an address when you're moving away

When you plan to move, whether an international move or one just a few miles away, a virtual address gives you one thing your constant moving won't—a permanent address.

If you're running a business and want to keep it registered in your home state, you'll need a business mailing address there. Before you move away, transfer the registration to a virtual address, and it will keep your business based in the city where it started.

Establish your business address in a city you don't live in

If you launch a tech startup, having a prestigious San Francisco address might help give your business momentum and a professional image more than an address in a small town hundreds of miles away.

Earth Class Mail offers addresses in 80+ cities across the United States, including prestige addresses such as our San Francisco address on Market Street and our New York City address on Park Avenue. Maybe you're an aspiring cinematographer and want the Los Angeles address on Santa Monica Boulevard.

Virtual addresses offer an affordable way to build that presence and get your mail from anywhere.

Get an address in the best states to register your LLC

When you register your business, your choice of where you register can impact your bottom line. Some states have higher taxes, filing fees, and penalties. We've compiled a list of the states that experts consider business-friendly.

• Delaware tops the country in business registrations for its low corporate taxes. More than half of all publicly traded companies in the United States use a Delaware address for this reason.
• Nevada and Wyoming also attract businesses because they don't collect corporate or personal income taxes or charge franchise taxes. Nevada also gives businesses anonymity in public filings, while Wyoming only requires minimal information in its filings.

How does a virtual address work

A virtual address is a subscription service that provides you with a physical address where you receive mail. You can use your virtual address to register your business or expand your business into a new market.

Virtual addresses aren't completely virtual—they are real places that receive mail. Unlike a P.O. Box at the post office, a virtual address doesn't require you to live in the general vicinity to check your mail. Processors open, scan, and process your mail. You view and manage your mail on a website or an app. Then, you decide what you want to do with it: shred it, ship it, or share the PDF with someone else who might need it.

Earth Class Mail comparisons

Earth Class offers virtual street addresses in more than 80 cities across the country, along with services that include secure processing, sorting, opening, scanning, shipping, shredding, and check deposit. You can easily access all your mail online using the cloud storage software of your choice. Earth Class is compatible with nearly a dozen platforms, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and QuickBooks.

To learn more about Earth Class Mail's offerings, go here.