Form 1583 at the Counter: The Two IDs That Work and the Ones We Turn Away

USPS Form 1583 requires two forms of ID before a private mailbox opens, and one must be a government photo ID. Horizon Pack and Ship in Radcliff and Elizabethtown verifies both at the counter and accepts a driver's license, state ID, passport, military CAC, or permanent resident card as the photo, paired with a vehicle registration, voter card, lease, or utility bill for the address. Expired IDs, photocopies, and phone screenshots get turned away.

What does USPS Form 1583 require to open a mailbox?

USPS Form 1583 requires two forms of identification before Horizon Pack and Ship can open your mailbox. One must be a government photo ID. The second verifies your address in writing. Both must be current, physical, and match the name you print on the application. No photocopies, no screenshots.

The form is called the Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent. It authorizes a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency to accept USPS mail on your behalf, and the two-ID rule comes straight from the USPS Form 1583 instructions. The rule exists because a mailbox in your name can open bank accounts and register a business. Below is the primary photo ID list Horizon Pack and Ship accepts at both the Radcliff and Elizabethtown counters.

Accepted Primary Photo ID	Notes
State driver's license	Must be current, not expired
State-issued ID card	Kentucky or any other state
US passport or passport card	Federal photo ID, widely accepted
Military CAC or dependent ID	Common at the Radcliff store near Fort Knox
Permanent resident card	Green card with photo
US uniformed service ID	Active, reserve, or retired photo ID

Every item on that list carries a photo, a government issuing authority, and an expiration date the staff can read. That combination is what the USPS CMRA program is built around. An expired card is no longer valid identification, and the counter cannot use it.

What counts as an acceptable secondary ID?

An acceptable secondary ID confirms the address you list on Form 1583. It does not need a photo, but it must be current and show your name. Vehicle registration, a voter card, a signed lease, or a current utility bill all qualify. Horizon Pack and Ship checks that the name matches your photo ID exactly.

The second document does a different job than the first. Your photo ID proves who you are. Your secondary ID proves the address on your mailbox account is real and tied to your name. The table below shows what clears and what gets sent back.

Accepted Secondary ID	Commonly Rejected Items
Vehicle registration card	Expired driver's license
Voter registration card	Photocopy of any ID
Signed current lease or mortgage	Bank card with no photo
Current utility bill (name and address)	PO Box mail as address proof
Recent bank statement (printed)	Digital-only screenshot on a phone
Vehicle or home insurance policy	Expired or unsigned document

A recurring point of confusion is the bank card. People assume a debit or credit card counts because a bank issued it. It carries no photo and no address, so it fails both jobs. The Form 1583 acceptable ID list spells this out.

Why do we turn away certain IDs at the counter?

Horizon Pack and Ship turns away IDs that fail the federal standard for identity or address verification. Expired licenses, photocopies, bank cards without a photo, PO Box mail, and digital screenshots do not satisfy Form 1583. The rule protects you from mail fraud committed under your name, so the counter holds the line.

The most common rejections happen because a customer grabbed whatever was in the wallet or on the phone. Here is what gets sent back and why:

• Expired driver's license. Once the date passes, it is no longer valid identification, even if the photo is obviously you.
• Photocopies. The counter needs the original document to confirm it is genuine. A copy of a passport does not count.
• Bank cards with no photo. They prove nothing about identity or address, so they satisfy neither ID slot.
• PO Box mail used as address proof. A PO Box is not a residential or street address, so it cannot verify where you live.
• Digital-only screenshots. A photo of a utility bill on your phone is not a document the counter can retain with the form.

A mailbox opened on a bad ID is a liability for the customer whose name ends up on it. For why a real street address beats a PO Box, see the real address versus PO Box comparison.

Does Form 1583 need to be notarized in Kentucky?

Form 1583 does not require notarization when you file in person at Horizon Pack and Ship. The store is a registered CMRA, and staff verify your two IDs at the counter under USPS rules. Notarization is only needed when an applicant cannot appear in person and submits the form remotely.

This trips people up because the form has a notary block printed on it. That block is for the remote scenario, where a person mails or emails a completed 1583 with copies of both IDs and cannot stand at the counter. For a walk-in at the Radcliff or Elizabethtown store, the in-person ID check replaces the notary entirely, which is faster and free. Horizon Pack and Ship also runs notary service in-house for customers who need it on other documents.

Why can a spouse not sign Form 1583 for an absent applicant?

A spouse cannot sign Form 1583 for an absent applicant because the form binds the person named to a federal identity certification. Each named recipient signs their own application and presents their own two IDs in person. Horizon Pack and Ship cannot accept a signature made on behalf of someone who is not present.

