Last Updated on 3 weeks by Komolafe Bamidele
Pricing: $0 + State Fee
Service Time: Varies By State & Package
Pricing: $0 + State Fees
Service Time: Varies By State & Package
Pricing: $0 + State Fee
Service Time: Varies By State & Package
Pricing: $0 + State Fee
Service Time: Varies By State & Package
If you’re forming an LLC (which is highly advised). Many small business owner, by default, uses their home address instead of a Virtual Business Address for LLC Formation, maybe because it’s free and convenient.
But is that the best option? The answer is no. There are numerous disadvantages associated with using a home address for your business.
Why You Shouldn’t Use Your Home Address for Your LLC
Privacy and Security Concerns
If you use your home address as your LLC business address, then your home address is available for everyone to see.
Your home address is on your contracts, website, emails, directories, marketing, and other public documents. Malicious actors can use this information to target your personally identifiable information (PII) to steal your identity and savings.
Customers and prospects can also unexpectedly show up at your home, whether you’re home or not.
This can pose a serious risk. Registering an LLC requires a registered agent in the state in which the business is to operate.
The result is that legal notices, tax information, and government documents are sent to the registered agent’s address (viz., home address).
Mail Management Issues
You can experience a significant influx in mail to your home address when using it for your business. The likelihood that something gets lost or accidentally overlooked increases.
Important legal documents, tax notices, and other critical communications might get mixed with your personal mail, creating opportunities for missed deadlines or overlooked information.
Professionalism
First impressions count. Using your home address on contracts and other prospect and customer-facing documents makes your business look unprofessional and small.
Negative impressions of your brand can impact your business. A dedicated business address lends credibility to your company, especially when dealing with clients, partners, or investors.
Protection of LLC Benefits
One of the primary reasons entrepreneurs and small businesses register their businesses as LLCs is to separate their personal assets from their business.
Having a business as an LLC protects your personal assets. However, something that is often unbeknownst to the business owner is the fact that the benefits of an LLC (or Corporation) can be lost if a court deems that business and personal activities are intertwined.
You could suddenly be personally responsible for business debts, fines, penalties, and other legal and financial obligations.
SEO and Online Presence
Being found in the internet search engines is critically important for nearly every business today.
Using a home address can diminish your SEO rank and search results, specifically Google My Business listings.
A commercial address can enhance your local search visibility and help establish credibility in online directories.
Personally, I won’t recommend you use your home address to avoid unnecessary funny surprises.
For instance, if you own an LLC rental property which contains your home address, your tenant can easily know you own the rental property.
Consider this scenario from clients:
“I just bought and inherited tenants with a new rental property I purchased through my LLC. One of the tenants is asking my manager to tell her who the owner is so she can speak to the owner.
Are we obligated to do that legally? She seems like a problem tenant. I’m a pushover, so that’s why I hired someone to deal with the tenants. Could anyone suggest some response ideas for my manager? Thank you”
I hope you understand the reason why you shouldn’t use your home address but use a virtual business address instead.
There is no debate here, so when setting up your LLC, you can easily use a virtual business address, which costs you just $29, to save you from unnecessary headaches from clients or customers.
Check out the company’s official website. For more information about their virtual address services and how they can help you establish a professional presence for your LLC in 2025.
What is a Virtual Address?
A virtual address or virtual business address is an address to a physical location that you can use as your official company address.
Your virtual address is a place where you can receive mail without being there in person. A virtual address can be used:
- On your business website
- To receive mail from customers
- For filing your taxes
- To register your business with the state when you file your LLC or business formation paperwork
- To provide legitimacy to your company
- To help you keep your home address private
- When opening a business bank account or a merchant account
- To receive checks, invoices and bills
A virtual address doesn’t have to be the same as where you operate your business, but it must be a place where your business can be reached and that you check regularly.
It can be a P.O. box where you receive mail, or it could be a virtual mailbox service where you can access scans of your mail online and have your mail shipped to your physical location.
A virtual address is a great addition to the suite of tools you might use to operate a digital business or a virtual office, so that you can work from anywhere you’re located.
Virtual Mailbox vs Virtual Office vs Coworking Spaces vs Virtual Business Address
Before diving into specific providers, it’s important to understand the different options available:
Virtual Mailbox
This is the most basic and affordable option. A virtual mailbox service allows you to:
- Receive mail at a physical address
- View your mail digitally through scanning services
- Choose what to do with your mail (forward, shred, etc.)
- Access your mail from anywhere with internet access
Pricing typically depends on mail volume (30, 60, 90, or 120 pieces per month).
Virtual Office
A virtual office includes all virtual mailbox features plus:
- Virtual receptionist services
- Access to meeting rooms
- Virtual phone number
- More business-oriented amenities
This option is tailored toward established businesses that need more professional services.
Coworking Spaces
The most expensive option that includes:
- Physical workspace access
- Community of other startups and businesses
- Amenities like printing and Wi-Fi
- Networking opportunities
Virtual Business Address
This option focuses specifically on providing you with a legitimate business address without necessarily including all the mail handling services of a virtual mailbox.
3 Key Factors to Consider for Best Virtual Business Address Service
When selecting a virtual address service for your LLC, consider these crucial factors:
1. Location
- How many locations does the provider offer?
- Is there a location in your state of operation?
- Does the address project the right image for your business?
2. Pricing
- What’s included in the base package?
- Are there additional fees for mail handling or forwarding?
- How does the pricing compare with long-term value?
3. Reviews and Reputation
- What do current customers say about reliability?
