A CMRA address is the street address of a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency, a private business that receives United States Postal Service (USPS) mail for its customers, followed by your private mailbox number written with "PMB" or "#". Unlike a USPS PO Box, it is a street address, and USPS data marks it as a CMRA.
This guide shows what this kind of address looks like, how banks and online services can tell it apart, how it compares with a PO Box, and when each one makes sense.
What does a CMRA address look like?
It uses the standardized street address of the mail center, then your box number. USPS Publication 28, section 285, sets two strict rules:
- Mail sent to a customer of a CMRA must include either "PMB" or "#", followed by the private mailbox number. Any other identifier is prohibited.
- The words "PO Box" or "Post Office Box" cannot be used with a private mailbox number. Only USPS delivers to a PO Box.
A typical layout, with an example name and address:
Jane Doe
100 Example Street PMB 245
Springfield, ST 12345
The USPS Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 508.1.8 adds that USPS may return mail without a proper address to the sender. For every accepted format, including the three-line version, see our guide to PMB address formats.
How do companies know an address is a mail center?
USPS keeps a table of CMRA addresses. Its address validation service returns a field called DPVCMRA for each address checked: "Y" means the address was found in the CMRA table, "N" means it was not (USPS Address Information API).
Address verification tools built on USPS data can read this indicator. So a bank, a payment service or an online form may know that your address is a mail center, even when you write it correctly. Each organization then applies its own policy. To understand the business behind the flag and the rules it follows, read what a CMRA is and what USPS requires from it.
CMRA address vs PO Box: what is the difference?
| CMRA private mailbox | USPS PO Box | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | A private mail center | USPS, at a Post Office |
| Address format | Street address + PMB or # number | PO Box + number |
| Application | PS Form 1583, with two IDs | PS Form 1093, with two forms of acceptable US ID |
| Parcels from private carriers | Delivered to the mail center's street address | Only with Street Addressing, where available |
| Price | Set by each mail center | Differs by Post Office location |
| What happens to your mail | Pickup, or scan and forward on request where the mail center offers it | Pickup at the Post Office |
Sources: DMM 508.1.8 and 508.4.5.4, USPS PO Boxes.
Some Post Offices let you use their street address with your box number, written with "#". This option lets the box receive packages from private carriers, but only in locations that offer it. Our guide to USPS Street Addressing for a PO Box explains the conditions. For a side-by-side view of the two services, see the virtual mailbox vs PO box comparison.
Can you write it as a suite or a PO Box?
No. Publication 28 allows only "PMB" or "#" before the private mailbox number. "Suite", "Unit" or "Apt" are not accepted for a private mailbox, and "PO Box" is reserved for boxes at a Post Office. Changing the format does not turn the address into another kind of address, and it can lead to returned mail.
When is a mail center address the better choice?
- You need a street address. It reads like a business location, not a box number at a Post Office.
- You order from several carriers. Parcels from USPS and private couriers arrive at the same place.
- You are often away. A mail center can hold your items, and on platforms like YogoMailbox you can request a scan or a forward from your account.
- You want to keep your home address private. You give the mail center address instead.
A PO Box can be enough if you live near the Post Office, mostly receive letters and pick them up in person.
When can this address cause problems?
Some organizations ask for a residential address or a principal place of business for specific records, and some run the USPS CMRA check described above. Their rules decide, not the mail center. Before you give this address to a bank, a government office or a marketplace, check what it accepts.
How do you get a CMRA address?
YogoMailbox is a virtual mailbox platform that gives you a real street address at a local mail center in Canada or the United States, with mail scanning and forwarding.
- Compare mail centers and plans on the pricing page. Each mail center sets its own prices.
- Upload a photo ID, a proof of address and a selfie holding your ID.
- For a mail center in the United States, add a notarized USPS Form 1583.
- Once approved, use your address with "PMB" or "#" and your box number.
FAQ
Can I check whether my address is flagged as a CMRA?
Address verification tools that use USPS data return the CMRA indicator (Y or N). Your mail center can also confirm that it is registered with USPS through PS Form 1583-A.
Do I need Form 1583 for a USPS PO Box?
No. A PO Box uses PS Form 1093, Application for Post Office Box Service, and two forms of acceptable US identification. Form 1583 is for mail received through an agent such as a CMRA.
Can a PO Box receive UPS or FedEx packages?
Only where USPS offers Street Addressing for PO Boxes and you use the Post Office street address with your box number. Otherwise, private carriers cannot deliver to a PO Box.
Is a mail center a USPS location?
No. A CMRA is a private business registered with USPS. USPS delivers your mail to the CMRA, and the CMRA hands it to you or remails it.
Last updated: 13/11/2026
Sources: USPS Publication 28, section 285: Private Mailbox Addresses, USPS Domestic Mail Manual 508, USPS Address Information API (DPVCMRA field), USPS PO Boxes.