When should you write a formal letter?
A formal letter is the right choice any time you're writing to someone in an official or professional capacity rather than someone you know personally — a company you're lodging a complaint with, a government office, a landlord, a school, a bank, or an employer. It's also the format behind more specific letter types you may already need: a job application letter and a resignation letter are both formal letters built on the exact structure explained here, just written for a specific purpose. If you're on first-name terms with the recipient and the matter is personal rather than official, an informal letter or a plain email is usually more appropriate — save the formal structure for situations where tone and presentation genuinely affect how your message is received.
The 7 parts of a formal letter
Every formal letter follows the same skeleton, in this order. Career-writing guidance from Purdue OWL and Indeed's career advice both describe this structure consistently, whether the letter is printed and posted or attached as a document.
- Sender's address: Your own address, without your name, placed at the top of the page (top-right in the traditional block format, or top-left in a simpler modern layout — either is acceptable as long as it's consistent).
- Date: Written in full underneath your address — for example "14 August 2026" — not abbreviated as numbers only, which can be misread across date formats.
- Recipient's address: The name, title, organisation and address of the person or office you're writing to, placed below the date and aligned to the left margin.
- Salutation: "Dear [Title] [Surname]," if you know the name, or "Dear Sir/Madam," if you don't. Always followed by a comma, not a colon, in standard British/Nigerian letter convention.
- Subject line: A short, bolded or underlined line stating what the letter is about — for example "Re: Complaint Regarding Delayed Refund" — placed just above the body. This isn't always required, but it helps the reader immediately understand the letter's purpose.
- Body: Two to four paragraphs. State your purpose in the opening line, give the necessary detail in the middle, and close with what you want to happen next.
- Closing and signature: "Yours faithfully," if you used "Dear Sir/Madam," or "Yours sincerely," if you addressed the recipient by name — followed by space for a signature, then your typed full name underneath.
Full sample formal letter
Below is a complete, ready-to-copy example of a formal complaint letter. Replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details — the structure itself doesn't need to change.
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State]
[Phone Number] · [Email Address]
14 August 2026
The Customer Service Manager
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[City, State]
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: Complaint Regarding Undelivered Order [Order Number]
I am writing to formally complain about an order I placed with your company on [date], which has not been delivered despite the confirmed delivery date of [date].
On [date], I ordered [item/service description] under order reference [order number], for which I paid [amount]. I received a confirmation email stating the order would arrive by [date], but as of today, [date], it has not arrived. I contacted your customer service line on [date] and was told the matter would be resolved within 48 hours; this has not happened.
I would appreciate it if you could either arrange immediate delivery of the item or process a full refund to my original payment method within 7 working days. I have attached a copy of my order confirmation and payment receipt for your reference.
I look forward to your prompt response.
Yours faithfully,
[Signature]
[Your Full Name]
Common formatting mistakes to avoid
- Mixing salutation and closing style. "Dear Sir/Madam" should always close with "Yours faithfully," never "Yours sincerely," and vice versa for a named salutation.
- Using a comma after "Dear Sir/Madam." This is correct in modern practice — the older convention of a colon after the salutation is largely reserved for US legal and highly formal correspondence, and a comma is standard in Nigerian and British formal letters.
- Skipping the subject line. Without it, the reader has to read the whole first paragraph just to know why you're writing — a subject line lets a busy office route your letter correctly.
- Writing a vague opening line. The first sentence of the body should say exactly why you're writing, not ease into it with pleasantries.
- Leaving out contact details. A phone number and email in your sender's address make it easy for the recipient to follow up quickly instead of writing back by post.
People also ask
What are the 7 parts of a formal letter?
Sender's address, date, recipient's address, salutation, body, complimentary close, and signature — with an optional subject line and enclosure note.
How do you start a formal letter if you don't know the recipient's name?
Use "Dear Sir/Madam" or a role-based greeting like "Dear Hiring Manager." Try to find the actual name where possible, since it reads as more serious.
What is the correct way to close a formal letter?
"Yours faithfully" after "Dear Sir/Madam," or "Yours sincerely" after a named salutation, followed by your signature and printed name.
Should a formal letter be handwritten or typed?
Typed, with a handwritten or scanned signature added at the bottom. Fully handwritten letters are reserved for personal or ceremonial situations, not official correspondence.