An experience letter, also called an experience certificate, is the employer's written confirmation of an employee's tenure, designation and conduct, issued when they leave. The full format is on this page, free to copy, with filled samples and notes for Word and PDF.
Before the format, one clarification that saves confusion. The experience letter and the experience certificate are the same document under two names. Companies usually say letter, while hospitals, colleges and government offices usually say certificate. Whichever title sits at the top, the content is identical: who worked, in what role, between which dates, and how they conducted themselves. This page uses both terms because employers are asked for both.
Everything in the block below is selectable text. Replace the square bracket fields, put it on your letterhead, and it is ready to sign.
TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN
This is to certify that [Employee Name] was employed with [Company Name] as [Designation] in the [Department] department from [Date of Joining] to [Last Working Day].
During this period, [his/her] conduct and performance were found to be [satisfactory/good/excellent]. [He/She] completed all assigned responsibilities and exit formalities before being relieved on [Last Working Day].
We wish [him/her] success in all future endeavours.
For [Company Name]
[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Signatory Designation]
[Company Seal]
Keep it to one page. If the employee held more than one designation, list each with its dates in the first paragraph rather than issuing separate letters. A terse letter that verifies cleanly serves the employee better than a long one that raises questions.
No field on an experience certificate is decorative. Future employers call to verify it, and background check agencies compare it line by line against payroll records. The dates and the designation carry the most weight. The Labour Codes, in effect since 21 November 2025, made appointment letters mandatory, and the appointment letter is where the designation and date of joining were first fixed. Your experience letter should match that document exactly, and both should match the payroll trail. One caveat: the draft Central Rules under the Labour Codes were issued in December 2025 and are not yet final, so watch the final text for anything touching exit paperwork.
A relieving letter is a different document with a narrower job, confirming release from duties after notice. The distinction is worth two minutes, and the guide on relieving letter vs experience letter covers it. Many companies issue both at exit, generated together in one sitting with a joining and experience letter creator.
Word is where the letter gets written. Paste the format into a blank document, set your letterhead in the header, and replace the placeholders. Save a master with the brackets intact and duplicate it for each exit, overwriting an old employee's letter invites carried over dates. Ten minutes of setup gives every future letter the same provenance.
PDF is where the letter travels. Print the Word version, sign and seal it, then scan or export to PDF before handing it over. The fixed layout survives every device, and reviewers treat a PDF with a visible signature as the authentic copy. Keep the editable Word file in HR records only.
Both companies and all people below are fictional. Reuse the wording, not the names.
TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN
This is to certify that Neha K was employed with Larkspur Infotech Pvt Ltd as Software Developer in the Engineering department from 12 June 2023 to 31 July 2026.
During this period, her conduct and performance were found to be excellent. She completed all assigned responsibilities and exit formalities before being relieved on 31 July 2026.
We wish her success in all future endeavours.
For Larkspur Infotech Pvt Ltd
Arvind S
Head of Human Resources
(Company Seal)
TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN
This is to certify that Priya S was employed with Thulir Multispeciality Hospital as Staff Nurse in the General Medicine ward from 1 February 2022 to 30 June 2026.
During this period, her duties included patient care, medication administration, shift documentation and assisting the duty doctors on rounds. Her conduct and clinical performance were found to be excellent. She completed all exit formalities before being relieved on 30 June 2026.
We wish her success in all future endeavours.
For Thulir Multispeciality Hospital
Dr. Meenakshi R
Medical Superintendent
(Hospital Seal)
The hospital version adds one sentence on clinical duties, which is what a recruiting hospital actually checks. The same pattern works for lab technicians, pharmacists and administrative staff, swap the duties line and the ward.
The format on this page is free, use it as is. If exits come often enough that drafting each letter by hand feels wasteful, Offrd generates the finished experience letter with your company and employee details filled in, in about 2 minutes. It costs ₹99 per document, you get 50 free credits on signup, and no card is needed. 4,000+ companies generate their HR documents this way, using the same experience letter software that keeps dates and designations consistent with the rest of the employee's records.
Prefer to see it first? Book a free demo or write to service@offrd.co.
This page is part of Offrd's HR software for India guide.
Yes. The two names describe one document. Companies tend to say experience letter, while colleges, hospitals and government offices tend to say experience certificate. Either way it is the employer's written confirmation of the employee's tenure, designation and conduct, and the format on this page works under both titles.
On company letterhead: a reference number, the date of issue, a To Whomsoever It May Concern line, one paragraph confirming the employee's name, designation, department and exact dates of employment, one line on conduct and performance, a closing wish, and the name, designation and signature of the authorised signatory with the company seal.
Copy the format from this page into a blank Word document, add your letterhead or set the company name in the header, and replace the square bracket fields with the employee's details. Keep it to one page. Save a master copy with the placeholders intact and duplicate it for each departing employee instead of overwriting an old letter.
Yes, and you should. Fill the letter in Word, have it signed, then share it as a PDF so the layout and signature stay fixed on any device. Employees submit experience certificates to new employers, banks and visa desks, and those reviewers expect a PDF. Keep the editable file in your HR records.
The same structure as any experience certificate, plus the clinical detail a future employer checks: the department or ward, the role, and a line on duties such as patient care or equipment handled. The hospital sample on this page shows the full wording for a staff nurse, and the format works for lab, pharmacy and administrative roles too.
A relieving letter confirms the employee has been released from duties on a given date after serving notice. An experience letter certifies the full stint, the designation and the conduct. Many companies issue both together at exit, and the dates on the two must match each other and the payroll record.