People working in a corporate setting or in any institution may feel overwhelmed with the work. Some days it is difficult to do the work given to them. Life can be unpredictable. Situations may arise where employees may not be able to join the office for a single day or even weeks.
An organisation can work properly when it communicates properly. It is important to maintain a formal tone while communicating your opinions and issues. Thus, while choosing to take an off from work is a minor inconvenience, an entire communication process takes place. A well-structured leave application must be written to ask for permission.
From planning a vacation to applying for medical emergencies, a record must be maintained to ensure proper communication. Thus, it is important to know how to write a leave application.
Here is a proper guide to the format and use of leave applications, along with an example for better understanding.
WHAT IS A LEAVE APPLICATION?
A leave application is a formally structured document that conveys to your manager or in charge about your absence from work for a particular period. It helps in ensuring that, in your absence, the work is assigned to someone else or the deadlines are extended. It makes working more professional, systematic, and transparent.
Many companies strictly follow policies related to leave applications and expect their employees to submit formal records and leave applications.
TYPES OF LEAVE APPLICATION
There are different types of leave applications catering to different situations.
- Personal or familial reasons
- Medical emergencies
- Vacation
- Cases of emergencies like family issues
- Maternity leave
FEATURES OF LEAVE APPLICATIONS
There are some key features of a leave application that one must keep in mind while writing an application.
- Since it is a professional setting, one must maintain a professional and formal tone in their application. They must use formal language and avoid slang and abbreviations.
- One must write a proper subject. The subject sums up what the application is regarding. It is important to mention the subject.
- The body of the application must be concise but detailed. Every important detail, such as the duration and type of leave requested, must be mentioned clearly.
- The reason for leave must be mentioned as well.
- End on a polite note. Thank the addresser for their approval and consideration.
- Format the letter properly. Give adequate spacing and punctuation.
FORMAT OF LEAVE APPLICATION WITH EXAMPLES
There are currently two prominent types of leave applications: a handwritten letter and an email application.
Here are the formats for both types of letters, along with examples.
LETTER-FORMAT
Sender’s Name
Sender’s Designation
Sender’s Contact Information
Date
Recipient’s Name
Recipient’s Designation
Company’s Name
Company’s Address
Subject: Regarding leave from (time period)
Respected Sir/ Ma’am
Body (Mention time period, reason, arrangements, and any other required details)
End Note
Yours faithfully
Sender’s Name
Designation
Signature
Here is an example of a letter-format leave application. The reason for leave in the example is maternal leave.
ABC
Content Manager
981XXXXXX1
13th August, 2025
XYZ
Manager
AEC Company
New Delhi,1100xx
SUBJECT: Regarding Maternity leave from 17th August, 2025 to 17th September, 2025.
Respected XYZ,
I am writing this application in order to apply for my maternity leave. The period is from 17th August, 2025 to 17th September, 2025. I am getting close to my due date, that is 20th August, 2025. My doctor has recommended that I apply for maternity leave.
Since I would not be able to join work for a long period, I have made the necessary arrangements and co-assigned my work to KLM, a colleague from my department. In case there is any information required from me in the period of my absence, please reach me out at the official email address.
Thank you for considering my request and for your humble approval.
Yours sincerely
ABC
Content Manager
E-MAIL- FORMAT
The email format is not much different from a letter format. The only difference is in the initial details. In email format, the sender’s and receiver’s details are not mentioned.
Subject
Respected sir/maam
Body
End-note
Yours sincerely
Sender’s Name
Designation
Here is an example of the email format application for leave.
Subject: Regarding leave on 14th August, 2025 due to medical emergency
Respected Sir,
I am writing this application in order to apply for leave on 14th August, 2025, Thursday. I have been in a minor accident, due to which I am currently in the hospital for treatment. I would complete the given tasks once I return to work.
Thank you for your humble consideration and approval.
Yours sincerely
ABC
Content Writer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q.1) What is a leave application?
Ans. A leave application is a formal document or letter sent to the manager or person in charge in order to request leave or absence from work.
Q.2) Why is a leave application important?
Ans. It is important for employees to send a leave application in case they plan to be absent from work. It allows the employers to assign the work to someone else so that the workflow is maintained.
Q.3) What are the features of a leave application?
Ans. Some of the key features of a leave application are heading, subject, formal tone, and polite tone.
Q.4) When can I write a leave application?
Ans. You can write a leave application in situations of emergencies, health issues, maternity leave, or vacations.
Q.5) What should I include in the subject?
Ans. The subject includes the period of absence and the type of leave taken in brief.
