StartupGrants India

Appointment Letter Format — Free Generator

An appointment letter confirms the job once the person has accepted your offer. Fill in the designation, joining date, CTC, probation and notice period, add a salary annexure if you like, and download it as Word or PDF.

Sample appointment letter format — edit it live

More sample formats

Appointment letter with no probation (warm tone)

For a senior hire who joins confirmed, with a friendlier opening and closing. The terms are the same as the formal version.

[Company Name]

[Registered office address]

[Date]

To, [Employee Name] [Employee address]

Subject: Letter of appointment

Dear [Employee Name],

Welcome to [Company Name]! We are delighted to confirm your appointment as Head of Marketing. The terms of your employment are set out below.

  1. Designation: You are appointed as Head of Marketing in the Marketing team, reporting to [Manager's name / title]. You will carry out the duties of the role and such other reasonable duties as the Company may assign.
  2. Date of joining: Your employment begins on [Date of Joining].
  3. Place of work: Your place of work is [City]. The Company may, on reasonable notice, ask you to work from another location or remotely.
  4. Compensation: Your total cost to the Company is [Annual CTC] per annum. The detailed structure will be shared with you separately. Salary is paid monthly, subject to deductions and contributions required by applicable law, such as tax deducted at source and provident fund where applicable.
  5. Probation: There is no probation period for this appointment.
  6. Working hours and leave: Your working hours, weekly off, holidays and leave are as set out in the Company's policies and applicable law.
  7. Notice period: Either party may end your employment by giving [Notice period] written notice, or the Company may pay salary in lieu of notice where the Company's policy allows it.
  8. Confidentiality: You will keep the Company's confidential information confidential during your employment and after it ends.
  9. Intellectual property: Work you create in the course of your employment, and work relating to the Company's business, belongs to the Company. You will sign any document reasonably needed to give effect to this.
  10. Conflict of interest: You will not take up other employment or business that conflicts with your duties to the Company without its written consent.
  11. Documents and verification: Your appointment is subject to satisfactory verification of your identity, education and previous employment, and to your submitting the documents the Company asks for on joining.
  12. Policies: You will follow the Company's policies, code of conduct and rules, as amended from time to time.
  13. Misconduct: The Company may take action, including ending your employment, for misconduct, following the process required by applicable law and the Company's policies.
  14. Return of property: When your employment ends you will return all Company property, documents and data in your possession.

Please sign and return a copy of this letter to confirm that you have read and accepted these terms. We are really glad you are joining us and look forward to what we will build together.

_______________________________

[Name], HR Manager

For and on behalf of [Company Name]

Date: ____________________

_______________________________

[Employee Name]

Received and accepted

Date: ____________________

Fill in your details and download this as Word

Appointment letter with other benefits

Shows an extra clause for benefits agreed beyond CTC, such as variable pay or health insurance.

[Company Name]

[Registered office address]

[Date]

To, [Employee Name] [Employee address]

Subject: Letter of appointment

Dear [Employee Name],

Further to your acceptance of our offer, we are pleased to appoint you as [Designation] at [Company Name], on the following terms.

  1. Designation: You are appointed as [Designation] in the [Department] team, reporting to [Manager's name / title]. You will carry out the duties of the role and such other reasonable duties as the Company may assign.
  2. Date of joining: Your employment begins on [Date of Joining].
  3. Place of work: Your place of work is [City]. The Company may, on reasonable notice, ask you to work from another location or remotely.
  4. Compensation: Your total cost to the Company is [Annual CTC] per annum. The detailed structure will be shared with you separately. Salary is paid monthly, subject to deductions and contributions required by applicable law, such as tax deducted at source and provident fund where applicable.
  5. Other benefits: Variable pay as per the Company's incentive plan, and group health insurance as per Company policy.
  6. Probation: You will be on probation for [Probation period] from your date of joining. The Company may extend the probation. Your confirmation will be communicated to you in writing.
  7. Working hours and leave: Your working hours, weekly off, holidays and leave are as set out in the Company's policies and applicable law.
  8. Notice period: After confirmation, either party may end your employment by giving [Notice period] written notice, or the Company may pay salary in lieu of notice where the Company's policy allows it. During probation, the notice period is as set out in the Company's policies.
  9. Confidentiality: You will keep the Company's confidential information confidential during your employment and after it ends.
  10. Intellectual property: Work you create in the course of your employment, and work relating to the Company's business, belongs to the Company. You will sign any document reasonably needed to give effect to this.
  11. Conflict of interest: You will not take up other employment or business that conflicts with your duties to the Company without its written consent.
  12. Documents and verification: Your appointment is subject to satisfactory verification of your identity, education and previous employment, and to your submitting the documents the Company asks for on joining.
  13. Policies: You will follow the Company's policies, code of conduct and rules, as amended from time to time.
  14. Misconduct: The Company may take action, including ending your employment, for misconduct, following the process required by applicable law and the Company's policies.
  15. Return of property: When your employment ends you will return all Company property, documents and data in your possession.

Please sign and return a copy of this letter to confirm that you have read and accepted these terms. We look forward to your joining.

_______________________________

[Name], HR Manager

For and on behalf of [Company Name]

Date: ____________________

_______________________________

[Employee Name]

Received and accepted

Date: ____________________

Fill in your details and download this as Word

How to write an appointment letter

  1. 1

    Match it to the offer

    Take the designation, CTC, probation and notice from the offer the person accepted.

  2. 2

    Add the employee details

    Full name, address, employee ID if you use one, and the date of joining.

  3. 3

    Set the role and place of work

    Designation, team, reporting manager and work location.

