How to Write an Appeal Letter (Templates + Examples)

You’re facing disciplinary action, maybe even dismissal. Or perhaps you’ve been denied admission into a programme or you’re on the way to having some of your benefits or privileges cut off. These things can happen to the best of us, and often unexpectedly.

Whether you believe there’s been a misunderstanding or that the consequences are out of proportion to your actions, now is the time to act. You need to learn how to write a good appeal letter—one that will give you the best possible chance at having the decision reversed or the consequences reduced.

In this guide, you’ll find out how to write an appeal letter sample that makes a fact-based argument in your favour. You'll quickly understand how to prepare and refine an appeal letter template, and get expert tips on writing an appeal letter that evokes second thoughts.

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Had a different letter in mind? See:

• Acceptance Letter Sample
• Apology Letter Sample
• Appointment Letter Sample
• Appreciation Letter Sample
• Leave Letter Sample
• Recommendation Letter Sample
• Reference Letter Sample
• Resignation Letter Sample
• Retirement Letter Sample
• Termination Letter Sample

Appeal letter sample (example of an appeal)

Now that you have a better idea of what it is that you’re aiming for, it’s time to walk through how to write an appeal letter of your own that’s just as effective.

What are the steps for writing a top-notch appeal letter sample?

1. Frame your appeal letter with a professional header and formal salutation

Whatever it is you’re appealing, it’s clearly a serious matter. Treat it as such. Start by setting out a professional header: align to the right your name, mailing address, email, and phone number. Leave a line and add the date of writing, always in the full form (e.g. ‘5th May 2022’), and leave another line.

Then, align to the left your reader’s name, their job title, the company name, and the company’s inside address. Set out the mailing addresses just like you would do on an envelope. Include a header like this even if you’re attaching your appeal letter to an email. Your letter of appeal is a formal document.

Address your letter to whoever it was that signed off on or made the decision you’re appealing. For the salutation, use ‘Dear + Mr/Ms + Surname’ or ‘Dear + First Name’. Go with your better judgement as to which, and default to the more formal ‘Dear Ms Smith’ if you’re even a little bit unsure.

How to write an appeal letter: header and salutation

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2. Start your appeal letter by clearly stating your reason for writing

Begin your appeal letter with a simple and direct statement of why it is that you’re writing. Think of this as email subject line in sentence form. Don’t describe how you felt when you received the bad news. Don’t use any adjectives. Simply let your reader know that this is an appeal letter.

Refer to the decision that you want to have overturned or reconsidered. Give just enough context to ensure that your reader will know what you’re responding to. If necessary, give the date of the correspondence or the meeting during which you were informed of the decision that you’re now appealing.

How to write an appeal letter: opening paragraph

3. Address their main arguments and describe what you’d like to happen next

When it comes to crafting a good appeal letter template, the most important thing is keeping it objective and professional. Stick to the facts. There’s a place for pulling at heartstrings and creating an engaging narrative, but this isn’t it. What you need to do is fight fire with fire, putting facts against facts.

Writing a dismissal appeal letter, disciplinary appeal letter, or penalty appeal letter? Responding to a rejected application or request? The bad news you received, whether in writing or orally, almost certainly came with some justification or reasoning. This is what you need to respond to, point by point.

If the decision maker was acting on bad or incomplete information, this is where you can set them straight by providing the missing facts. If the facts of the matter are all correct, but you believe the wrong conclusions have been drawn, this is where you can refer to company policy to make your case.

For example, if you’ve been dismissed for actions that—according to company policy—attract lesser disciplinary action, you should make that argument here. Do not go into the impact that this decision will have on you. Do not simply state that you find the decision harsh or unfair. Stick to the facts.

Clearly accept responsibility for any actions or shortcomings that have been accurately described by your reader. It often happens that the facts that lead to a rejection, penalty, or dismissal aren’t in dispute. Show that you’re aware of the consequences of your actions and shortcomings.

In a separate paragraph of your appeal letter sample, briefly describe what it is that you want your appeal to achieve. Are you requesting that a decision be reversed or penalty reduced? Clearly and concisely make this request here. Keep this to a sentence or two. Write more only if you’re dealing with a complex issue.

How to write an appeal letter: main body paragraphs

You cite production delays and my failure to respond to three cautions as the reasons for my dismissal. The delays in question were in fact the results of logistics issues—the ProdSec system is known to label all late deliveries as production delays. I have attached verbose ProdSec reports that show this. As to the three cautions that were generated as a result of these delays, I have since discovered that they were sent to a dummy ProdSec email account to which I have never had access. I have attached a statement from Tim Murphy, Head of IT, confirming this.

In light of these facts, I request that you reconsider your decision to dismiss me from this project.

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4. Close your appeal letter with an expression of gratitude and a proper sign-off

End your appeal letter as you would end a casual cover letter. Simply thank your reader for their time. A little gratitude goes a long way: it’s not just a formality, it can give your appeal an edge. Let your reader know you’re eager to continue the dialogue. Invite them to contact you should they need any further information. Keep it brief.

The final thing you need to know about how to end an appeal letter is how to sign off properly. Use ‘Yours Sincerely’ if you addressed your cover letter to a named person and ‘Yours Faithfully’ if you were forced to use their job title. Leave a few lines for your signature and type out your name in full.

Appeal letter example: closing paragraph and sign-off

5. Keep these formatting rules in mind when writing an appeal letter

It’s important that your letter of appeal follows the standard business letter format and a typical cover letter structure. Pay particular attention to the setting out of your header. This will communicate professionalism to your reader and boost the chances that they’ll reconsider their decision. Proofreading your appeal letter will also help.

Use white space for the right appeal letter format

Leave your margins at the default one inch all round. Set the line spacing to 1.15 and use double spaces between paragraphs. It’s best if you can fit your letter on a single page. The only reason to go over is if you have a lot of significant points to respond to. Whatever you do, don’t bunch up your writing.

Choose a professional-looking font for your appeal letter template

Choose an easy-to-read CV font for your appeal letter. Something basic like Calibri or Arial at 11–12 points is ideal. Don’t go below 11 points in size and don’t use any fonts that are likely to draw attention to themselves. When in doubt, just go with whatever font is the default in your word-processing software.

Save your appeal letter template in PDF

You’ve put all this effort into getting your setting out and formatting just right—lock all that effort in by saving your appeal letter in PDF before sending it in. PDF files are much more likely to display properly on a wide range of devices. PDF will also make your letter of appeal print more reliably.

Thank you for reading. Was our sample letter of appeal for reconsideration helpful to you? Got any questions to ask or experiences to share? Leave a comment down below—we’ll be sure to get back to you.

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Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.