How To Keep Your Address Private: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Hide Your Address from the Internet & Public Records PDF download Download Article Make sure your physical address remains hidden online & offline Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: December 11, 2025 Fact Checked

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  • Remove from the Internet
    • |
  • Get a Virtual Address
    • |
  • Remove from Public Records
    • |
  • Remove from Mailing Lists
    • |
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  • Tips
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 164,965 times. Learn more...

If you're concerned about your privacy and want to protect yourself from scams, identity theft, stalkers, or any other concerns, there are steps you can take to keep your home address private. This wikiHow guide will provide helpful tips for keeping your address private on the internet and in public records. We'll also offer tips on removing your address from data broker sites, official documents, and more. You can rent a private mailbox, and/or remove your address from anywhere it might be publicised.

Quick Tips: Hiding Your Address from the Public

  1. Submit removal requests to websites that publish your address.
  2. Get a P.O. box or virtual address and use it for all mail.
  3. Update all your accounts (online, bank accounts, others) with your virtual address.
  4. Call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT to remove yourself from credit offer lists.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 4:

Removing Your Address from the Internet

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  1. Step 1 Delete your listings from people search websites. 1 Delete your listings from people search websites. Do a Google search for your address. If you find any sites listing your address publicly–and you usually will–you can submit a request to have your name, address, and other personal information removed.
    • The biggest 'people search' sites, including FastPeopleSearch, Family Tree Now, WhitePages, and Spokeo, have instructions on their websites for removing your address listing.
    • This list of online data brokers created and maintained by investigative journalist Yael Grauer is a great place to start–go through the list, and follow each site's removal instructions.[1]
    • This massive data broker database allows you to find the names and contact information of data brokers that collect certain types of data.
  2. Step 2 Try a third-party deletion service (optional). 2 Try a third-party deletion service (optional). Because there are so many data broker websites, it may seem daunting to remove yourself from all of them. Many services claim they can delete your information from the internet, but not all are equal. Consumer Reports did a study on profile-removal services and found some more successful than others–EasyOptOuts, IDX, and Optery are at the top of the list.[2] Advertisement
  3. Step 3 Submit a Google removal request. 3 Submit a Google removal request. Once your information is removed from a data broker site, you can ask Google to remove that information from public search. To do this, just fill out the form and enter the URL of the page you want them to take down.[3]
  4. Step 4 Change your address in all of your accounts. 4 Change your address in all of your accounts. Log in to every account you have–Google, iCloud, Facebook, Amazon, and any other site–and remove your address. If an address is required, use a P.O. box or a virtual mail service. This will cut down on those services selling your address to data brokers.
  5. Step 5 Keep your address out of your devices. 5 Keep your address out of your devices. These days, our phones, tablets, and even our dishwashers ask us to provide our addresses to get the most out of their features. One way to keep your address private is to avoid providing your address when prompted by your Android, iPhone, and smart home devices.
    • For example, if you list your address as "Home" in your maps app so you can say "Hey Siri, give me directions home," change it to something else, and remove it from your contact card.
    • Unless your smart camera system is linked to a service that sends authorities to your home in the event of a break-in, there's no reason to list your address in the product's app.
    6. Advertisement
Method 2 Method 2 of 4:

Using a Virtual Address or PO Box

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  1. Step 1 Get a P.O. 1 Get a P.O. box and use it for everything. This will allow you to receive mail and packages without giving out your real address. Once you have a P.O. box, change your address with every service you use so your physical address is not on any of your accounts. Many services will allow you to use a P.O. box as your address, but you won't be able to use it for voter registration, and in some locations, motor vehicle and school registration. PO boxes are pretty low-cost, and you can find them all over the United States.[4]
    • You can reserve a USPS PO Box at poboxes.usps.com.
    • If you'd rather use a private company to get a PO box (and not be beholden to the post office's hours and holiday schedule), the UPS Store is another option.[5]
  2. Step 2 Sign up for a virtual address service. 2 Sign up for a virtual address service. Not all services will accept a P.O. box as your address, but you typically won't run into such problems with a virtual address. Unlike a P.O. box, your virtual address will look like a typical street address. You can also opt to have the virtual address provider scan and upload mail that comes to your address, schedule pickups, and even discard mail you don't want.[6]
  3. Step 3 Redirect your mail. 3 Redirect your mail. Once you have a P.O. box or virtual address, forward your mail to that address. You can set up mail forwarding at www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm.
    4. Advertisement
Method 3 Method 3 of 4:

