An offer letter format is the standard layout of the letter a company sends when it wants to hire you: the role, the salary (usually as annual CTC), the joining date, the location and any conditions. You accept it in writing before you join. Below are copy-paste formats for full-time, fresher and internship offers, and a Word file with all of them.
Whether you are writing one for a new hire or checking one you received, the same few lines decide whether an offer is clear and genuine. This guide covers those lines, the difference from an appointment letter, and how to reply.
Full-time, fresher and internship offers, a CTC annexure, an acceptance email and a fake-offer checklist. Every [field] to replace is highlighted.
What an offer letter should include
Company letterhead, a reference number and the date
Candidate's name and address
Designation, department and reporting manager
Work location, or whether the role is remote or hybrid
Compensation: annual CTC in figures and words, with the break-up in an annexure
Date of joining
Probation period, and where the full terms will be set out
Conditions: background verification, documents, final results or medical fitness
Deadline to accept, and how to accept
Signature of an authorised person, with name, designation and an official email
Offer letter vs appointment letter
The two are often confused, and since November 2025 the difference matters more. An offer letter is a proposal before you join. An appointment letter confirms your employment once you do, with the full terms.
| Point | Offer letter | Appointment letter |
|---|---|---|
| When you get it | Before joining, after selection | On joining |
| What it does | Proposes the role, pay and joining date for you to accept | Confirms your appointment and sets out the terms of employment |
| Typical detail | Designation, CTC, joining date, conditions | Designation, category, wages, working hours, leave, notice period, social security |
| Required by law? | No law requires it | Yes: the OSH Code, 2020 requires employers to issue one |
Section 6(1)(f) of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 says every employer shall issue a letter of appointment to every employee on appointment, in the form the government prescribes. The Code took effect on 21 November 2025, as the Ministry of Labour announced. So if you joined and received only an offer letter, ask HR for your appointment letter.
Format 1: Offer letter format for a full-time employee
This is the standard job offer letter format. Copy the right-hand column onto letterhead, fill in the brackets and attach the salary break-up as Annexure A.
| Part | Text to copy |
|---|---|
| Letterhead and date | [Company name] | [Registered address] | [Official email] | Ref. No.: [Number] | Date: [DD Month YYYY] |
| Addressee | [Candidate's full name], [Address] |
| Title | OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT |
| Paragraph 1 | Dear [First name], we are pleased to offer you the position of [Designation] in our [Department] team at [Company name], based at [Work location / remote]. You will report to [Manager's name, Designation]. |
| Paragraph 2 | Your annual cost to company (CTC) will be Rs [amount] ([amount in words]). The salary break-up is in Annexure A. Your date of joining will be [DD Month YYYY]. |
| Paragraph 3 | You will be on probation for [number] months from your date of joining. Your working hours, leave, notice period and other terms will be set out in your appointment letter and the company's policies. |
| Conditions | This offer is subject to [satisfactory background verification / submission of your educational and experience documents / medical fitness, as applicable]. |
| Acceptance | Please confirm your acceptance by signing and returning a copy of this letter, or by email to [HR email], by [DD Month YYYY]. If we do not hear from you by then, this offer will lapse. |
| Signature block | For [Company name] / [Signature] / [Name] / [Designation, e.g. HR Manager] / [Official email] | [Phone] |
| Candidate's acceptance | Accepted: [Candidate's signature] [Date] |
Format 2: Offer letter for a fresher or campus hire
Campus offers come months before joining, so they usually depend on your final results. Make that condition explicit, along with any training period.
| Part | Text to copy |
|---|---|
| Title | OFFER LETTER |
| Paragraph 1 | Dear [Full name], following the selection process at [College name] on [date], we are pleased to offer you the role of [Designation, e.g. Graduate Engineer Trainee] at [Company name]. |
| Paragraph 2 | Your annual CTC will be Rs [amount], as detailed in Annexure A. Your expected date of joining is [DD Month YYYY], subject to your passing your final examinations and submitting your final marksheet and degree or provisional certificate. |
| Paragraph 3 | You will undergo [training programme, duration] and a probation of [number] months. Your work location will be [City], or as communicated before joining. |
| Acceptance | Please confirm your acceptance by [DD Month YYYY] by replying to [HR email]. |
| Signature block | For [Company name] / [Signature] / [Name] / [Designation] |
Format 3: Internship offer letter format
An internship offer should say clearly that it is not an offer of employment, and state the dates, stipend and mentor. At the end, ask for an internship letter that names your project; our experience letter formats include an internship version.