This is one of the most frequent questions during Fort Knox PCS season. A soldier is in the field or already at the next duty station, and the spouse wants the mailbox running before the household goods arrive. The 1583 is a sworn statement of identity, so a spouse signing for an absent partner would be certifying an identity that is not their own.

The workable path is the notarized remote option. The absent applicant completes and signs Form 1583 where they are, has it notarized, and sends it with copies of both IDs to Horizon Pack and Ship. The spouse can still be added as an authorized recipient to pick up packages. Military families can pair this with the Fort Knox private mailbox setup steps.

How are minors and business entities listed on Form 1583?

Minors are listed on a parent or guardian's Form 1583 as additional recipients, and the adult provides the identification. A business entity is named on the form alongside the individual who signs for it, with the entity's registration and an ID for the authorized signer both presented at the counter.

For a child, the parent or legal guardian is the applicant with the two IDs. The minor's name is added so mail addressed to the child reaches the box, but a minor does not sign a federal identity form. Guardianship paperwork may be requested when the last names differ.

For a business, the 1583 names both the company and the real person authorized to receive its mail. Horizon Pack and Ship asks for the business registration on file with the Kentucky Secretary of State, plus the signer's two personal IDs. Keep the company's EIN handy from your IRS EIN records, since banks reconcile it against the mailbox address. Open a business box at the Radcliff mailbox counter or the Elizabethtown mailbox counter.

How does the CAC affect Fort Knox soldiers filing Form 1583?

A Common Access Card works as the government photo ID on Form 1583, which helps soldiers reporting to Fort Knox. The CAC alone does not cover the address requirement, so bring a second document showing your local address. Horizon Pack and Ship in Radcliff sees this pairing during every PCS season.

The wrinkle for soldiers is the address gap. A CAC clears the primary photo slot without question under the DoD Common Access Card program. What it does not show is where you currently live in Hardin County, and that is exactly what the secondary document has to prove. A brand-new arrival often has neither a Kentucky license nor a utility bill yet.

The fix at the counter is a document the soldier already carries: a signed off-post lease from a Radcliff or Vine Grove rental, a vehicle registration, or the first local utility account. On-post arrivals can use quarters assignment paperwork. Horizon Pack and Ship in Radcliff sits two miles from the main gate on Knox Blvd and handles CAC-plus-address filings routinely. Start at the Radcliff store page for hours and directions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a military ID count as one of the two IDs for Form 1583?

Yes. A military Common Access Card or dependent ID is a government photo ID and satisfies the primary photo requirement on Form 1583. It does not prove your local address on its own, so bring a second document such as a lease or utility bill. Horizon Pack and Ship in Radcliff processes this pairing constantly.

Can I use a bank statement as my second ID for Form 1583?

A recent bank statement can serve as the secondary address document if it shows your name and current address in print. Horizon Pack and Ship accepts a paper statement, not a phone screenshot. The name on it must match the photo ID exactly, or the application cannot be completed.

What if my driver's license still shows my old address?

The photo ID confirms your identity, not your address, so an old address on your license is not a problem by itself. The address you list on Form 1583 must be verified by your second document. Bring a current lease or utility bill showing where you actually live in Hardin County.

How long does the Form 1583 process take at the counter?

About fifteen minutes when you bring both IDs. Horizon Pack and Ship checks the two documents, has you complete and sign Form 1583, records the box number, and files the form on site. The mailbox address is active the same day once the paperwork clears at the counter.

Can I fill out Form 1583 online before coming in?

You can download and print the form from USPS ahead of time to save a few minutes, but you still sign it in person and present both IDs at the counter. Horizon Pack and Ship cannot activate a mailbox from a remotely submitted form unless it is notarized with copies of your identification.

About Horizon Pack and Ship Radcliff

Horizon Pack and Ship is a veteran-owned, woman-owned, and AAPI-owned shipping store at 734 Knox Blvd, Radcliff, KY 40160, near Fort Knox. The store is a registered CMRA that files USPS Form 1583 at the counter with two forms of ID, one a photo. Services include private mailbox rental at $20 per month, packing, shipping, notary, and freight. Authorized for UPS, FedEx, USPS, and DHL. Rated 4.9 stars by 188+ customers, serving Radcliff, Muldraugh, Vine Grove, and Meade County. Open Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM. Phone: (270) 319-4145.

Visit Horizon Pack and Ship at 734 Knox Blvd, Radcliff, KY 40160 or call (270) 319-4145. Open Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM.