Offer Letter Generator: Free Offer Letter Format With Salary Breakup and PDF
Make a job offer letter for a new hire in a few minutes. Choose a format, add your logo, the role, the joining date and the CTC, and optionally a salary breakup that totals itself. Download it as a Word file, print it, save it as PDF or copy the text. It is free, needs no sign-up, and nothing you type leaves your device.
Before the offer letter goes out
- ✓ Say CTC, not “salary” or “take-home”: CTC is the cost to the company, and in-hand pay is lower.
- ✓ If you add a breakup, it must total the CTC. The tool warns you when it doesn’t, and it does not fill in any percentages.
- ✓ Give an accept-by date, and don’t copy bond, non-compete or penalty lines your company doesn’t use.
- ✓ An offer letter does not replace the appointment letter under the OSH Code, 2020. Updated 22 October 2026.
Offer Letter Generator
Fill the form, pick a format, check the live A4 preview, then print or save as PDF. Everything stays in your browser.
Good to know: We found no government-prescribed format for a job offer letter in India. The wording here is a common business format that you can edit, and the optional clauses are company choices, not legal requirements. An offer letter is not the same as an appointment letter (see below the tool). Check every figure before you sign. Nothing is uploaded; your data and logo stay on this device.
Highlighted text in brackets means a field is still empty. Long letters print on more than one A4 page; the signature, the salary table and the acceptance section are kept whole.
By ScaleSaathi Editorial · Updated 22 October 2026
How to use the offer letter generator
- Pick a format. Formal offer, Startup / IT (a warmer tone), Internship offer (with a stipend and end date), or a short version for quick hires.
- Add the company details. Name, address, phone, email or website, an optional CIN, GSTIN or registration number, and your logo. The logo is read on your device and never uploaded.
- Enter the candidate details. Name as on their ID, and optionally their postal address and email.
- Describe the role. Designation, department, reporting manager, work location, joining date and the date by which the candidate should accept.
- Enter the pay. Type the annual CTC (or the monthly stipend for an intern). The amount is written out in words for you. Tick Add a salary breakup table to add your own components; enter each per month or per year and the monthly and annual totals are added up. If the total does not match the CTC, you see a warning.
- Choose the terms. Probation and notice period, working hours, and optional clauses for confidentiality, background verification and documents to bring. Leave any of them out if your company does not use them.
- Add the signatory, place and date, then check the live A4 preview. Empty fields are highlighted in brackets.
- Download a Word (.docx) file to edit in Word or Google Docs, print or save as PDF, or copy the text into an email. Long letters flow onto a second page with the signature, salary table and acceptance section kept whole. Use Save draft to keep your details in this browser for the next offer.
Is there an official offer letter format in India?
No. We checked official sources and did not find any government-prescribed format, wording or stamp for a job offer letter in India. The offer letter is a business document, and each company uses its own wording. That is why the generator gives you editable formats rather than a “mandatory” one, and why every clause apart from the basic offer is optional.
What the law does deal with is the appointment letter. 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, with the information and in the form prescribed by the appropriate Government, and that existing employees without one must be given it within three months of the Code’s commencement (OSH Code, 2020, Gazette text). The Government made the four Labour Codes effective from 21 November 2025 and described the change as “Mandatory appointment letters to all workers” (PIB, 21 November 2025). The Labour Ministry’s FAQ adds that fixed-term workers also get appointment letters (Ministry of Labour and Employment FAQ).
So an offer letter does not replace the appointment letter. If your establishment is covered, check the rules your appropriate Government has made for the content and form of the appointment letter, and issue it on joining.
What to include in an offer letter
- Letterhead: company name, address and contact details, and a logo if you have one.
- Date and reference number: the issue date, and your internal reference if you keep a register of letters.
- Candidate details: full name, and the address or email the letter is sent to.
- Role: designation, department, reporting manager and work location (office, city or remote).
- Joining date: written in full, for example 16 November 2026.
- Pay: the annual CTC in figures and words, or the monthly stipend for an intern. A component-wise breakup as an annexure is optional.
- Key terms you choose to state: probation, notice period, working hours, confidentiality, background verification, documents to bring.
- Validity: the date by which the candidate must accept, and what happens if they do not.
- Signature block: “For [Company]”, the authorised signatory’s name and designation, and the place.
- Acceptance section: a short statement the candidate signs and dates to accept the offer.
Keep the offer letter short and clear. Detailed terms such as leave rules, transfer, termination and policies usually belong in the appointment letter or your HR policy.
