If you declare yourself a trader and distribute your app in the European Union (EU), Apple publishes your contact details on your product page. Individual developers enter an "Address or P.O. Box." Organizations show the address tied to their D-U-N-S Number, a Dun & Bradstreet business ID.
This post reads Apple's help page on the trader requirement line by line. We cover who has to answer the question, which address shows for each account type, and what Apple's instructions say about proof for a P.O. Box. After that, we compare the Google Play rules and explain where a mailbox address may fit.
What does Apple's trader form ask you to publish?
Apple's page names the law first. The page says:
"Articles 30 and 31 of the Digital Services Act (DSA) require Apple to verify and display trader contact information for all traders distributing apps on the App Store in the European Union (EU). This includes an address, phone number, and email address that you provide to Apple for the purpose of posting on your App Store product page in accordance with the DSA."
So a trader shows three things to EU customers: an address, a phone number and an email address. Apple also says when the details are published: "Once verified, Apple will publish this information on your App Store product page when your app is distributed in any of the 27 territories of the EU."
All traders also give Apple payment account details. Every trader must also "certify that you only offer products or services that comply with the applicable rules of EU law."
Where the form sits in App Store Connect
Apple's page lists the path. You need the Account Holder or Admin role to complete it.
- Go to Business, then the Agreements tab, then the Compliance section.
- Open Digital Services Act and select "Complete Compliance Requirements."
- Choose "This is a trader account." or "This is not a trader account."
- If you are a trader, enter your contact information.
- Apple validates the email address and then the phone number with two-factor authentication.
- Upload a current document that verifies your business name and address. Apple says acceptable documents include business or legal records.
- Review your information and click Confirm.
Trader status can also be set app by app. Apple places that setting under App Information, then App Store Regulations and Permits, then Digital Services Act, then Edit.
Do you have to declare yourself a trader?
Every developer has to answer the question. Apple says: "Even if you don't distribute apps in the EU, you'll still need to declare a trader status." Apple also says that if you don't distribute apps on the App Store in the EU, "you're not acting as a trader on the App Store."
Apple doesn't decide the answer for you. The page says "You must assess whether you're a trader for EU law purposes" and "Apple can't determine whether you're a trader."
Apple lists factors from European Commission guidance and calls the list non-exhaustive and non-exclusive. The factors include these points:
- Revenue from the app, such as In-App Purchases, a paid app or an ad-sponsored app, "especially if you're transacting in large volumes."
- Commercial practices toward consumers.
- Registration for VAT purposes. VAT is the value-added tax used in the EU.
- Building the app in connection with your trade.
Apple adds two examples. First, "if you're a hobbyist and you developed your app with no intention of commercializing it, you may not be considered a trader." Second, "Regardless of whether you're an individual developer or organization, if you have a legal status associated with a business activity, that would suggest you may be a trader."
Choosing "not a trader" changes what EU customers are told. Apple says: "If you're not a trader, consumers in the EU will be informed that consumer rights stemming from applicable consumer protection laws won't apply to contracts between you and them."
Apple also notes that its material "is informational, general in nature, and does not constitute legal advice." For a trader decision that affects your business, a lawyer who knows EU consumer law can help.
Which address appears for individuals and for organizations?
The answer depends on the account type. Apple gives the two types different instructions.
| Account type | What you enter for display | Where the address comes from | How the address changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | "Address or P.O. Box," phone number, email address | The address you type into the trader form | You enter the address yourself in the form |
| Organization | Phone number, email address | "The address associated with your D-U-N-S Number" | "If you need to update your physical address, contact us." |
If you are an individual developer
For individuals, Apple says: "You'll need to enter the following for display on your App Store product pages: Address or P.O. Box · Phone number · Email address."
Apple then limits what that entry does: "This information is for display purposes only and won't impact the information associated with your Apple Developer Program membership." In plain terms, the address you type here is the one EU customers see. Your membership record stays as it is.
Many individual developers work from home. If you don't want your home address on a public product page, the form itself names a P.O. Box as one choice. We cover the wider home address question in can I use my home address as my business address.
If your account belongs to an organization
For organizations, Apple says: "The address associated with your D-U-N-S Number will automatically display." You still enter a phone number and an email address.
The D-U-N-S Number is a nine-digit business ID assigned by Dun & Bradstreet. Our D-U-N-S Number guide explains where the number comes from. Apple's list for organizations doesn't include an address to enter. To change the displayed physical address, Apple tells organizations to contact Apple.
What does Apple ask for when you show a P.O. Box or other alternate address?
Apple's steps for traders include a document upload. The step comes after the email and phone checks and before you review and confirm. Apple's text for the step reads:
"Follow the instructions to upload your documentation. You'll need to provide a current document that verifies your business name and address. Acceptable documents include business or legal records. If you're displaying an alternate address, such as a P.O. Box, you'll also need to provide documentation that reflects your association with this alternate address (for example, a receipt or bill)."
The page lists this as a regular step and doesn't say any trader skips it. So plan on two kinds of paperwork. The first verifies your business name and address. The second, for a P.O. Box or other alternate address, shows your link to that address, such as a receipt or bill.
A separate sentence in the phone step covers numbers that can't receive codes. In that case, Apple says, "you can request manual verification."
What the page does not name
Apple's trader page doesn't use the words "virtual mailbox" or "virtual address." Our reading is that a mailbox address belongs in the same group as Apple's P.O. Box example, an alternate address. Apple hasn't said so. If Apple treats a mailbox address that way, the document step above would apply to it too.
