Compare Our Business Presence Services

Three Addresses. Three Different Purposes.

Not all business addresses do the same thing—and choosing the wrong one can create compliance issues, missed mail, or a lack of credibility with customers.

At Relay, we offer three distinct “Business Presence Services.” Each one serves a different role in how your business operates, receives mail, and shows up publicly.

Here’s the Simple Breakdown

  • Registered Agent Service keeps your business compliant by receiving legal and government notices. This is required in every state for LLCs and corporations.

  • Business Mailing Address gives you a secure place to receive everyday business mail without using your home address.

  • Virtual Office Address helps you establish a professional presence in a specific location, often used for branding, client-facing materials, and business listings.

Important: Choosing the Right Setup

Your registered agent service is separate—and often required—but when it comes to your business address, you’ll choose one of the following:

  • Business Mailing Address or

  • Virtual Office Address

These two services serve overlapping purposes, so you won’t need both.

Why It Matters

Many business owners assume these services are interchangeable—they’re not.
Using a registered agent address for regular mail, or relying on a mailing address for legal notices, can lead to missed documents or rejected filings.

Registered Agent Service

Purpose: Legal compliance (required by state)

Use Case: Receive lawsuits, subpoenas, and state notices

Address Type: Legal/registered office only

Public Record: Yes (listed with the Secretary of State)

Who Sends Mail: Courts, state agencies, IRS (official notices)

Mail Handling: Scanned and delivered same day

Can You Use Publicly?: No (not for marketing, website, or general mail)

Requirement: Mandatory for every LLC/corporation

Privacy Benefit: Keeps your personal address off public filings

Business Mailing Address

Purpose: Day-to-day business mail management

Use Case: Receive client mail, vendor mail, general correspondence

Address Type: Commercial mailing address

Public Record: No (optional to use publicly)

Who Sends Mail: Customers, banks, vendors, subscriptions

Mail Handling: Mail scanned and uploaded with notifications

Can You Use Publicly?: Yes (website, invoices, business cards)

Requirement: Optional

Privacy Benefit: Keeps home or office address private

Virtual Office Address

Purpose: Business presence + credibility

Use Case: Establish a professional address in a target market

Address Type: Premium commercial/business location

Public Record: Yes (often used for business registration)

Who Sends Mail: Clients, partners, official correspondence

Mail Handling: Mail acceptance + forwarding/scanning (varies)

Can You Use Publicly?: Yes (Google Business, website, branding)

Requirement: Optional

Credibility Benefit: Creates presence in a specific city/market