  4. 4

    Enter your probation and notice terms

    Type the periods you agreed, or 0 for no probation.

  5. 5

    Add the salary breakup

    Fill in the components so the annexure totals the CTC.

  6. 6

    Sign and share

    Sign on letterhead, send a PDF, and keep the signed copy the employee returns.

Offer letter or appointment letter?

The two are often mixed up. An offer letter is sent before the person joins, and they accept it. An appointment letter is issued once they accept and join (or just before), and it is the document that sets out the terms of the job formally. Small startups sometimes send only one; larger employers send both.

If you only issue one, make it the appointment letter, because it carries the terms the employee will rely on for as long as they work with you.

Offer letterAppointment letter
When it is sentBefore the person accepts the jobAfter acceptance, on or before the joining date
What it doesInvites the person to join on principal termsConfirms the job and records the full terms
Depth of termsRole, pay, start date, key conditionsAdds hours, leave, notice, conduct, confidentiality, annexure
Signed by employeeAcceptance of the offerReceipt and acceptance of the terms

What an appointment letter should include

Keep it specific. Vague terms are the ones that end up disputed. Each of these should be filled in from your offer and payroll records, not from memory.

Designation and reporting line
The exact job title, the team, and who the person reports to.
Date of joining and place of work
The first day, the work location, and whether remote work is allowed.
Compensation
Annual CTC, with the monthly breakup in an annexure. State that deductions apply as per applicable law rather than quoting rates.
Probation and confirmation
How long, whether it can be extended, and that confirmation is in writing.
Notice period
The period agreed in the offer, and whether pay in lieu of notice is allowed.
Hours, leave and holidays
Refer to your policies and applicable law, and share the policy documents with the letter.
Confidentiality and IP
That company information stays confidential and work done for the company belongs to it.
Conduct and exit
Compliance with policies, and return of property when employment ends.

The salary annexure

The letter states the total annual CTC and the annexure splits it into components such as basic pay, house rent allowance, special allowance and the employer's contribution to provident fund. Fill in the amounts in the form and the monthly figures and total are worked out for you. If the components do not add up to the CTC in the letter, the document flags it so you can fix it before you issue it.

We do not calculate statutory contributions or tax here, because rates and limits change and depend on the employee. For the maths behind a CTC split, use our CTC calculator, which shows its working.

What to do on the joining day

Give the letter to the employee on or before the joining date, in print or as a signed PDF. Ask them to sign and return a copy, and file it with their documents.

Collect the documents
Identity proof, address proof, education certificates and a relieving letter from the previous employer, as your checklist requires.
Share the policies
Leave, code of conduct, IT use and any others the letter refers to.
Set up payroll and statutory registrations
Bank details, PAN, and any provident fund and insurance enrolment that applies to the employee.
Keep one signed copy
The signed copy is your record that the employee received and accepted the terms.

What goes wrong

Most disputes about an appointment letter come from terms that were promised verbally and never written down, or from a letter that contradicts the offer.

Terms that differ from the offer
A different CTC, designation or notice period from the one the candidate accepted. Compare before you send.
A salary annexure that does not add up
Components that do not total the CTC create confusion at the first payslip.
Promises left out
A joining bonus, variable pay or work-from-home arrangement agreed verbally but missing from the letter.
Never signed
An unsigned letter is weak evidence of what was agreed. Chase the signed copy.
A one-size letter for everyone
Interns, consultants and fixed-term hires need different wording from a permanent employee.

Frequently asked questions

What is an appointment letter?

It is the letter an employer gives a new employee to confirm the job and record its terms: designation, date of joining, place of work, pay, probation, notice period and conduct. It is issued after the person accepts the offer and is the main document of the employment.

What is the difference between an offer letter and an appointment letter?

An offer letter invites the person to join, before they accept. An appointment letter is issued after acceptance and sets out the terms formally. Many startups issue both; if you issue only one, the appointment letter is the safer choice.

Is an appointment letter mandatory in India?

Giving employees written terms is standard practice, and the Labour Codes and state Shops and Establishments rules expect employers to do so for many categories of worker. What applies to you depends on your state, size and the employee's category, so ask your HR or legal adviser.

What should an appointment letter include?

The employee's name and address, designation, department and reporting manager, date of joining, place of work, annual CTC with a breakup annexure, probation, working hours and leave by reference to policy, notice period, confidentiality and intellectual property, conduct, and a signature block for both sides.

Does the appointment letter need a salary breakup?

It is good practice to attach one. It avoids confusion at the first payslip because the employee can see basic pay, allowances and the employer's contributions. The generator adds an annexure when you fill in the amounts, and flags it if the total does not match the CTC.

Should the notice period and probation be in the letter?

Yes. Both must match the offer. Enter the periods you agreed with the employee; the template does not assume a number. If a probation is not applicable, enter 0 and that line is changed to say so.

Does an appointment letter need stamp paper?

No, an appointment letter is not normally printed on stamp paper. Issue it on company letterhead, signed by an authorised person. Check with your adviser if you add terms such as a bond or a non-compete, which are treated differently.

Can I send an appointment letter by email?

Yes. Most companies send a signed PDF, and electronic records are recognised under the Information Technology Act, 2000. Ask the employee to sign and return a copy, and keep the email as a record of delivery.

Can the company change the terms later?

Not by itself. Changing pay, designation or other core terms needs the employee's agreement and a written revision, such as an increment or promotion letter. Policy changes the letter says may be amended from time to time can be made by the company.

Is the same letter right for an intern or a consultant?

No. Interns and consultants are not employees in the usual sense, and the wording, notice and tax treatment differ. Use our offer letter generator, which has intern and consultant versions, instead of this one.

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