Offer letter format

An offer letter sets out the proposed role, pay, joining date and conditions for a selected candidate to accept. Choose from four templates, with guidance on CTC annexures, probation, remote work and intern-to-full-time offers.

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In short

An offer letter is the written proposal an employer sends a selected candidate before joining. It states the designation, CTC, joining date, work location and any conditions, such as probation, document checks or a degree result. It also sets a date by which the candidate must accept. The appointment letter records the detailed employment terms and should be shared on or before joining.

Offer letter templates

Fill in your details once and all 4 versions below update. Copy the one you need, or print it on your letterhead and save it as a PDF.

Company nameReference numberDate of issueCandidate’s full nameDesignationDate of joiningAnnual CTC (with the ₹ sign and unit)Work locationWork mode (on-site, hybrid or remote)Reply-by dateProbation period in monthsHR email for the signed copySignatory’s nameSignatory’s designation

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1. Fresher full-time offer

Use it for a campus or off-campus fresher, including one whose degree result is still pending.

[Company name]
[Letterhead: registered address, email and phone]

Ref. no.: [Reference number]
Date: [Date of issue]

To,
[Candidate’s full name]

Subject: Offer of employment as [Designation]

Dear [Candidate’s full name],

Congratulations. After your interviews, [Company name] is pleased to offer you full-time employment as [Designation], on the terms below.

1. Joining: you will join on [Date of joining] at [Work location]. We will email you the joining details ahead of the date.
2. Pay: your annual Cost to Company (CTC) is [Annual CTC (with the ₹ sign and unit)]. Annexure A shows its fixed pay, variable pay (if any) and benefits.
3. Probation: your probation period is [Probation period in months] months from joining. We will review your performance before it ends and communicate the outcome in writing.
4. Degree: [Delete this clause if degree completion is not a condition.] This offer is conditional on you completing [degree and stream] and providing [final marksheet or provisional certificate] by [agreed deadline]. If your result is delayed, contact [HR email for the signed copy] before that deadline so that we can confirm the next steps in writing.
5. Documents: on your first day, bring originals and one copy each of your identity proof, address proof, marksheets, degree certificates, photographs and bank account details.
6. Verification: this offer depends on the details and documents you gave us being correct, and on satisfactory verification.
7. Service terms: [If applicable, identify the attached service or training agreement, its duration, any repayment amount and how it is calculated. Have your legal adviser review it before sending the offer; otherwise delete this clause.]

Please sign a copy of this letter and email it to [HR email for the signed copy] by [Reply-by date]. The offer lapses after that date unless we extend it in writing. We will share your appointment letter and the policies it refers to on or before your joining date.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Yours sincerely,

[Signatory’s name]
[Signatory’s designation]
For [Company name]

Enclosure: Annexure A (CTC break-up)

Acceptance: I accept this offer on the terms above.
Name: [Candidate’s full name]
Signature:
Date:

2. Offer with probation and notice terms

Use it for a lateral or experienced hire, or any role where you want probation, notice and verification terms in writing at the offer stage.

[Company name]
[Letterhead: registered address, email and phone]

Ref. no.: [Reference number]
Date: [Date of issue]

To,
[Candidate’s full name]

Subject: Offer of employment as [Designation]

Dear [Candidate’s full name],

Further to our discussions, [Company name] offers you the position of [Designation] on the terms below.

1. Joining: [Date of joining], at [Work location]. If you cannot join by then, write to us before that date. We may withdraw the offer if you neither join nor agree a new date with us in writing.
2. Compensation: your annual CTC is [Annual CTC (with the ₹ sign and unit)], shown component by component in Annexure A. Variable pay follows the plan described there.
3. Probation: you will be on probation for [Probation period in months] months from joining. We may extend it by written notice. You are confirmed only when we send you a confirmation letter.
4. Notice: during probation, either side may end your employment by giving [notice period during probation] written notice. After confirmation the notice period is [notice period after confirmation]. Your appointment letter will state the full terms.
5. Verification: this offer is conditional on satisfactory checks of your education, past employment and references, and on your relieving letter from your current employer.
6. Documents: please bring [list the documents, for example identity and address proof, education certificates, relieving letter, recent payslips and bank details].
7. Confidentiality: you will keep company and client information confidential, and sign our confidentiality undertaking on joining.

This offer is valid until [Reply-by date]. To accept, sign a copy of this letter and send it to [HR email for the signed copy] by that date. We will share your appointment letter and the policies it refers to on or before your joining date.

Yours sincerely,

[Signatory’s name]
[Signatory’s designation]
For [Company name]

Enclosure: Annexure A (CTC break-up)

I accept this offer and the conditions above.
Name:
Signature:
Date:

3. Remote or hybrid offer

Use it when the role is remote or hybrid and the letter must also cover office days, hours, equipment and data security.

