Job offer letter template (2026): free, copy and use
A plain job offer letter template you can copy, what every offer letter should contain, and the mistakes that make an offer unclear or unenforceable.
Last updated 29 August 2026. Competitor pricing and plan limits are re-verified against each vendor’s own pages.
What should a job offer letter include?
Every offer letter is answering the same handful of questions a candidate has before they resign from their current job. Leaving any of them out is what generates the follow-up email chain.
- The job title and who the role reports to
- The start date, or how it will be agreed
- Compensation, stated in full — base, any fixed allowances, any variable component and how it is earned
- Working location and arrangement: on-site, hybrid or remote
- Employment type: permanent, fixed-term, contract or internship
- Any conditions the offer depends on, such as reference or background checks
- A response deadline
- Who to contact with questions
Free job offer letter template
Copy this and replace the bracketed fields. Keep the conditional clause only if the offer genuinely is conditional — an unconditional offer that reads as conditional creates avoidable anxiety.
[Company name] [Company address] [Date] Dear [Candidate name], Offer of employment — [Job title] We are pleased to offer you the position of [Job title] at [Company name]. Role and reporting You will report to [Manager name, job title]. Your primary place of work will be [location], on a [on-site / hybrid / remote] basis. Start date Your employment will begin on [start date], or another date agreed in writing between us. Employment type This is a [permanent / fixed-term / contract] position. [For fixed-term: The term ends on (date).] Compensation Your compensation will be [amount] per [year / month], paid [monthly, on or before the last working day]. [If applicable: You will also be eligible for (variable pay / bonus), subject to (conditions).] [If applicable: Allowances: (list).] Conditions [Delete if the offer is unconditional.] This offer is conditional on [satisfactory references / background verification / proof of right to work / (other)]. Responding Please confirm your acceptance by [response date]. If you have any questions before then, contact [name] at [email]. We are looking forward to working with you. Yours sincerely, [Name] [Job title] [Company name]
What mistakes make an offer letter go wrong?
Most offer letter problems are not legal — they are ambiguity that costs a candidate.
- Quoting a total compensation figure without breaking out what is guaranteed and what is variable. This is the single most common cause of a candidate feeling misled later.
- Leaving the start date open with no mechanism to agree it.
- Describing an offer as conditional without saying what the conditions are or who decides whether they are met.
- No response deadline, which leaves both sides waiting.
- Sending the offer from a personal email address rather than the company domain — it reads as less credible and is easier to impersonate.
How do you send and track an offer?
An offer letter emailed as an attachment leaves no record of whether it was opened, accepted or declined, which is why acceptance so often gets confirmed over a phone call and then lost.
ofper sends offer letters through your own company mailbox and gates them behind a one-time code sent to the candidate's email. The candidate reads the terms and accepts or declines, and the outcome is recorded permanently with the exact terms they saw. This is free.
To be clear about what that is not: it is an auditable acceptance record, not a legally recognised electronic signature product. If your process requires eSignature, use a dedicated tool.
Questions, answered straight
Is a job offer letter legally binding?
An offer letter sets out the terms being offered and generally becomes binding once the candidate accepts, but it is not the same as an employment contract and the position varies by jurisdiction. Have a lawyer review your standard template before you use it at volume.
What is the difference between an offer letter and an employment contract?
An offer letter communicates the terms of the offer and asks the candidate to accept. An employment contract sets out the full terms and conditions of employment, and is usually longer and signed by both parties.
How long should a candidate get to respond to an offer?
Between three and seven working days is common. Too short reads as pressure; too long leaves the role open and lets other offers land. State the date explicitly rather than saying as soon as possible.
Can I send offer letters for free?
Yes. ofper includes offer letters with a one-time-code acceptance and a permanent record at no cost, sent through your own company mailbox.