How does Google Play handle the developer address?
Google Play handles the address differently. Google's help page for a new developer account lists "Legal name" and "Legal address" for a personal account. The page says: "Your legal name and address will be taken from the Google Payments profile that you linked to your developer account during account creation." The developer then has to verify those identity details.
What Google shows depends on whether you earn money on Google Play. The page says:
"Google will display your legal name, your country (as per your legal address), and developer email address on Google Play. If you decide to monetize on Google Play then Google will display your full address. In certain regions, developers are required to provide additional information which may be displayed on Google Play, like their phone number or full address."
For organizations, the same page asks for a D-U-N-S number. The page says: "Your organization name and address is taken from the Google Payments profile that you linked to your developer account during account creation."
Google's separate verification page points developers to "acceptable document types in your country/region." Google's page on creating a payments profile is direct about the address: "Provide your legal business address as it appears on official documents. It's important that we have a valid physical address on file for your business. We don't allow you to use a PO box address." That page doesn't say whether a mailbox address meets the rule, and we don't either.
| Question | Apple App Store (EU trader) | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| Individual address source | You type an "Address or P.O. Box" for display | The verified legal address from your Google Payments profile |
| Individual address shown | The address you entered | Your country, or the full address if you monetize (some regions may require more) |
| Organization address source | The address associated with your D-U-N-S Number | The organization address from your Google Payments profile |
| Alternate address named | A P.O. Box, with a receipt or bill at the document step | Not a PO box; the payments profile page asks for a valid physical address |
Online marketplaces in the US have their own display rules for some sellers. We read Amazon's pages under the INFORM Consumers Act in Amazon seller address verification.
This post explains Apple's and Google's published help pages and isn't legal advice. Confirm your own trader status and address with the store, or with a lawyer who knows EU consumer law.
How an Auteur address fits the trader form
We sell virtual mailboxes, so this is the seller's view. Auteur is in pre-launch, and your exact street address is assigned the day your city opens. We can't promise that Apple or Google will accept any particular address.
For an individual developer, our address could fill the "Address or P.O. Box" line as an alternate address, in our reading. Apple's document step asks for proof that links you to an alternate address, such as a receipt or bill. Ask any provider you use what paperwork it can give you in your name.
For an organization, Apple shows the D-U-N-S address, so the trader form has nothing for us to fill. Whether a mailbox address can sit on a Dun & Bradstreet record is a question for Apple and Dun & Bradstreet. We don't answer it here.
On Google Play, the payments profile page asks for a valid physical address and doesn't allow a PO box. We don't suggest our address for that profile.
The Virtual Mailing Address is for personal mail, in individual names only, which matches an individual developer account. The Virtual Business Address also receives mail in a business or trade name, for a company that needs a mailing address.
Both plans photograph the envelope of every piece, and we open and scan only when you ask, for one flat fee per piece. Henry, our AI assistant, explains each letter you ask us to open. USPS Form 1583 is required before any provider can receive mail for you. Pricing comes by email with the next steps, and our fees and limits are in our fair use policy.
If you're an individual developer and that fits how you work, get a Virtual Mailing Address. Ordering is free, there's no card, and nothing is charged today.
FAQ
What App Store trader address do developers in the USA have to show?
Apple's trader rules apply when your app is distributed in the EU, wherever you live. If you declare yourself a trader, an individual developer enters an "Address or P.O. Box" for display. For an organization, Apple displays the address associated with its D-U-N-S Number.
Can I use a P.O. Box as my App Store trader address?
Apple's form for individuals lists "Address or P.O. Box." In its document upload step, Apple adds that a trader displaying an alternate address "such as a P.O. Box" also provides documentation "(for example, a receipt or bill)." Keep a receipt or bill for the box in your name.
Do I have to declare a trader status if I don't sell my app in the EU?
Yes. Apple says: "Even if you don't distribute apps in the EU, you'll still need to declare a trader status." Apple also says that without EU distribution on the App Store, "you're not acting as a trader on the App Store." Apple publishes trader contact details when the app is distributed in any of the 27 EU territories.
Am I a trader if my app is free?
A free app can still earn money from ads, and Apple lists ad-sponsored revenue as one factor. Apple also says a hobbyist with "no intention of commercializing" the app "may not be considered a trader." Apple says you must make the assessment yourself.
What should I do if App Store Connect shows my trader status as not provided?
Apple's help page doesn't define that label. If you haven't answered the trader question yet, open Business, then Agreements, then the Compliance section, then Digital Services Act, and select "Complete Compliance Requirements." If you already started, check that you finished every step, including the document upload.
Why is my Digital Services Act status in review in App Store Connect?
Apple verifies trader details before it publishes them. The email address and phone number are validated with two-factor authentication, and the steps include a document upload. If your phone number can't receive codes, Apple says you can request manual verification. We don't state how long a review takes.
Bottom line
Your App Store trader address depends on the account type. An individual developer types an "Address or P.O. Box" for EU product pages, and the entry is for display only. An organization shows the address tied to its D-U-N-S Number. Apple's steps include a document that verifies your business name and address, and a P.O. Box adds a receipt or bill that links you to it. On Google Play, a personal account that monetizes shows its legal address in full, and Google's page on creating a payments profile doesn't allow a PO box.
