Whether you are a non-resident company owner who does not need a physical location such as an office or a work site, you may be asking if you need a physical U.S. address.
A US postal address is important for non-resident owned enterprises for a variety of reasons, including creating a company bank account, establishing credibility, and not having to worry about whether services ship overseas.
There are a few alternatives to creating an office that we’ll discuss below.
Overview of Obtaining a US Address
There are several reasons to having a physical US address, including the ability to create bank accounts and other business-related requirements.
There are several alternatives to conventional brick and mortar stores and office facilities.
Many entrepreneurs employ co-working spaces, virtual offices, mailbox services, or even a street address version of their P.O. Box.
When it comes to establishing a physical address for your company, each state has its own set of restrictions and criteria. Some jurisdictions allow you to use a mailbox service’s physical address, even a P.O. Box, while others are rigorous and do not allow P.O. Boxes to be used as a physical address.
Some may also demand that your actual address vary from that of your registered agent. It is also required in order to obtain service of process if your firm is engaged in any legal action, since a case cannot proceed without appropriate notification to you.
Options for Obtaining a US Address
As previously stated, there are many ways to get a physical US address, including:
Virtual Offices or Virtual Business Addresses
Virtual offices, also known as virtual business addresses, provide you with a professional-looking postal address to serve as your actual company address and major place of business.
Many of these virtual offices and company addresses also provide other services, such as an office phone number and receptionist service, meeting space, workspace, and mail forwarding.
If you live outside the United States, these are excellent choices for obtaining a physical US address. It’s excellent because even if you don’t require office space on a daily basis, you can still reserve it when you need it. Because some virtual office firms are worldwide, you may also have access to their offices in other regions.
Mailbox Services
Mailbox services supplied by companies such as UPS might also be a fantastic solution since you can utilise the store’s addresses with your mailbox number as the suite number.
Such mailbox services are often advantageous if you mail and ship frequently, since you may utilise them when picking up your mail. This is only helpful if you are in the nation.
If you are a non-resident residing outside the United States, this service is less useful since you are not present to collect mail, unless you have someone else who can collect mail for you and transfer the appropriate paperwork and goods.
P.O. Boxes
P.O. boxes offered by the United States Postal Service are another alternative.
There is a physical address option, and you may use it instead of your P.O. box address by filling out a form. However, for the same reason as noted under mailbox services, P.O. boxes are only beneficial if you have a presence here and can collect your mail from your P.O. box.
However, there are tougher limitations regulating the use of P.O. boxes as your actual address, and many states and banks do not permit it.
P.O. Boxes from USPS-Approved Providers
Many local companies, including drugstores, grocery shops, hardware stores, and others, may also provide you with a P.O. box. Many of these establishments are Contracted Postal Units, thus you may rent P.O. boxes from them.
Coworking Spaces
Coworking facilities are becoming more popular, particularly among entrepreneurs and small company owners.
They provide you with a professional workstation without the high expense of hiring private office space. In coworking spaces, you may often rent access to communal desk space, a dedicated workstation, or even private offices, as well as a real company address.
Many even provide mail forwarding and professional receptionist services. Furthermore, if the coworking space has many sites in other cities and countries, you’ll likely have access to them, making business visits quite easy.
Registered Agent Services Are Not Virtual Offices
While you may be tempted to utilise your registered agent’s address to receive regular mail, this is not the purpose of a registered agent, and you will most likely be requested to cease.
Professional registered agent services are designed to accept critical legal service of process paperwork, assist with compliance reminders, and even submit yearly reports.
As part of the service, such providers will also swiftly transmit notifications and documents to you. This is particularly useful if you are a non-resident who lives outside the nation. Another advantage of such services is that they assist maintain your LLC up to date on state regulations by sending filing reminders. They also preserve a duplicate of your critical papers in case yours are lost for any reason.
Reasons to Have a Physical Address
While having a registered agent necessitates having a real company location, there are additional advantages to having a physical address.
Professional Appearance, Credibility, and Trustworthiness
While the number of entrepreneurs and individuals who work from home continues to rise, there is still a stigma associated with using your home address as your company address. Unfortunately, no matter how excellent you are, having a home address or even a P.O. box might cause prospective customers to doubt your expertise and credibility. Having a real location gives your company a professional impression and legitimacy. This will encourage prospective customers to trust you since it makes you seem steady and committed in your company.
Shipping and Receiving Needs
Many coworking spaces, virtual offices, and mailbox services include postal services to let you ship and receive mail and parcels. This is a fantastic benefit if you are not in the nation or travel often since someone is always available to accept your mail and send it to you.
A Meeting Location for Clients
Many entrepreneurs who operate from home do not need a physical site and may have meetings in public locations. However, every now and then you may want a quiet and professional setting to have a meeting or do other tasks. Coworking spaces and virtual offices are excellent for this, and they add to the professionalism of your company. Some even have locations throughout the county and across the world and enable you to utilise their space wherever you are.
Using a coworking space or virtual office as your actual company address might be a terrific choice for you when paying a traditional office lease is not realistic or essential.
Keep Your Privacy Safe
Using a physical business address that is not your home address preserves your privacy since your company address is public information. People will be able to quickly seek you up if you use your home address as your company address, and you’ll want to prevent unexpected and unwelcome visits at your doorstep.
Summary
A physical US address is essential for your company, and if you reside outside the nation, there are many choices available to you that may give significant advantages beyond simply a physical address.
Non-Resident-Owned Business