Business Letter Layout Example

The layout of a business letter is important. Structure your letter in the right way, and it will be easy to read and professional. This will help you get your message across and make a good impression on your colleagues.

Learn how to format your business letter on the page, including what to include in your letter, how to format each paragraph, and which font, salutation, and closing to choose. Also, review quick tips on spelling, grammar, and tone to perfect your letter.

Letter Font and Spacing

• Properly space the layout of the business letters you write, with space between the heading, the greeting, each paragraph, the closing, and your signature.
• Single-space your letter and leave a space between each paragraph. When sending typed letters, leave two spaces before and after your written signature.
• Left-justify your letter, so that your contact information, the date, the letter, and your signature are all aligned to the left.
• Use a plain font like Arial, Times New Roman, Courier New, Calibri, or Verdana. Make sure that the font size you use is large enough that your reader won’t need to reach for their glasses—the standard font size for these fonts is 10-point or 12-point.

Business Letter Etiquette and Tone

If you’re used to writing more informal correspondence, it’s a good idea to refresh your memory about the required sections (e.g., salutation) and tone (professional) of a business letter before composing your own. 

Salutation

It is still standard to use the recipient’s title (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., Professor, Judge) before their last names in the salutation of formal business correspondence (example: “Dear Mr. Smith”). The word “Dear” should always precede the recipient’s name; don’t simply use their name by itself as you might do in casual correspondence.

By the same token, avoid beginning business correspondence with openings like “Hello,” “Hi,” or “Good morning.” Business letters should always begin with “Dear [recipient’s title and name].” The exception is if you use the salutation “To Whom It May Concern” when you do not know the name of the recipient.

Closing

Your closing needs to err on the side of the conservative. Acceptable closings to use include: “Sincerely,” “Sincerely yours,” “Best regards,” “Regards,” “Thank you,” “Thank you for your consideration,” “Respectfully,” and “Very respectfully” (this is often abbreviated “V/R” in military business correspondence).

Do not use casual closings like: “Later,” “Cheers,” “Cordially,” “Thanks!,” “TTYL,” or “Warmly.”

Word Choice and Grammar

Although your word choice for business letters should not be too stilted, flowery, or ornate, you should also avoid using slang, abbreviations/acronyms, emojis, or text-speak. Don’t use the sentence fragments that are commonly used when texting. Instead, use complete sentences and watch out for comma splices (where two complete sentences are joined by a comma). Proofread carefully for spelling errors and grammatical mistakes.

Sending a Hard Copy Letter

If you are drafting a hard copy of your formal business letter as opposed to an email, the paper you use should be a standard white bond paper of a decent weight.

Don’t use the sort of colorful or flamboyant stationery that might be used in marketing “junk mail.” It’s fine to include a simple business logo at the top of the paper.

Business Letter Layout Example

Here's an example of each component of a business letter and how to format them.

Review a Sample Business Letter

This is a business letter example. Download the business letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.