Appointment Letter Format (India, 2026): Full Sample, Salary Annexure and Checklist

Many small businesses in India hire on a WhatsApp message and a handshake. Others send an offer letter and stop there. But under the labour codes, an appointment letter is no longer a nice-to-have: the OSH Code requires employers in establishments it covers to issue one to every employee. And when anything goes wrong — a salary dispute, a notice period argument, a PF query — the appointment letter is the first document everyone reaches for.

This guide gives you an appointment letter format for India in 2026, explains how it differs from an offer letter, what it must include, the clauses that prevent disputes later, a complete sample you can adapt, and a checklist before you issue it.

General guidance as of 2 October 2026, not legal advice. Adapt the format to your company, state and type of establishment, and have your final template reviewed by a lawyer.

The short answer

• Offer letter: a proposal to the candidate — role, salary, joining date. Issued before joining.
• Appointment letter: the formal document confirming employment and its terms. Issued on joining.
• Under the OSH Code, employers of establishments it covers must issue an appointment letter to every employee on appointment, with details such as designation, category of skill, wages and social security information. Existing employees without one were required to get one within a set period after the Code came into force.
• Must include: employee details, designation, date of joining, place of work, salary structure, working hours, probation, notice period, leave, statutory benefits, confidentiality, conduct and termination terms.
• Sign it both ways — the company's authorised signatory and the employee — and keep a copy.

Offer letter vs appointment letter

	Offer letter	Appointment letter
When	Before joining	On or soon after joining
Purpose	To offer the job	To confirm employment and set its terms
Length	1–2 pages	3–6 pages, with annexures
Salary detail	CTC and breakup	Full salary structure, statutory deductions
Terms	Key terms only	Probation, notice, leave, conduct, confidentiality, termination
Legal status	Becomes binding on acceptance, subject to joining	The main record of the employment contract

Many small companies combine them into one detailed offer-cum-appointment letter. That's acceptable if it contains everything an appointment letter needs and is signed on joining. See our offer letter format with salary structure.

What an appointment letter must include

1. Basic details

• Company name, address and registration details on letterhead
• Reference number and date
• Employee's full name, address and employee ID
• Designation, department and reporting manager
• Category of skill (unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, highly skilled) — important for minimum wages
• Date of joining and place of work

2. Salary and benefits

• Monthly and annual salary structure — basic, DA, HRA, other allowances
• CTC and what it includes (employer PF, gratuity, insurance)
• Statutory deductions — PF, ESI, professional tax, TDS
• Pay date and payment mode
• Variable pay, incentives and bonus eligibility
• PF and ESI details (UAN, IP number) or a note that they'll be shared

Under the labour codes, keep basic and DA around 50% of total remuneration. See our guide to salary structure and the 50% rule.

3. Working terms

• Working hours, shifts and weekly offs
• Attendance — how it's recorded; late coming rules (see our late coming policy)
• Leave entitlement — or a reference to the leave policy
• Holidays

4. Probation and confirmation

• Length of probation and whether it can be extended
• Notice during probation
• How confirmation will be communicated

See probation period rules.

5. Notice and termination

• Notice period after confirmation, for both sides
• Pay in lieu of notice and buyout terms
• Termination for misconduct
• Return of company property

See notice period rules.

6. Conduct and protection

• Confidentiality and data protection
• Intellectual property assignment
• Conflict of interest and outside employment
• Code of conduct and POSH policy
• Non-solicitation (post-employment non-competes are generally unenforceable in India)

7. Other

• Transfer clause (if you have multiple locations)
• Documents to submit on joining
• Background verification and its consequences
• Governing law and jurisdiction
• Acceptance block for the employee's signature

Sample appointment letter

[Company letterhead]

Ref: [HR/APT/2026/112] Date: [3 November 2026]

Private and confidential

[Employee name] [Address] Employee ID: [EMP-112]

Subject: Letter of appointment

Dear [Employee name],

With reference to your acceptance of our offer dated [15 October 2026], we are pleased to appoint you on the following terms and conditions.

1. Position. You are appointed as [Designation] in the [Department] department, in the [skilled] category, reporting to [Manager name, designation].

2. Date of joining and place of work. Your appointment is effective from [3 November 2026]. Your place of work will be [office address]. You may be transferred to any office or site of the company, with reasonable notice.

3. Remuneration. Your monthly salary and annual cost to company are set out in Annexure A. Salary is paid by bank transfer by the [7th] of the following month, after statutory deductions — PF, ESI (where applicable), professional tax and income tax.

4. Statutory benefits. You will be covered under the Employees' Provident Fund [and the Employees' State Insurance scheme, where applicable] from your date of joining. You will be eligible for gratuity, bonus and other statutory benefits as per applicable law.

5. Working hours. Normal working hours are [9:30 AM to 6:30 PM], [Monday to Friday], with [Saturday and Sunday] as weekly offs. Attendance must be recorded through the company's HRMS.

6. Leave and holidays. You are entitled to leave and holidays as per the company's leave policy, a copy of which is shared with you.

7. Probation. You will be on probation for [6] months. The company may extend probation once by up to [3] months, by written notice with reasons. During probation, either party may end employment with [15] days' written notice or salary in lieu. Confirmation will be communicated in writing.

8. Notice period. After confirmation, either party may end employment with [60] days' written notice or salary in lieu of notice (calculated on gross monthly salary ÷ 30 per day). Earned leave may be adjusted against notice only with the company's written approval.

