What is a 1583 form?
The USPS Form 1583 is a mandated form required by the United States Postal Service for members to fill out in order to authorize the CMRA to receive and handle mail on behalf of the members. Anyone who wants to have a virtual mailbox or even rent a post office box needs to complete one in the presence of a notary (or the CMRA operator as a witness) in order to have virtual access to their mail. This is a copy of the form:
There are three options for you to verify your members:
- The member can fill out and notarize the form virtually via SphereMail after signing up with you: Notarizing Form 1583
- The member can visit your business in person so you can verify them, finalize a physical copy of the form, and have copies of their IDs.
- The member can notarize their form offline and mail/email you a copy.
If your member opts for our online notary option, all their documents will be automatically uploaded to their accounts and approved so you can access them at any time.
If your member opts for verifying their identity in person or sending you a copy of their notarized documents, then you can upload these copies to their account following the steps below:
- Click on the "Customers" tab at the top of your account.
- Click on the username hyperlink of the needed customer's account.
- Head to the customer's "Account" tab, scroll down, and go to the section titled "Account Verifications".
- You will find a note that the account is already blocked until the documents are signed and approved.
- Click to upload the finalized form, photo ID, and address ID.
- Once a file is uploaded by you, as the operator, it's automatically approved by our system.*
- The customer will be automatically verified as soon as the 1583 is uploaded and approved, and they'll be able to start using your services and have full access to their mail.
*If the customer uploads the documents on their own, documents are not automatically approved in this case. You'll be notified via email first to log in and verify them, and you'll have the option to approve or reject the documents.
Note: If you do not need/want to attach a copy of the documents to your customers' accounts and would rather handle the documents offline, you can simply toggle the approve button for the documents while leaving them blank. This will allow your customers full access to their mail; however, it is your responsibility to maintain your customers' finalized forms, follow the guidelines, and provide USPS with the needed quarterly customer reports.