A Guide on Writing a Formal Permission Request Letter

In formal writing, one of the most important skills you should learn is composing a formal permission request letter.

What is a Formal Permission Request Letter?

Permission letters are written with business standards in mind when sending correspondence between a business and another. Permission request letters express your plead for approval to do or to not do something.

For example, you may ask higher authorities to permit you to attend or plan an event. Keep in mind that a permission letter should be polite.

Employees request permission from their boss or supervisor to plan or attend events that may affect their presence in the office during that period.

It may occur that your boss is hesitant to grant permission, therefore it is necessary for you to write the letter effectively. The letter should always address the right person, who has discretionary authority to grant permission.

How to Write a Permission Letter?

Write it Yourself

Permission letters should be written by the individual requesting approval in order to obtain the required permission. The permission letter should contain important parts as listed below.

Indicate the Address

The receiver address is the first thing mentioned in the letter. It should be written in a proper sequence such as the

• First Name of the receiver
• Designation
• Organization name
• Street Address; and
• City name with code

In the letter, the receiver address is mentioned first. Your address should be written in a proper sequence, such as your

• First Name
• Designation
• Organization name
• Street Address; and
• City name with code

State Your Reasons

The main idea for writing the permission letter is written in the subject portion under the address of the individual. The subject line should include a minimum of 6-7 words.

Nevertheless, the document should not take too long.

The main content of the article has to be written after the subject line.

Explain in detail why you need permission. It is important to write the words in a polite way.

Remember the Format

A letter, whether it is official or unofficial, must have a format. A non-official letter sometimes does not fit the format of a letter and uses its own style of writing.

The official letters should be written following a certain format. Permission letters are also official letters. They should be in the proper format.

The permission letter contains the following points:

• Generally, both the sender and receiver’s addresses appear in the letter.
• The letter should have a salutation. As a form of respect, the sender should send greetings to the receiver.
• Make sure to discuss the reasons of your request.
• Body of the Letter: This is the major section of the letter where the sender writes the reason in detail to the receiver. The letter needs to be written in a polite and convincing manner.

As the letter closes, the person must mention his/her name, designation, and signature. If necessary, the sender can also provide some contact details.

Sample Permission Request Letter

To whom it may concern:

Greetings!

My name is Jeffery Thompson, a final year student of BA in History at Hogwarts State University. I am writing to you to express my interest in the three-month workshop that will occur from February to April.

I have been learning all about journalism and have been waiting for an opportunity to work for a respected newspaper.

This is to request for your kind permission to allow me into your program. It will be a great opportunity for me to learn a lot about becoming a journalist and contribute to my career. Any tips I can learn from being there will help me significantly.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you very much.

Regards,

Jeffery

To Wrap Up

In summary, a formal permission request letter essentially aims to ask the audience permission to do something.

It is written in thesis-body-conclusion format and should consist of a few simple phrases to help the reader understand why you are contacting them. The letter should be addressed to the individual you are asking to do something.

The person should not be expecting you to do anything specific since you are asking for permission.