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You started your small business and filed your LLC, but you have to list your address everywhere. If you have a brick and mortar business, this is way easier for you! However, if you’re like most online businesses, the easiest option is your home address. But what if you move? And what about privacy concerns? And how do you make sure you don’t mix personal with business? That’s what we’re covering in this blog. Learn why you need an address for your LLC — and how to find one. Address options for your LLC Okay, before we jump into the spicy stuff (the why and how), let’s talk through what addresses you can use. Home address You can use your home address for your business. This is the easiest way to get your business started fast. However, there are more cons than pros here. Specifically, you lose all privacy — yikes! When you have your LLC address listed as your home, anyone who might need to contact you knows exactly where you live. It also may cause some legal issues down the road (there may be liability issues or issues with your homeowners association, depending on the type of work you do). As you can tell, this one is not our favorite. A physical address Another alternative is to have a physical address at an office. This option does give an air of professionalism — and you have your own space to work and even meet with clients. Pretty sweet, right? Of course, there are cons to this option: Offices can be pretty expensive, you have to commute to the office, and you’ll likely have to commit to a lease. This route is usually not ideal, especially if your LLC is just getting started. P.O. Boxes You’ve likely heard of a P.O. box, or a post office box. A P.O. box is common for folks who move a lot or who want to have a place for mail to go instead of their front porch. However, a P.O. box does require that you drive to the post office. You also would not be able to receive mail or packages from a third-party courier and most banks do not accept a P.O. box as an address for a business bank account. Plus there’s one massive downside: the USPS strictly prohibits using a P.O. box as a suite number — and most states don’t allow you to use a P.O. box for an LLC’s location. In some cases, USPS offers a Street Addressing option for LLCs who want to use a P.O. box as a suite number. However, you will need to sign up for the Street Addressing option and not every post office offers this. Virtual offices For the digital nomad or someone who moves a lot, another option is to set up a virtual office address. You’ll get a physical address and some virtual office services even provide phone answering services, virtual mailboxes (they scan your mail!), meeting rooms, and videoconferencing. Most importantly, you’ll get a legitimate address that you essentially “rent” for a super low cost. You are also not bound to one place and can work from wherever your computer is. Location, location, location Having a business address makes your business look professional. Having a business address that is not your home address is more professional — and majorly protects your privacy. In general, though, you want a business address that provides a safe place for forms, mail, and packages to arrive. Plus, if you send physical mail, it’s a good way to make sure your returned items get sent back. To determine which address to use, you’ll want to determine what kind of mail you’ll be receiving, what your budget is, and, most importantly, what is acceptable for government filings. Say you’re drop-shipping through Shopify: You may be inclined to use your home address, but that won’t protect your privacy if you have a return. Similarly, if you’re starting a non-profit, you can use a home address but you’ll still want to make all of the same considerations mentioned above. How to get a business address Like we described above, there are four different types of addresses you can use: home, physical, P.O. box, or virtual office. We don’t need to tell you what to do to get a home address. You just use, well, your address. Again, this isn’t ideal for privacy purposes. To get a physical office address, you will need to look for a space and sign a lease. Consider shared office spaces or coworking spaces in your area! A P.O. box will require you to go to the USPS website or your local office to reserve a box. Then you’ll hand over your contact and billing information to reserve your P.O. box. Make sure you’re using your LLC name! (If you haven’t filed an LLC yet, do that before you get an address.) And last but not least, you can choose a virtual office. Many companies offer virtual office services. This can include mail forwarding and a live receptionist. Some even include office spaces for your IRL meetings! They can be a bit more costly than a PO box, but they’re still cheaper than renting a physical location. Figure out what else you need to be legally flawless We know that it can feel overwhelming to gather all of the information for what your business needs. That’s why we created Lawless to Flawless®. This super-affordable course will show you the next steps you need to grow business legally once you’re ready. L2F GRAPHIC & LINK And when we say super-affordable, we mean it. It’s just $14 because we know that you’re just getting started and you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars getting your ducks in a row. Lawless to Flawless includes a 6-module course, instructional videos, resource lists + downloadable worksheets—all at your fingertips and entirely self-paced. These bite-sized lessons make it easy for you to take action on setting the right foundations for your business without overwhelm. Want in on that? Join Lawless to Flawless® now for just $14 and gain access for lyyyyfe. Then, get your online business up and (legitimately) running when you’re ready. JOIN LAWLESS TO FLAWLESS® FOR JUST $14!