Mail forwarding privacy: PO boxes, virtual mailboxes and redirection
Data removal. Updated 2026-09-13. About 5 minutes to read.
Rent a PO box or private mailbox, then use it for every order, registration and subscription that does not legally require your residential address.
Your home address spreads through online orders, marketplace sales, business registrations, domain records, warranty cards and subscriptions, then into data broker profiles. A separate mailing address stops most of that at the source, legally and for a modest cost.
Every option still requires ID. The post office or mailbox company knows who you are. The point is that the shops, strangers and brokers you deal with only ever see the mailing address. This guide compares PO boxes, private mailboxes and mail redirection, and explains where the law still needs your real address.
Your options compared
USPS PO Box: apply online or at a Post Office, then take your application and 2 forms of acceptable ID to the counter where the box is to collect your keys. Private carriers may not deliver to a PO Box, so ask whether that Post Office offers a street-style address for it.
Private or virtual mailbox (US): a street address with a suite or box number at a mailbox store or online service, which can often receive parcels from any carrier and scan your mail. US providers must collect USPS Form 1583 with two forms of ID before handling your mail.
Australia Post PO Box: you provide a driver licence to confirm your name, address and signature, or two other forms of identification. Australia Post Parcel Lockers are another way to keep parcels away from home.
UK: Royal Mail PO Boxes and Redirection both involve identity checks. Businesses cannot use a PO Box as a registered office address at Companies House, but directors can give a service address instead of their home.
Mail redirection when moving: forwards mail from an old address to a new one for a period. It helps you move, but it is not a privacy shield.
Set up a private mailing address
Choose between a PO box, which is usually cheapest, and a private mailbox, which accepts parcels from all carriers and may scan mail.
Apply with your ID. Expect to prove your name and residential address, because mail services are required to know who their customers are.
Write the address exactly as the provider tells you, including the box or suite number.
Update online shops, subscriptions, charities, loyalty programs and marketplace profiles to the new address.
Use it for any domain registration and business listing, and turn on domain privacy with your registrar.
Leave your residential address only with the organisations that legally require it.
A mailing address does not remove what is already public. Property records, voter rolls and old broker profiles will still show your home until you opt out or apply for a confidential address program.
Where your real address is still required
For everything else, including online orders, loyalty programs, magazine subscriptions, gyms, warranty registrations and classified ads, a mailing address is legal and sensible.
Driver licence, vehicle registration and voter enrolment.
Tax office records and most government benefits.
Banks, brokers and other financial accounts, which verify residential address for identity and anti-money laundering checks, though many let you add a separate mailing address.
Insurance policies for your home and car.
Employment records and payroll.
Court and legal documents where the law requires service at your residence.
Moving house without broadcasting your new address
In the US, a change of address request requires identity verification online or at a Post Office with photo ID. What many people do not know is that permanent change of address records are made available to licensed mailing companies through the USPS NCOALink service, so businesses that already have your name and old address can update to your new one.
Open a PO box or private mailbox near your new home before you move.
Tell banks, government agencies and insurers your new residential address directly.
Give every other organisation the mailing address rather than the new home address.
If you use postal redirection, choose the shortest period that works and redirect to the mailbox rather than your new home.
Search your name with your new suburb or city every few months and opt out of any broker listing that appears.
If your safety depends on keeping your address secret
In the US, most states run an Address Confidentiality Program for survivors of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault or trafficking. It gives you a substitute legal address that agencies must accept, including for voter registration, and forwards your mail.
In Australia, you can apply to be a silent elector so your address does not appear on the public electoral roll. In the UK, anonymous registration on the electoral register is available if your safety would be at risk. A support service can help you apply and plan which accounts to change first.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need ID to rent a PO box?
Yes. USPS requires 2 forms of acceptable ID at the counter, Australia Post asks for a driver licence or two other forms of identification, and UK and Canadian providers also verify identity. The ID stays with the post office, not with the companies you give the address to.
Can I use a PO box as my address for online shopping?
Usually yes, though some couriers cannot deliver to PO boxes. A private mailbox with a street address, or a parcel locker, solves that for parcels.
Is a virtual mailbox legal?
Yes. In the US, virtual mailbox companies operate under Postal Service rules and must collect Form 1583 with your ID. Using one to hide from creditors or courts is a different matter.
Will mail forwarding stop junk mail?
No. Redirection forwards everything, and in the US a permanent change of address can help mailers find your new address. Use a mailing address for sign-ups and opt out of marketing lists instead.
Can I register a business at a PO box?
It depends on the country. In the UK, a company's registered office must be an appropriate address, which cannot be a PO Box. Many US states and Australian registries also require a street address for official records.