the startups.com platform about startups.comCheck out the new Startups.com - A Comprehensive Startup University
Education
Planning
Mentors
Funding
Customers
Assistants
Clarity
Categories
Business
Sales & Marketing
Funding
Product & Design
Technology
Skills & Management
Industries
Other
Business
Career Advice
Branding
Financial Consulting
Customer Engagement
Strategy
Sectors
Getting Started
Human Resources
Business Development
Legal
Other
Sales & Marketing
Social Media Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
Public Relations
Branding
Publishing
Inbound Marketing
Email Marketing
Copywriting
Growth Strategy
Search Engine Marketing
Sales & Lead Generation
Advertising
Other
Funding
Crowdfunding
Kickstarter
Venture Capital
Finance
Bootstrapping
Nonprofit
Other
Product & Design
Identity
User Experience
Lean Startup
Product Management
Metrics & Analytics
Other
Technology
WordPress
Software Development
Mobile
Ruby
CRM
Innovation
Cloud
Other
Skills & Management
Productivity
Entrepreneurship
Public Speaking
Leadership
Coaching
Other
Industries
SaaS
E-commerce
Education
Real Estate
Restaurant & Retail
Marketplaces
Nonprofit
Other
Dashboard
Browse Search
Answers
Calls
Inbox
Sign Up Log In

Loading...

Share Answer

Menu
Legal Advice: Can I have an Ohio business with a California address?
LK
LK
Lyubim Kogan, I don’t teach theory. Only what I survived. answered:

My answer will:
1️⃣ Give you a short answer up front
2️⃣ Explain the real-world tax and compliance issues
3️⃣ Point out what others said that’s incomplete, incorrect, or not practical for running a lean business

✅ TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
Yes, you can operate an Ohio LLC with a California mailing address — including a virtual one like VirtualPostMail.com — but there are state-level tax and registration consequences if you’re actually doing business in California.

The IRS doesn’t care about your mailbox. But California might, and that’s where the real risk is.

🧠 Full Answer
Let’s break it down clearly and practically:
🧾 1. IRS Perspective (Federal Taxes)
✅ The IRS doesn’t care where your virtual mailing address is.
Your Ohio LLC will pass through income to your personal return, and you’ll report it from wherever you actually live (Georgia, in your case).
So yes — the IRS is fine with a California mailing address.

🧾 2. State Compliance (Where It Gets Tricky)
Now we enter California’s territory, and this is important:
California’s Franchise Tax Board (FTB) considers a company to be “doing business” in California if it:
Has a physical address, employee, or agent there
Reaches a certain level of sales or payroll within CA

Uses a mailing address that suggests physical presence

⚠️ If California believes your LLC is “doing business” there, they can:
Require you to register as a foreign LLC in California
Charge you the $800 annual minimum franchise tax
Require you to file state tax returns

If you’re just using a VirtualPostMail box, and have no sales, inventory, staff, or clients in California, you’re probably fine — but keep it clean and don’t represent it as a “location” on your website.

🗺️ 3. Where You Actually Live (Georgia)
Since you’ve moved to Georgia:
You’ll file state tax returns in Georgia as a resident
You won’t pay state tax in Ohio anymore unless your LLC has income from Ohio clients
If Georgia sees income from your LLC, it gets taxed on your personal return

🔍 What Others Missed or Got Wrong
❌ “The IRS doesn’t care” – True, but California does, and that’s the real issue here.
❌ “Just do what’s easiest” – Not helpful. Using a California address might create a $800/year mistake if you’re not careful.
❌ “Customers won’t trust you with mismatched states” – Overblown. As long as you’re upfront and clear on your website about where you operate, a mailing address isn’t a trust-breaker.

✅ What they got right: The IRS cares about income, not mailing location — and it’s your state of residence (Georgia now) that handles personal income tax.

🧭 Final Word
✅ You can keep your Ohio LLC and use a California virtual mailbox
✅ But don’t market it as a “California office” unless you’re registered there
✅ Be mindful of California's doing-business rules, or you could owe $800+ unexpectedly
✅ Report your income in Georgia, where you live

Was this helpful? If yes, an upvote is appreciated.
Still unsure if your California address creates a tax risk?
Happy to go through the details with you on a quick call.

Talk to Lyubim Upvote • Share
•••
Share Report

Answer URL

Share Question

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Google+
  • Share by email
About
  • How it Works
  • Success Stories
Experts
  • Become an Expert
  • Find an Expert
Answers
  • Ask a Question
  • Recent Answers
Support
  • Help
  • Terms of Service
Follow

the startups.com platform

Startups Education
Startup Planning
Access Mentors
Secure Funding
Reach Customers
Virtual Assistants

Copyright © 2025 Startups.com. All rights reserved.