Free Authorization Letter Samples (Word, PDF & Editable Formats)

Download these Free Authorization Letter Samples to learn and then write your letter efficiently.

Indeed, as the very name suggests, an Authorization Letter is generally a formal letter of authority confirmation. Such authority can also be tasked to an employee regarding a higher designation, rank, or position to make legal decisions or delegate responsibilities. The letter can be used in corporate, insurance, bank, and other personal environments. So, in essence, whenever you wish to delegate somebody any responsibility, you need to draft this authorization letter very carefully. Hence, below are certain guidelines on how to prepare this letter.

The Authorization Letter must be simple and written in clear language. Avoid using complex words that the reader might not understand or double-meaning sentences that might confuse the reader. Make a proper framework of things (segmentation) that you wish to include and things that are not so important and thus need not be included. Since the Authorization Letter is formal, make it look professional in all aspects.

Authorization Letter Writing

It is advised to type the Authorization Letter rather than hand-written as it is error-free, easy to understand, easily accessible, and a soft copy of the same can be maintained. You might want to use it in the future for reference purposes, hence keep it in records in your system.

Write your name along with the complete address on the top left space of the page. Leave a single line space and mention the current date (dd/mm/yy). Next, mention the name and address of the recipient. The recipient is not the same to which the authority is assigned. Rather, he/she is the second party. The second part is the one with whom you and your proxy are dealing. Sometimes, there might be situations, when you don’t know the second party like in the case of the insurance sector. Then, you may address it as “to whom it may concern”.

Authorization Letter – Body Contents

The next section deals with the body of the letter. Give a proper salutation. Knowing the person to whom you are writing is advisable. By reading one’s full name, the person gets a sense of satisfaction that you know his/her name at least. The body of the Authorization Letter or the crux of the letter must be clear, specific, and precise. Avoid using long sentences and difficult words. The key information is the responsibility or the duty you wish to assign to the authorized person. Hence, that must be clearly stated. Moreover, remember to keep it brief and formal.

In the last section, mention the date; for instance when the authorization is valid. In some cases, it may come with expiry else it can be for life long. Thus, depending upon the situation, mention the dates as required. Along with this, mention the reason for drafting the Authorization Letter. Include assumptions, terms, and conditions, or any restrictions (if applicable). Lastly, conclude your Authorization Letter with a positive tone. A signature along with a full name is always preferred.

Make the font bold to highlight crucial information wherever necessary. Try to find a witness while you sign the Authorization Letter. This is to ensure that you are not drafting it under pressure. Give the original letter to the proxy and keep a soft copy of the same in the record.

Free Sample Authorization Letters

As the name states, an authorization letter is a formal document that takes authority from one person and gives it to another person either permanently or for a short period. You might think it’s a letter that you will not see commonly but in reality, we use authorization letters regularly. As a parent, if you allow your kids to go on a trip with other kids, you give them a permission letter which is an authorization letter. If you are on parole and want to travel outside of the state, your PO will give you an authorization letter that will allow you to travel outside of the state for a specific period. Similarly, you can authorize your manager to take cash from the company bank account on your behalf, or collect rents from the properties you own on your behalf or you can allow someone to get to your medical records without your presence.

Authorization letters are used regularly in organizations and companies. This happens more often than you might think. Company owners can’t conduct all of the deals themselves which means they need to give authority to specific people to conduct business on the company’s behalf and that’s where a permission letter comes in handy. It’s important to understand the true essence of an authorization letter and the true purpose is that when you are required by law to be presented somewhere, you have the opportunity to send someone else on your behalf and that individual is allowed to make decisions with your signed authorization letter.

Here is preview of this Authority Letter to Release Medical Records.

 

Another important use of an authorization letter is when kids and teenagers are traveling abroad with a blood relative but not their parents. Many countries have a law that a minor can only travel outside of the country with either of his parents. If they are with an aunt an uncle or a grandparent, the guardian must produce an authorization letter from you that allows them to travel with your kids. On the other hand, if a school wants to take the students on an educational trip, they are required by law to get permission from the parents of each student. This permission is given out on an authorization letter signed by the parents allowing the school administration to take kids on a trip outside of the school.

Now talking about the importance of an authorization letter, the most important element here is to give permission or authority legally to someone. There are many cases when someone gives permission to a third party and later they both end up in court because neither of them thought signing an official permission letter was necessary. An authorization letter doesn’t only include the scope and extent of the authority given to an individual but it also states the limitations i.e. the decisions that someone is not allowed to make or the date of expiration of the authorization letter.

Yet another Sample Authorization Letter to Collect the Passport on your behalf.

 

Writing an Authorization Letter:

The tone of the letter should be formal:

An authorization letter is essentially a formal letter which allows you to give someone power to act on your behalf. That is the reason why, it should be written in a formal way. Though, it may not be uncommon to write it by hand; it may still stand valid in the event when the matter comes up in court; however, the judiciary system may have some kind of concerns regarding handwritten authority letters. So, bring clarity and professionalism, and do it by typing the letter and getting it printed for your signature.

Choose the type of authorization letter:

There are hundreds of types of authorization letters, and each has some different purpose. Therefore, before issuing a permission letter, one must study the purpose and details required of the letter. For instance, employees executing business on behalf of the company will need a letter of authorization-typed on behalf of the company-accommodating closing deals. The letter must contain all the essential details about that particular type of business. If your manager is going to withdraw cash from your bank on your behalf, he would need a permission letter indicating that you have allowed him to take cash on your behalf.

Full disclosure of the authority:

In the same manner, an authorization letter must include the scope of the authority given by a company or an individual to a third party. If the permission is only for giving a sales overview and the employee needs to get permission before closing a deal, the letter should state that. If an accountant is allowed to take company cash for office expenses, the letter must include the limit to which the cash can be handed out to him. One of the most essential elements to include on an authorization letter is the date on which it was signed and its expiry in case it’s a limited-time permission letter.

Providing full details of the third party:

When you are granting some kind of permission or authority to someone, they can be an individual who has the permission to act on your behalf and make decisions or it can be a company that you allow to trade your shares and stocks. In either case, an authorization letter should include all the details of the third party. This part usually includes; the name of the person receiving the authority, their company name, contact details, and address.

Signature of the person giving authority:

The proofreader must, therefore, edit the authorization letter to eliminate all errors and typos. Once this copy editing is completed, the letter should be printed and signed. The giver of authority to another should sign at the bottom of the letter his full name, date the letter, and put a stamp. The witnesses present when the transaction occurred must also enter personal details and sign the letter.