HR & Employment
Free Job Offer Letter Template (PDF)
An offer letter is the formal written offer of employment a company sends a candidate — role, start date, compensation, and any conditions the offer depends on, with a deadline to accept.
Download the template
Free, no signup required. Fill in the blanks by hand, or use it below to fill and send for signature.
When to use it
Use this once you've decided to hire someone and are ready to make it official in writing — it's the document that turns a verbal "we'd like to offer you the job" into something the candidate can actually sign and rely on.
What's typically included
- Position and reporting line
- Start date and location
- Compensation
- Benefits summary
- At-will employment statement
- Conditions (background check, etc.)
- Offer expiration date
- Acceptance signature
How to fill it in
- Fill in the job title, start date, and salary as the custom variables the template calls for — these appear more than once in the letter, so setting them once keeps every mention consistent.
- Check the at-will employment statement against the law where the employee will actually work — at-will defaults and exceptions vary by state, and a handful of states (and some cities) have their own notice or disclosure requirements for offer letters.
- List the real conditions the offer depends on (background check, right-to-work verification, references) rather than leaving the section vague — an offer that turns out to be conditional on something never disclosed upfront can create its own dispute.
This document involves employment or workplace-compliance obligations that vary by state and by employer size. It is a general starting point only — not legal advice — and should be reviewed by an employment attorney licensed in your state before use.
Frequently asked questions
Is an offer letter the same as an employment contract?
Not usually — an offer letter typically states the key terms of at-will employment without the fuller obligations (confidentiality, IP assignment, termination terms) a full employment agreement covers. If you need those spelled out, use the employment agreement template instead, or in addition.
Is an electronically signed offer letter legally binding?
Yes, under the U.S. ESIGN Act and state UETA laws, an electronic signature carries the same legal weight as one on paper.
Does this offer letter guarantee employment for a set period?
No — the at-will statement in this template is meant to make clear that either side can end the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, except where state law provides otherwise. Confirm this language matches the law where the employee works before sending.
Ready to use this template?
Every word is editable before you send — this is a starting point, not a final draft.