Offer letter formats (samples)
These are the same formats the generator produces. Replace the text in brackets.
1. Formal job offer letter format
2. Startup / IT offer letter format
3. Internship offer letter format
4. Short offer letter format
Acceptance section
Offer letter vs appointment letter
| Point | Offer letter | Appointment letter |
|---|---|---|
| When it is given | Before joining, after the candidate is selected | On or after joining |
| Main purpose | To offer the job and record the key terms for acceptance | To confirm the appointment and set out the terms of employment |
| Legal position (India) | No government-prescribed format that we could find | OSH Code, 2020, Section 6(1)(f): employer to issue one to every employee, with prescribed information and form |
| Typical contents | Role, joining date, CTC, main terms, accept-by date, acceptance section | Detailed terms: designation, pay, duties and other particulars as your rules require, plus company policies |
| Length | Usually one or two pages | Often longer |
| Who signs | Authorised signatory; the candidate signs to accept | Authorised signatory; often countersigned by the employee |
Common offer letter mistakes to avoid
- A CTC that does not match the breakup. If the components add up to a different number, candidates lose trust. The generator warns you when the total and the CTC differ.
- Calling CTC “salary” or “take-home”. CTC is the cost to the company; the in-hand amount is lower. Say CTC clearly, and use the salary calculator if the candidate asks about in-hand pay.
- No accept-by date. Without one, an offer can stay open for weeks. State a date and what happens after it.
- Copying clauses you do not use. Do not add a bond, non-compete or penalty line just because a template had one. Include only terms your company actually applies, and take advice on anything unusual.
- Calling a clause “mandatory by law”. Most offer letter clauses are company choices. Be accurate about what is policy and what is law.
- Wrong name or date formats. Use the candidate’s name as on their ID and write dates in full to avoid confusion between 03/11 and 11/03.
- Treating the offer letter as the appointment letter. Issue the appointment letter on joining as well, if the OSH Code applies to you.
Plan the exit terms now; see what a relieving letter must say when someone leaves.
Building the CTC breakup under the Labour Codes
The salary annexure is where most offer letters go wrong, and since 21 November 2025 it matters more. That is the date the four Labour Codes came into force, as the Press Information Bureau announced. The Code on Wages now gives one definition of wages for PF, gratuity and the rest, and a candidate who compares two offers will notice if yours does not add up.
Three rules shape the structure:
- The 50% rule. Under section 2(y) of the Code on Wages, wages means basic pay, dearness allowance and retaining allowance. HRA, conveyance, the employer's PF contribution, overtime and some other items are left out, but if those left-out items (other than gratuity and retrenchment pay) come to more than half of the total pay, the excess is counted as wages. The PIB note on the Codes explains this 50% rule. In practice, keep basic plus DA at half of total pay or more, and PF and gratuity will be worked out on the figure you expect.
- The EPF wage ceiling is ₹25,000 a month. The Ministry of Labour notified the higher ceiling on 17 September 2026 (Gazette notification S.O. 5109(E), also covered in the PIB release of 16 September 2026). Offers drafted from an older template that cap PF at ₹15,000 now need a second look.
- Gratuity is 15 days' wages for each completed year. Section 53 of the Code on Social Security works it at the last drawn wage, and a fixed-term employee becomes eligible after one year instead of five. Employers who show gratuity inside CTC usually provide 4.81% of basic, which is 15/26 of a month's basic spread over 12 months.
Here is how a ₹6,00,000 CTC can be laid out under those rules:
| Component | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | ₹25,000 | ₹3,00,000 |
| HRA (40% of basic) | ₹10,000 | ₹1,20,000 |
| Special allowance | ₹10,798 | ₹1,29,576 |
| Employer PF (12% of ₹25,000) | ₹3,000 | ₹36,000 |
| Gratuity provision (4.81% of basic) | ₹1,202 | ₹14,424 |
| Total CTC | ₹50,000 | ₹6,00,000 |
Gross pay on the salary slip is ₹45,798 a month (basic, HRA and special allowance). The employee's own PF of ₹3,000 comes out of that, before any professional tax or TDS. Even if the special allowance were counted as an excluded item, the excluded items would total ₹2,85,576 a year, under half of the ₹5,85,576 paid before gratuity, so the 50% rule adds nothing to wages here. The example leaves out EPF administrative and EDLI charges, which some employers also put inside CTC. Whatever you include, say so in the annexure, and write the in-hand figure separately so nobody mistakes CTC for take-home pay.
