Letters

Appointment Letter Format: Free Template (Word & PDF)

An appointment letter format confirms the formal employment relationship once a candidate has accepted an offer — it's issued on or around the joining date and typically carries more legal weight than the earlier offer letter. Download the free Word and PDF version below.

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What an Appointment Letter Must Include

  • Employee details: full name, address, date of joining, employee ID (once assigned)
  • Role details: designation, department, reporting manager, work location
  • Compensation and benefits, consistent with what was stated in the offer letter
  • Terms of employment: probation period, notice period, working hours, leave entitlement reference
  • Company policies the employee is expected to follow, often by reference to the employee handbook

How to Use This Template

  1. Confirm every term matches the offer letter already accepted — contradictions between the two are the most common source of disputes
  2. Fill in the employee's final details once joining formalities are complete
  3. Get it signed by both the authorized signatory and the employee on or before the joining date
  4. Store the signed copy in the employee's personnel file

Appointment Letter vs. Offer Letter

The offer letter is a proposal sent before joining; the appointment letter is the formal confirmation issued once the candidate has actually joined. Companies that only issue an offer letter and skip the appointment letter often run into ambiguity later about which document actually governs the employment terms — issue both.

Disclaimer: this is a general template, not legal advice. Review it against your company policy and applicable law before use.

Related: Offer Letter Template · Relieving & Experience Letter Templates · Employee Handbook Template

Frequently asked questions

The offer letter is sent before joining to propose the role; the appointment letter is issued on or after the joining date to formally confirm employment and its terms. See our offer letter template for the earlier stage.

Most states require some form of written appointment order under their Shops and Establishments Act, and it's standard HR practice regardless. Check your specific state's requirements, and issue one even where it isn't strictly mandated.

This is a common source of disputes. Where there's a genuine change (a revised joining date, an updated structure), flag it explicitly to the employee rather than letting the appointment letter silently override the offer.

Yes, even if it was already mentioned in the offer letter — the appointment letter is typically the document referred to later for confirmation or extension of probation.

Yes, with the employment type field updated accordingly. Contract and part-time arrangements often have different notice period and benefits terms, so review those sections specifically rather than using the full-time defaults.

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