| Part | Text to copy |
|---|---|
| Title | INTERNSHIP OFFER |
| Paragraph 1 | Dear [Student's full name], we are pleased to offer you an internship as [Intern role] in our [Team] team from [Start date] to [End date], at [location / remote]. Your mentor will be [Mentor name, Designation]. |
| Paragraph 2 | [The internship carries a monthly stipend of Rs (amount). / The internship is unpaid.] Your working hours will be [hours]. You will work on [project or area]. |
| Paragraph 3 | This is an internship, not an offer of employment. On completion, you will receive an internship certificate. Please confirm your acceptance by [DD Month YYYY], and share a letter from your college if it requires one. |
| Signature block | For [Company name] / [Signature] / [Name] / [Designation] |
Reading the CTC in an offer letter
CTC is the employer's total yearly cost, not your take-home. It includes items you never see in your bank account each month, such as the employer's PF contribution, gratuity and insurance. A clear offer letter attaches a break-up like this one.
| Component | Monthly (Rs) | Annual (Rs) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic salary | [amount] | [amount] |
| House rent allowance (HRA) | [amount] | [amount] |
| Special and other allowances | [amount] | [amount] |
| A. Gross salary | [total] | [total] |
| Employer's PF contribution | [amount] | [amount] |
| Gratuity (if included in CTC) | [amount] | [amount] |
| Insurance and other benefits | [amount] | [amount] |
| B. Employer contributions | [total] | [total] |
| Variable pay or bonus, with its conditions | [amount] | [amount] |
| Cost to company (A + B + variable) | [total] | [total] |
Your monthly take-home is gross salary minus your PF, professional tax and income tax. Our salary slip guide explains each deduction, and the in-hand salary calculator turns a CTC into take-home under both tax regimes. Comparing two offers? Try the salary hike calculator.
Format 5: Email accepting or declining an offer
| Part | Text to copy |
|---|---|
| Acceptance subject | Acceptance of offer: [Designation], [Your full name] |
| Acceptance body | Dear [Name], thank you for the offer of the position of [Designation] at [Company name], dated [date]. I am pleased to accept it on the terms in the letter, with an annual CTC of Rs [amount]. I confirm my date of joining as [DD Month YYYY]. Please let me know the documents and formalities to complete before I join. |
| Decline subject | Offer for [Designation]: [Your full name] |
| Decline body | Dear [Name], thank you for offering me the position of [Designation]. After careful thought, I have decided not to accept it, as [brief reason, e.g. I have accepted another role that fits my plans better]. I appreciate the time your team gave me and hope our paths cross again. |
| Sign-off | Regards, / [Full name] / [Phone] |
How to spot a fake offer letter
Check the sender. Offers come from the company's own email domain, not a free email address.
Check the process. You had real interviews with named people. An offer after a short chat on a messaging app is a warning sign.
Check the company. Look it up on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs website and on its own official site, and call a number you found yourself.
Check the details. Vague roles, unusually high pay for the role and pressure to accept within hours are common in fake offers.
Never share your bank login, OTP or card details to "process" an offer.
After you accept: documents to keep ready
Educational certificates and marksheets, and your degree or provisional certificate
Relieving and experience letters from previous employers, and your last salary slips
PAN, Aadhaar and bank account details
Your UAN, so your PF account continues
Passport-size photos and any forms the company sends
Applying while you wait for offers? Run your resume through our free ATS resume checker before you send it, since many companies screen with software first.
Frequently asked questions
What is an offer letter?
It is the letter a company sends to offer you a job, stating the role, salary, joining date and conditions. You accept it in writing before you join.
What is the difference between an offer letter and an appointment letter?
An offer letter is a proposal before you join. An appointment letter confirms your employment on joining, with the full terms. Since 21 November 2025, the OSH Code, 2020 requires employers to issue an appointment letter to every employee.
Is an offer letter the same as a joining letter?
Not quite. Companies use "joining letter" loosely, sometimes for the offer and sometimes for the appointment letter you get on your first day. Check what the document says: a proposal you accept is an offer; a letter confirming your appointment and terms is an appointment letter.
How do I accept an offer letter?
Sign and return a copy, or reply by email before the deadline, confirming the role, CTC and joining date. Format 5 above has the text.
Do I need an offer letter for an internship?
It is good practice. An internship offer should state the dates, stipend, mentor and that it is not an offer of employment. Format 3 above covers this.
How can I tell if an offer letter is fake?
Warning signs include a request for any payment, an offer from a free email address, no real interview and pressure to accept within hours. Check the company independently before you share documents.
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