An excuse letter is a formal letter written to explain the reason behind absence, lateness, or missing any commitment. This letter acts as a professional courtesy and informs your employer, teacher, or other authority person about your absence or missing the given commitment. While writing, ensure to maintain a respectful tone and be polite while confirming your loyalty and good intentions. Explore the best-written samples and examples of excuse letters in various formats like Google Docs, Word, PDF, and others available at Docsi.
Excuse Letter Templates [Download in MS Word, Google Docs]
Excuse Letter Format
FROM
The excuse letter should start by adding your full name, address, email, and phone number.
Example:
NicoleÂ
42 Pine Street Â
Seattle, TX 24459
Email: nicole@gmail.com
Phone: XXXÂ Â
DATE
Include the date on the excuse letter.
Example: September 26, 2025Â Â
TO
The next step would include the details of the recipient like the name of the person, designation, and full address.
Example:
Mr. CharleÂ
ManagerÂ
Via Advertising & CorpÂ
45 Oak Street Â
Seattle, TXÂ 942631Â
SUBJECT
Include a simple and straight reason behind writing an excuse letter.
Example:
Subject: Excuse Letter for Absence Due to Illness Â
SALUTATION
Start writing the letter by greeting the authoritative person.
Example: Dear Mr. Charle, Â
BODY
Ensure to maintain a professional tone and write the body description of the letter to convey the reason for your absence to the work place and while writing ensure to add the required dates and give a brief explanation.
Example: I am Nicole, working at Via advertising and corp as an executive sales department head. I am unable to join work today at the office due to my illness as the doctor advised me to rest for complete recovery. I will not be able to come to the office for the next 2 days, which is from 26th September to 28th September. 2025.
I will reschedule any pending meetings and tasks once I am back to work.
Thank you for your understanding.
CLOSING
At the end of the letter, add a polite closing note and add your signature.
Example:
Sincerely, Â
Nicole Â
Signature
How to Write an Excuse Letter?
While writing a formal excuse letter, maintain a polite tone and ensure that you maintain an honest and straightforward approach in your letter. Always avoid getting too personal in the letter or using any type of flowery language.
Steps to Write an Excuse Letter:
- Write like a pro:
While writing the excuse letter, use a professional tone that pleases the people in authority.
- Be straight and diplomatic:
In the beginning of the letter, use an appropriate opening and closing by adding the authority person’s surname and name.
- Have a backup:
In some cases, having a backup person to handle your work or replace you for the day is important. In such cases, mention the person who can be responsible to handle it and also give details like how the authority can reach you.
- Make it policy-proof:
If you are absent for an unexpected reason, ensure that your company policy covers it. If necessary, you can also mention that in your excuse letter.
- Maintain your privacy:
While writing an excuse letter, you don’t have to be too personal or disclose too many details about the situation you are in.
- Keep it short:
One thing you must remember is to keep the excuse letter short and simple. Using short and simple phrases or sentences in a polite manner could help others understand your condition better.
- Follow the procedure:
Whether you are a student or an employee, there may be a certain procedure to follow while being absent from work or school, such as calling HR, calling class teachers to inform them about your absence, or sending a short message about your lateness or delay in reaching the place, among others.
What is an Excuse Letter?
An excuse letter is a formal letter that explains the reason behind your absence from school, work, or any important event. It provides a short outline of the reason in brief to inform the respective authority, such as health problems, family emergencies, urgent work, or many others.
How much detail should I provide while writing the Excuse letter?
You don’t have to add too many details, and you don’t have to be too personal to exhibit your situation. Give a brief detail and clearly explain it. Sending the letter as soon as possible after your absence is best to avoid consequences and gain acceptance.
Is an absent note for school required everywhere?
In general, this absence letter is required as per the standard school policy. These types of letters help the school track the absence of students and also prevent consequences, such as disciplinary action and others, at the school. Though the letter is common in most schools, how much in advance you must provide it for consideration depends on the school policy.
What are the types of Excuse Letters?
Excuse letters are written for various reasons, tailored to specific needs. Some of the common types of excuse letters are medical excuse letters, family emergency excuse letters, personal excuse letters, business excuse letters, and school excuse letters. Here, each type of excuse letter has its own purpose and serves uniquely for a specific reason.
Are there legal protections for any type of absence?
Yes, some types of absences that are mainly related to medical reasons are covered under the Medical Leave Act in the law. If you have any queries, check the local company policies and rights to understand the situation better.