Virtual Office FAQ

If I live interstate (e.g., NSW or VIC), can I use this Queensland address?

Yes. You can use our Queensland address even if you live in another state. ASIC accepts any genuine physical Australian street address for registrations (as long as it’s not a PO Box). When you sign up, we’ll provide you with a signed Occupier Consent Letter confirming the address is staffed and suitable for receiving official notices.

Is using a virtual office address legal for ASIC registrations?

Yes. Using a virtual office address is completely legal and commonly used for ASIC registrations, provided it is a real physical street address (not a PO Box) and the provider can receive official notices during business hours. We provide a signed Occupier Consent Letter with every subscription.

What is included in the virtual office service?

Every plan includes a real Queensland street address for ASIC and ABN registrations, plus free photo notifications of all incoming mail.

Optional paid services:

• Open & scan a letter (up to 5 pages): $2 per letter

• Physical letter forwarding: $4 handling fee + postage

• Parcel forwarding: $10 handling fee + postage (standard sizes only)

This is a virtual service only. There is no physical access to the office or option to hire the space.

Do I need to register a business name if I'm a small online business?

It depends on how you trade. If you operate under your own legal name (e.g. “Sarah Smith”), you don’t need to register a business name. However, if you trade under a different name (e.g. “Sarah’s Online Shop”), you must register it with ASIC. This applies even to small online businesses.

Can I use this address for Stripe or Google Business Profile?

No. Virtual Office Ally is a virtual-only service. We do not offer in-person office access or meeting room hire. This helps us keep our prices low while maintaining your privacy. Everything is handled digitally from our Stanthorpe office.

Is there a limit on mail volume?

There is no strict limit, but our service is designed for typical small business mail volumes (usually 1–10 items per month). If you expect significantly higher volumes, please contact us first so we can confirm we can accommodate your needs.

What if I cancel—what happens to my mail and registrations?

Cancellation is straightforward with 14 days’ notice. Any uncollected mail will be returned to sender or securely disposed of after 30 days. You must update your details with ASIC, ABN, and any other registrations to remove our address. We recommend doing this promptly to avoid any compliance issues.

How quickly do I receive my Occupier Consent Letter?

For Stripe: Yes, in most cases. Many of our customers successfully use our address for Stripe account verification and payments. Stripe generally accepts a real physical street address (not a PO Box), and our address meets those requirements. However, Stripe can sometimes request additional verification, so we recommend using it as your official business address.

For Google Business Profile: It’s more complicated. Google’s guidelines generally do not allow pure virtual office addresses for Google Business Profiles. They require a real physical location where your business operates or where customers can visit. Using a virtual office address carries a risk of your listing being suspended or not being approved during verification.

Our recommendation: If your business is online-only or you travel to customers, set up your Google Business Profile as a Service Area Business (this hides the address). This is the safest and most compliant option.

Can I hire out the office or attend in person?

You will receive your signed Occupier Consent Letter by email within 1 business day after your payment has been successfully processed and your subscription is active.

This letter confirms that our address is a genuine physical location with someone available to receive official notices during business hours. You can then use it when registering or updating your business name and ABN with ASIC.