[Company name]
[Letterhead: registered address, email and phone]

Ref. no.: [Reference number]
Date: [Date of issue]

To,
[Candidate’s full name]

Subject: Offer of employment as [Designation] ([Work mode (on-site, hybrid or remote)])

Dear [Candidate’s full name],

[Company name] is pleased to offer you the role of [Designation]. This letter explains where and how you will work, as well as your pay and joining date.

1. Work mode: [Work mode (on-site, hybrid or remote)], based at [Work location]. [Hybrid only: you will work from the office on the days agreed with your manager each week, and attend team events on dates we give in advance.]
2. Hours: you will work [hours and time zone] and stay reachable on [chat and video tools] during that time.
3. Joining: [Date of joining]. [Remote joiners: we will complete your joining formalities online.]
4. Pay: your annual CTC is [Annual CTC (with the ₹ sign and unit)], as set out in Annexure A. [State any internet or equipment allowance here, or delete this line.]
5. Equipment: [we will provide a laptop, which stays company property and must be returned when you leave / you will use your own device under our device policy].
6. Data security: you will keep work files in company-approved tools, follow our information security policy and not store company or client data on personal drives or accounts.
7. Change of mode: we may ask you to work from the office, or change your base location, on [notice period] notice. You may ask for a change too, which takes effect only when approved in writing.
8. Probation: your first [Probation period in months] months are a probation period.

Please sign a copy of this letter and send it to [HR email for the signed copy] by [Reply-by date]. We will share your appointment letter and the policies it refers to on or before your joining date. It will carry this working arrangement forward.

Yours sincerely,

[Signatory’s name]
[Signatory’s designation]
For [Company name]

Enclosure: Annexure A (CTC break-up)

Acceptance: I accept this offer, including the work-mode terms above.
Name:
Signature:
Date:

4. Intern-to-full-time offer

Use it when offering an intern full-time employment after the internship ends, either immediately afterwards or after degree completion.

[Company name]
[Letterhead: registered address, email and phone]

Ref. no.: [Reference number]
Date: [Date of issue]

To,
[Candidate’s full name]

Subject: Full-time offer as [Designation]

Dear [Candidate’s full name],

Thank you for your work as an intern at [Company name]. After reviewing your internship, we are glad to invite you to join us full-time as [Designation].

1. Start: your full-time employment begins on [Date of joining]. Your last day as an intern is [internship end date]. Your internship stipend applies through that date. [If there is a gap before full-time employment begins, state the agreed arrangements for that period.]
2. Pay: your annual CTC from the joining date is [Annual CTC (with the ₹ sign and unit)], as shown in Annexure A. The internship stipend is not part of it.
3. Probation: your internship [will / will not] count towards your probation of [Probation period in months] months.
4. Work: you will work at [Work location], in [Work mode (on-site, hybrid or remote)] mode, [in the team you interned with / in a new team].
5. Conditions: [If you are still a student: this offer holds if you complete your degree and give us your final marksheet or provisional certificate by the agreed deadline, and you contact [HR email for the signed copy] before that deadline if your result is delayed.] It also depends on satisfactory verification of your documents.
6. Earlier terms: this offer follows the PPO communication dated [date, if applicable]. Any changes to previously agreed terms are listed in [attached amendment, if applicable] for your acceptance. Your internship certificate will be issued separately.

Please sign a copy of this letter and send it to [HR email for the signed copy] by [Reply-by date]. We will share your appointment letter and the policies it refers to on or before your joining date.

Yours sincerely,

[Signatory’s name]
[Signatory’s designation]
For [Company name]

Enclosure: Annexure A (CTC break-up)

Acceptance: I accept this full-time offer.
Name: [Candidate’s full name]
Signature:
Date:

These templates are a starting point, not legal advice. Check the final wording against your company policy and with your HR or legal adviser before you send it.

What to include

Company letterhead, reference number and date of issue, with the candidate’s name as it appears on their ID.
Designation, work location and work mode, matching the job post the candidate applied to.
Date of joining, and what happens if the candidate cannot join by then.
Annual CTC, with an annexure that splits it into fixed pay, variable pay and benefits.
Probation period, and a line saying that the probation outcome will be communicated in writing.
Every condition the offer depends on: document checks, background verification, a relieving letter or a degree result.
Any proposed service, training or joining-bonus repayment agreement, reviewed by your legal adviser and attached for the candidate to read before accepting.
Notice period, or a line saying that the appointment letter will state it.
Reply-by date, the rule that the offer lapses after it, and where to send the signed copy.
Name and designation of the signatory, with an acceptance block for the candidate.

How to issue it

Settle the terms first. Have the hiring manager and finance approve the designation, CTC, joining date and work mode, and record them in one place. Then the letter has no reason to change after it goes out.
Pick the version that fits the hire and fill in the fields. Ask payroll to prepare Annexure A, and check that its monthly figures add up to the annual CTC.
Match the letter to the job post. If you posted the role on LineupX, copy the designation, location and work mode from that post, so the offer says what the candidate applied for.
Put the letter on letterhead and have an authorised signatory sign it, such as the HR head, a director or the founder. Email the signed PDF from an official company address soon after the verbal offer, while the conversation is fresh.
Send one reminder shortly before the deadline. When the signed copy returns, check the name, the date and every page, and save it in the candidate’s file.
Stay in touch until joining. Share the joining checklist and the first-day plan ahead of the date, and have the appointment letter and its annexures ready to share on or before joining.