9. Termination for cause. The company may end your employment without notice for misconduct, as defined in the company's code of conduct and applicable standing orders, after due process.

10. Confidentiality. You will keep confidential all information about the company, its clients and employees, during and after your employment.

11. Intellectual property. All work you create in the course of your employment belongs to the company.

12. Conduct. You will follow the company's code of conduct, POSH policy, IT and data protection policies and other policies as updated from time to time.

13. Outside work. You will not take up any other employment or business without the company's written consent.

14. Company property. On leaving, you will return all company property, including laptop, ID card and documents.

15. Background verification. This appointment is subject to satisfactory background verification and the documents you have submitted being genuine.

16. Governing law. This appointment is governed by the laws of India, and courts at [city] shall have jurisdiction.

Please sign and return a copy of this letter as your acceptance.

For [Company name]

[Signature] [Name of authorised signatory, designation]

---

Acceptance

I have read and understood the terms of this appointment and accept them.

Signature: ________ Name: ________ Date: ________

Annexure A: salary structure (example)

Component	Monthly (₹)	Annual (₹)
Basic	25,000	3,00,000
HRA	12,500	1,50,000
Special allowance	12,500	1,50,000
Gross salary	50,000	6,00,000
Employer PF	3,000	36,000
Gratuity (provision)	1,203	14,430
CTC	54,203	6,50,430

Deductions: employee PF ₹3,000, professional tax as per state, TDS as applicable. See CTC vs in-hand salary.

Variations

• Fixed-term employees: add the term, the end date and that the employee gets the same wages and benefits as permanent employees doing similar work, with pro-rata gratuity after one year under the Code on Social Security.
• Trainees and apprentices: apprentices under the Apprentices Act have a separate contract format; other trainees need a clear stipend and training period.
• Contract workers engaged through a contractor get their appointment letter from the contractor, not the principal employer.
• Remote employees: state the home state for professional tax and Shops Act purposes, equipment provision and working hours.

Checklist before issuing

• Name, designation and skill category match records.
• Salary meets the minimum wage for the category and state.
• Basic + DA is around 50% of total remuneration.
• Probation and notice terms match your policy.
• Working hours and weekly offs are stated.
• PF and ESI coverage stated correctly.
• Policies referred to are shared with the employee.
• Signed by an authorised signatory.
• Employee's signed acceptance collected and filed.

Common mistakes

1. No appointment letter at all — only an offer letter or a WhatsApp message.
2. CTC only, with no breakup.
3. Salary below the minimum wage for the employee's category.
4. Different notice periods in the offer letter, appointment letter and policy.
5. Post-employment non-compete clauses that won't be enforceable.
6. No signed copy on file.
7. Policies "as amended from time to time" without ever sharing them.
8. Copy-pasted letters with another employee's details left in.

How PeopleVio helps

What PeopleVio does:

• Offer letters with candidate details, designation, department, joining date and salary breakup (basic, HRA, allowances).
• Your own terms and conditions — add each clause once in settings (probation, notice, confidentiality and so on), and it's printed as a numbered list on every offer letter PDF.
• Online acceptance — candidates accept or decline through a secure link, verified with an email OTP, with the response time recorded.
• Convert accepted offers to employees in one step, so the employee record matches the letter.
• Onboarding checklists for documents, PF/ESI details and policy acknowledgements.
• Document storage on the employee profile for the signed appointment letter.
• Payroll from the same salary structure, so the payslip matches the letter.

What PeopleVio doesn't do (yet): it generates offer letters, not separate appointment letters. Many small companies use a detailed offer letter with full terms and conditions as an offer-cum-appointment letter; otherwise, use the format above and upload the signed copy to the employee's documents.

Active employees	Monthly billing	Yearly billing (per month)
20	₹1,180	₹980
50	₹2,450	₹2,050
100	₹4,900	₹4,100

Prices exclude GST. See the pricing page.

Frequently asked questions

Is an appointment letter mandatory in India? Under the OSH Code, employers of covered establishments must issue an appointment letter to every employee on appointment. It's good practice for every employer.

What is the difference between an offer letter and an appointment letter? An offer letter proposes the job before joining. An appointment letter confirms employment and sets out its full terms on joining.

What should an appointment letter contain? Employee details, designation and skill category, date of joining, place of work, salary structure, working hours, leave, probation, notice period, statutory benefits, confidentiality, conduct and termination terms.

Can the offer letter and appointment letter be the same? Yes. A detailed offer-cum-appointment letter with full terms, signed on joining, works for many small companies.

Who should sign the appointment letter? An authorised signatory of the company, and the employee as acceptance.

Should the salary breakup be in the appointment letter? Yes — usually as an annexure showing gross, deductions and CTC.

Can a non-compete clause be included? Restrictions during employment and non-solicitation are common. Post-employment non-competes are generally not enforceable in India.

Does PeopleVio generate appointment letters? PeopleVio generates offer letters with salary breakup and your own terms and conditions, with online OTP-verified acceptance. Separate appointment letters can be uploaded to the employee's documents.

The bottom line

An appointment letter is the foundation of the employment relationship. Put the salary structure, probation, notice and conduct terms in one signed document on day one, and most later disputes have a clear answer.

Still sending offers as Word files? PeopleVio generates offer letters with salary breakup and your own terms, collects OTP-verified acceptance online and turns accepted offers into employee records ready for payroll. See PeopleVio's pricing or book a demo.

Related reading: Offer letter format with salary structure · Offer letter software for small business · Probation period rules · HR compliance checklist