Hiding Your Address from Public Records

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  1. Step 1 Set up a trust or LLC before buying a property. 1 Set up a trust or LLC before buying a property. If you're going to buy a house or land in the United States, the only way to really keep your address out of public records is to do so using a revocable trust or LLC. When your trust or LLC is listed as the purchaser, all records will indicate that the owner and contact information are that of the trust or LLC, not you. When doing this, you'll need to ensure your name and address are not listed as the contact information for the trust or LLC, however.[7]
  2. Step 2 Transfer an existing property to a trust or LLC. 2 Transfer an existing property to a trust or LLC. If you've already bought the property, things get a little bit trickier. Because you already bought the property in your name, your information is already on public record. However, you can get some of your privacy back by filing a new deed using the trust or the LCC. Contact a real estate attorney to find out more.[8]
    • Once the transfer is complete and the property is out of your name, old information will still appear in some places, especially on the internet. You'll likely still need to remove your information from data broker sites.
  3. Step 3 Research Address Confidentiality Programs in your region. 3 Research Address Confidentiality Programs in your region. These government programs are designed to protect the privacy of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other violent crime victims. Depending on the state, you may be able to keep your address private on your voter registration, motor vehicle records, school registration, and other services.[9] As of 2025, most states in the US offer some level of address protection to victims.[10]
  4. Step 4 Petition the courts to redact your address from court documents. 4 Petition the courts to redact your address from court documents. If you've been involved in any legal matters, including divorce, bankruptcy, restraining orders (either as the petitioner or the respondent), and custody disputes, your personal information is on file. Federal law states that you can petition courts to redact certain information, including your address (other than the city and state), for certain cases. Contact your local courthouse for more information.[11] ?
    5. Advertisement
Method 4 Method 4 of 4:

Removing Yourself from Mailing Lists

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  1. Step 1 Opt out of credit card offer lists. 1 Opt out of credit card offer lists. You know all those credit card offers that arrive in your mailbox claiming you prequalify for a credit card? You get those because your address is publicly available on your credit report. Fortunately, you can opt out of these offers by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688), or by visiting optoutprescreen.com.[12]
    • When you call or visit the website, you'll be asked to provide some personal details, including your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth. These will be used only to process your request to opt out.
  2. Step 2 Remove your address from your credit report. 2 Remove your address from your credit report. This will only work if you no longer receive mail at the address. If you still live at the address, make sure you have a P.O. box or virtual address to replace it with, and that you've already begun receiving mail at that address. Like disputing incorrect information on your credit report, you'll need to dispute your address with all three credit bureaus (Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax).[13]
    3. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

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Video

Tips

  • Be careful when sharing information on social media. Avoid posting your address or tagging your location when you're at or near your home. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • The size of the mailbox you need depends on how much mail you get, what type of mail you receive, and how often you pick up your mail. A medium-sized mailbox is likely to be sufficient for most individual mailbox users. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • In some states, you cannot use a P.O. Box address as the address on your driver's license. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/personal-information/how-to-delete-your-information-from-people-search-sites-a6926856917/
  2. ↑ https://innovation.consumerreports.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Data-Defense_-Evaluating-People-Search-Site-Removal-Services-.pdf
  3. ↑ https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/removals
  4. ↑ https://www.usps.com/manage/po-boxes.htm
  5. ↑ https://www.theupsstore.com/mailboxes/personal-mailboxes
  6. ↑ https://ipostal1.com/how-a-virtual-mailbox-works.php
  7. ↑ https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/want-to-keep-your-home-address-private-heres-how/
  8. ↑ https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/en/keep-your-address-confidential-while-buying-real-property
  9. ↑ https://www.doj.state.or.us/crime-victims/victims-services/address-confidentiality-program-acp/
More References (4)
  1. ↑ https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/ACP_Throughout_the_United_States.pdf
  2. ↑ https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/file-a-case-cm-ecf/faqs-case-management-electronic-case-files-cm-ecf#faq-Are-there-rules-that-require-redaction-of-personal-information
  3. ↑ https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0262-stopping-unsolicited-mail-phone-calls-and-email
  4. ↑ https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/disputing-errors-your-credit-reports

About This Article

Nicole Levine, MFA Written by: Nicole Levine, MFA wikiHow Technology Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 164,965 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 10 Updated: December 11, 2025 Views: 164,965 Categories: Internet Security In other languages Spanish German Dutch Japanese
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Nicole Levine, MFA Written by: Nicole Levine, MFA wikiHow Technology Writer Click a star to vote Co-authors: 10 Updated: December 11, 2025 Views: 164,965

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