How to format a business letter.

A man researching how to format a business letter on a laptop.

Learn how to write a business letter according to the most common formatting conventions.

When learning how to write a business letter, it can be challenging to know where to start. Business letters play a significant part in professional communication between companies and their clients. To be as simple to read as possible, business letters follow strict formatting rules.

Business letter format overview.

A business letter is a formal document typically used to communicate between businesses, organizations, or individuals in a professional setting. Business letters convey important information, such as proposals, contracts, agreements, or complaints. They appear in a specific format, including a header, date, recipient’s address, salutation, body, closing, and signature. A well-written business letter can help establish credibility, build relationships, and convey a professional image. Following business letter-writing conventions is important to ensure your message is clear, concise, and effective.

Is a business letter format different than a regular letter?

There are several differences and nuances to consider regarding business letter formatting. Business letters often require a specific format, tone, and level of formality that may differ from what you’re used to with a regular letter. In this article, we’ll provide tips on how to format a business letter.

Elements to include while formatting a letter.

There are several elements to include when formatting a business letter. We have broken these elements into the following seven steps of how to format a business letter.

  1. Letterhead. The letterhead is a key element of a business letter, and it contains the sender’s information, such as the company’s logo, name, and address. Using a letterhead can give your letter a professional look and save you time, as you won’t have to type out your address each time you write a letter. If your organization has an established letterhead, use it. The sender’s address usually appears on the letterhead, so there’s no need to repeat it at the top of the letter. If you don’t have a pre-designed letterhead, you can easily create one using word processing software. Simply include your company’s logo, name, address, phone number, and website address and save the file as a template so you can use it for future correspondence.
  2. Date. The date line indicates the date you wrote the letter. Write out the month, day, and year two inches from the top of the page. Depending on which format you are using, the date should be left-justified or tabbed to the center point. If you’re working on the letter over several days, use the date you finish it in the date line.
  3. Recipient’s address. The recipient’s address should name a specific individual at the firm. Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. If you don’t have the person’s name, research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company. To write the address, use the United States Postal Service format. For international addresses, type the country’s name in all capital letters on the last line. The recipient’s address begins one line below the date. It should be left-justified, no matter which format you are using.
  4. Salutation. Use the same name as previously addressed in the recipient’s address, including the personal title. If you know the person, it is acceptable to use only the first name in the salutation (“Dear Lucy”). In all other cases, however, use the personal title and the last or family name followed by a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation. Using the full name of the recipient is also acceptable in addressing the salutation.
  5. Body. When writing a business letter, remember that conciseness is very important. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. In the first paragraph, consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the main point. The next paragraph should begin by providing evidence for the main point. In the next few paragraphs, continue with background information and supporting details. The closing paragraph should restate the letter’s purpose and, in some cases, request some action.
  6. Closing. The closing begins at the same vertical point as your date and is one line after the last body paragraph. Capitalize the first word only (“Thank you”) and leave four lines between the closing and the sender’s name for a signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a comma should follow the closing.
  7. Enclosures. List any enclosed documents.

Proper format for a business letter.

It’s important to ensure that a business letter follows the appropriate format to convey a sense of professionalism and clarity, but there isn’t just one format. Several types can be used — block format, modified block format, and semi-block format.

Block format

The most common format for a business letter is the block format, with:

Modified block format

Another widely used format is the modified block format. It includes:

This format is similar to block format, but it provides a bit more flexibility when it comes to adding a personal touch to the letter. It’s a good choice for letters requiring a more personal touch while maintaining a professional appearance.

Semi-block format

The final and least common format for a business letter is the semi-block format, where each paragraph is indented instead of left-justified.

This format can be a good choice for letters that require a more formal appearance, giving the letter a more traditional look. However, it can also come across as old-fashioned or overly formal, so choose this format only when appropriate.

No matter which format you choose, pay attention to other details like font choice, spacing, and margins. These small details can greatly impact the overall appearance and professionalism of your business letter. And remember, while these examples provide common elements for the basic business letter, your specific organization or situation may require a different format. Always consult your company’s guidelines or a business writing handbook for specific requirements.

How to write a business letter with the correct tone.

It is important to convey the proper professional and respectful tone when writing a business letter. To address the recipient correctly, use the appropriate title, such as “Mr.” or “Ms.” Additionally, it is important to avoid using overly familiar language or jargon that the recipient might not understand. Using the correct tone and language ensures that your business letter is effective and conveys the desired message to the recipient.

Example of a business letter template.

Here is an example of a business letter template you could copy and paste when starting the writing process.

[Your Name]

[Your Position or Title]

[Your Company]

[Your Address]

[City, State ZIP Code]

[Date]

[Recipient Name]

[Recipient Position or Title]

[Recipient Company]

[Recipient Address]

[City, State ZIP Code]

Dear [Recipient Name],

[Opening paragraph — introduce yourself and the purpose of the letter.]

[Middle paragraph(s) — provide any necessary information or details regarding your request, inquiry, or proposal.]

[Closing paragraph — thank the recipient and provide your contact information if necessary.]

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Share your business letters as PDFs.

You can use free templates to help you write a business letter. However, these templates often come as PDFs and can’t be easily edited. Adobe Acrobat lets you convert the template PDF to an editable Word file. You can also convert PDFs to Word with Adobe Acrobat online services.

Once you’ve written your letter, convert it back to PDF with Acrobat online services to ensure your recipient can read it with any device.

More resources to work with your PDFs.

Now that you’ve learned how to format a business letter, here are additional resources to check out:

Discover what more you can do with Acrobat to convert, sign, and share PDFs.