- How is their customer service rated?
- Do they have experience serving businesses in your industry?
How to Get Bizee Virtual Address for Business
Bizee (formerly known as Incfile) offers a comprehensive virtual address service that’s particularly convenient for LLC formation.
Here’s why it stands out and how to set it up:
Benefits of Bizee Virtual Address
- Available in 48 different states across the country
- Seamless integration with LLC formation services
- Professional address for all business correspondence
- Private and fixed street address
- Advanced mail scanning
- Access wherever you are
Features of Bizee’s Virtual Address Service
1. Mail Handling
Services typically include mail scanning, where the physical mail is opened and scanned by the service provider, and the digital copy is uploaded to a secure portal for you to access.
2. Convenience
It provides the convenience of managing your postal mail online. You can decide whether to have the mail forwarded, held, or shredded, depending on your needs.
3. Professionalism
Using a virtual address can provide a more professional image than a home address or P.O. Box.
4. Privacy
It keeps your personal address private, which is beneficial for home-based businesses concerned about privacy and security.
How to Set Up Your Bizee Virtual Address
Setting up a virtual address with Bizee is straightforward:
- Visit Bizee’s website and select “Virtual Address Service”
- Choose your desired state location
- Complete the sign-up process
- Pay the monthly fee ($29/month)
- Complete USPS Form 1583 (authorisation for mail receipt)
- Start using your new business address
Pricing
- Virtual Address Service (Monthly): $29
- Total: $29
Is a Virtual Address the Same as a Registered Agent?
In short: no. A Registered Agent isn’t the same as a virtual address. While both are addresses that you can use for business mail, they serve different purposes and meet different needs for your business.
Registered Agent
A Registered Agent is a person or business entity that accepts legal and tax documents on behalf of other businesses. A Registered Agent must be located in the same state in which your business operates.
If you have an LLC or corporation, then you are required to have a Registered Agent. The address of your Registered Agent cannot be a P.O. box; it must be a physical mailing address.
A Registered Agent might also be referred to as a resident agent, statutory agent or agent for service of process. A Registered Agent can:
- Accept legal documents in case of a lawsuit
- Act as a primary contact for the Secretary of State
- Receive official government notifications and communication, such as tax forms and compliance information
Who Can Be a Registered Agent?
The Registered Agent for your business can be you, a friend, a colleague or a professional service, as long as the person you choose meets your state’s criteria.
Most importantly, whoever you designate as your Registered Agent must have a physical address in the state in which you do business.
At Bizee, they don’t recommend serving as your own Registered Agent, as it restricts your ability to travel for business purposes and can hinder your productivity.
It may also compromise your privacy (if, for instance, you are served legal documents at your home).
Key Differences Between a Registered Agent and Virtual Address
- Registered Agents Are a Person Who Provides Services – A Registered Agent is a person while a virtual address is a location. A Registered Agent must be a person with a physical location in your state. It cannot be a P.O. box and must be an address that is reachable during normal business hours.
- Registered Agents Help You Stay on Top of Your Business – If you choose to work with a Registered Agent service, you will be hiring someone to help you stay on top of important legal paperwork for your business. A virtual address is simply a place that receives your mail.
- Registered Agents Manage Paperwork – A Registered Agent service helps you to manage your business paperwork. They will keep copies of important business documents in case the originals are lost, stolen or damaged.
- Registered Agents Don’t Receive Regular Mail, Only Official Docs – Registered Agents only receive official documentation for your business; they don’t receive general mail. If you need an address where you can receive checks, invoices, bills and other customer mail, you’ll need a virtual address.
- Registered Agent Can’t Be a P.O. Box or Out of State – A Registered Agent can’t be a P.O. box or out-of-state address. The address of your Registered Agent must be an address to a physical location. Your virtual address can be a P.O. box.
- Regulations for Registered Agents Depend on Your State – The regulations for a Registered Agent are set by the state in which you form your business. It’s important to follow these regulations to stay in good standing with the state. A virtual address has fewer regulations than a Registered Agent does.
What Address Should I Use for My EIN?
During the business formation process, you can request an EIN from the IRS. An EIN is similar to a Social Security number, but for a business. When you request an EIN, you must submit a business address to the IRS.
You cannot use your Registered Agent’s address for your EIN. On your EIN application form, you will put the physical mailing address for your business. This can be a P.O. box (depending on the state), your home address or the physical address of your business.
What’s most important is that you use the address where you regularly check your mail so you’ll promptly receive any important communication.
If you are acting as your own Registered Agent, your business address and Registered Agent address may be the same.
That’s fine. But, if you’re using a Registered Agent service, you can’t use that address for your EIN.
Conclusion: Registered Agents and Virtual Addresses for Your Business
A Registered Agent and a virtual address are two different types of addresses and services.
A Registered Agent is a person who receives and reviews official government documentation. This might be a professional service, you or a friend.
A virtual address is a place, other than your home or principal place of business, that receives all of your mail.
If you are incorporating your business as an LLC or corporation, you will be required to designate a person as your Registered Agent.
Additionally, if you’re working out of your home, you might want to have a mailing address other than your home address, which would be a virtual address.
While a Registered Agent and virtual address are different, it’s possible that your business will need both. Bizee offers a comprehensive Registered Agent service. They’re authorised to act as an agent in all 50 states and can serve as your agent, no matter where you are.
So, what are you waiting for? Just get started. Check out the company’s official website.
The company’s virtual address service will elevate your business with a simple, secure, and professional address solution that works for entrepreneurs in any state.
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