Once the candidate accepts, the appointment letter carries the full terms. The offer letter format guide and the appointment letter format guide walk through both letters.
Offer letter FAQ
What is the format of an offer letter?
There is no fixed format prescribed by law in India for a job offer letter. A clear offer letter is printed on the company letterhead and shows the date and a reference number, the candidate’s name and address, the designation and department, the reporting manager and work location, the joining date, the CTC (with a salary breakup if you give one), the main terms you want to state, the date by which the candidate must accept, and the name, designation and signature of an authorised person, followed by an acceptance section for the candidate.
Is there a government format for an offer letter in India?
Not that we could find. We checked official labour sources and found no government-prescribed template for a job offer letter. The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 does require employers to issue a letter of appointment to every employee on appointment, with the information and in the form prescribed by the appropriate Government. That is the appointment letter, which is a separate document. For a specific case, check the rules that apply to your establishment or take professional advice.
What is the difference between an offer letter and an appointment letter?
An offer letter is sent before joining to offer the job and record the main terms, and the candidate accepts it. An appointment letter is usually issued on or after joining and sets out the terms of employment in more detail. Under the OSH Code, 2020, issuing a letter of appointment to every employee is a duty of the employer. Many small businesses issue both; this generator makes the offer letter and can add a line saying the appointment letter will follow.
Should an offer letter include a salary breakup?
It is your choice; no format requires it in an offer letter. Many companies attach a breakup as an annexure so the candidate can see how the CTC is made up. In this generator you add your own components, enter each one per month or per year, and the totals are worked out. We do not fill in any percentages, because your salary structure is a company decision and statutory contributions depend on your facts.
What does CTC mean in an offer letter?
CTC stands for cost to company. It is the total yearly amount the company expects to spend on the employee as per its own salary structure. It is not the same as take-home pay. To estimate in-hand salary from a CTC, use our salary calculator, and confirm the final figures with your payroll.
Can an offer letter be withdrawn or can a candidate decline it?
An offer letter normally states a date by which the candidate must accept, and many letters say the offer will lapse if it is not accepted by then. Whether an offer can be withdrawn after acceptance depends on the facts and the terms, so we cannot give a general answer. If there is a dispute, take advice from a labour lawyer.
How do I make an internship offer letter?
Choose the Internship offer format. Enter the internship role, start and end dates, the monthly stipend and the work location. The letter states that it is an offer of an internship, not of regular employment. Probation lines are left out of this format.
Can I make an offer letter in Word format?
Yes. Click Download Word (.docx) and the generator builds a Word file on your device, with A4 pages, the salary breakup as a real table with totals, the signature block and the acceptance section. It opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice, where you can edit it further. Nothing is uploaded to make it.
Is my data safe in this offer letter generator?
Yes. The generator runs entirely in your browser. The details you type, the salary figures and the logo you upload are not sent to ScaleSaathi or anyone else. Save draft stores a copy only in this browser on this device, and Delete saved draft removes it.
Is an offer letter legally binding?
An offer letter is a proposal. Under section 5 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, a proposal can be revoked at any time before its acceptance is complete, but not afterwards. Once the candidate has accepted in the way the letter asks, both sides have an agreement, and its terms are what the letter and the later appointment letter say. If a dispute comes up after acceptance, take advice from a labour lawyer.
Can an offer letter stop the employee joining a competitor later?
Be careful with such clauses. Section 27 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 says an agreement that restrains anyone from carrying on a lawful profession, trade or business is void to that extent, and its only exception is for a person who sells the goodwill of a business. A clause that protects confidential information is a different matter and is common in offer letters.
What is the PF wage ceiling to use in an offer letter?
₹25,000 a month, notified on 17 September 2026 in Gazette notification S.O. 5109(E). If an older template caps PF at ₹15,000, update it, and state in the annexure the wage on which PF is worked out.
How much gratuity should I show in CTC?
Gratuity under the Code on Social Security is 15 days' wages for each completed year of service, at the last drawn wage. Employers who show it in CTC usually provide 4.81% of basic (15/26 of a month's basic over 12 months). On a basic of ₹25,000 a month that is about ₹1,202 a month.
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- Salary calculator (CTC to in-hand)
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Sources (checked 22 October 2026)
This page is general information, not legal advice. ScaleSaathi is run by LendLink Tech Pvt Ltd.