Mistakes to avoid

Giving the CTC as a single figure invites an argument about in-hand pay on joining day; attach Annexure A with every component.
Leaving out the reply-by date keeps an offer open for weeks and blocks your hiring plan; set a date and say the offer lapses after it.
An appointment letter that drifts from the offer changes the designation, CTC or location unnoticed; compare the two line by line and tell the candidate of any change in writing.
Revealing a service bond or bonus repayment only on joining day denies the candidate a choice; put it in the offer letter, with its duration and repayment terms, and attach the agreement.
Reusing an old letter can leave a previous candidate’s name, date or designation in it; search the final PDF for square brackets and old names before you send it.
Promising what you cannot guarantee, such as a fixed raise, a promotion date or remote work indefinitely, sets up a dispute later; write ‘will be reviewed’ or leave the point out.

Where the offer letter sits in the hiring sequence

Think of four documents in order: the offer letter, the candidate’s signed acceptance, the appointment letter and, if you confirm the employee after probation, the confirmation letter. The offer comes first, while the candidate can still say no and the conditions are still open.

Keep the offer short: the headline terms and the conditions. Leave detailed leave rules, conduct, confidentiality and the full termination clause for the appointment letter, which you share on or before joining after completing the agreed checks.

Whatever the offer promises on designation, CTC, joining date and location, the appointment letter must repeat exactly. The appointment letter format page covers the second letter in full.

Conditional offers: say what the offer depends on

An offer may depend on something still to be done: document checks, a background check, references, a relieving letter or, for campus hires, the degree result.

List each condition in the letter, with the date by which the candidate must meet it. Say what happens if one is not met: you will review the facts with the candidate, then confirm in writing whether the offer stands, the joining date moves or the offer is withdrawn. A vague line such as ‘subject to company policy’ leaves the candidate guessing.

If you check references or past employment, tell the candidate which checks you run and get their written agreement to them.

What goes in Annexure A

Annexure A turns the annual CTC into monthly figures. Ask your payroll team to prepare it, so that the parts add up to the annual total.

List the fixed pay components, such as basic pay and allowances, and the variable pay with its payout rule. Add the employer contributions and benefits your policy offers, and one-time items such as a joining bonus with any repayment condition. Add one line saying that in-hand pay differs from the monthly CTC because of deductions and employer contributions, and offer an estimate from payroll.

Questions about the offer letter

What should an offer letter include?

The designation, CTC with an annexure, joining date, work location and mode, probation, any conditions such as verification or a degree result, any service agreement, and the reply-by date. Add a signature block for you and an acceptance block for the candidate. Keep leave, conduct and detailed notice terms for the appointment letter.

How long should an offer letter stay valid?

Give the candidate a short, fixed window, such as a few working days to a week for a lateral hire, and write the date in the letter. For campus offers made months before joining, the reply date can be longer, but the joining date and each condition still need dates. State that the offer lapses unless you extend it in writing.

Is an offer letter legally binding in India?

This page cannot say how a court would treat your letter, because that depends on its wording and on what both sides did afterwards. Ask your legal adviser. Treat the offer as a serious written commitment: send it only when the terms are approved, and do not withdraw it without a written reason.

Can you withdraw or change an offer letter?

Check the stated conditions and the facts before deciding. Give the candidate a chance to explain a discrepancy, and consult your legal adviser before withdrawing an accepted offer. Communicate the decision in writing. For a change, send the revised terms for acceptance and identify the earlier letter they would replace.

What is a conditional offer letter?

A conditional offer makes joining depend on something still to be done, such as document checks, a background check, a relieving letter or a degree result. Name each condition and its deadline in the letter. An unconditional offer has none left, which is rare before the documents are verified.

How is a fresher’s offer letter different from an experienced hire’s?

A fresher’s letter adds the degree-result condition and the documents to bring on day one, and usually has no relieving letter or notice-buyout line. An experienced hire’s letter adds the notice period, checks on past employment and a joining date tied to release from the current employer. Both need the CTC annexure and a reply-by date.

Can I use the same format for an intern?

Not quite. An internship offer needs fixed dates, a stipend or the word unpaid, a mentor and the certificate terms, so use the internship offer letter guide on this site for that. The fourth version here is for the next step, when you hire an intern as a full-time employee.

Can I send an offer letter by email or WhatsApp?

Email the letter as a signed PDF from an official company address, with a short cover note, and ask the candidate to reply with a signed copy. A WhatsApp message is fine as an early heads-up, but the letter should arrive by email so both sides hold a dated record.

More HR letter formats

Appointment letter format Joining letter format Internship certificate format Experience letter format Internship offer letter format All HR letter formats Job description templates

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