How to Write an Attestation Letter

This article was written by Jennifer Mueller, JD. Jennifer Mueller is an in-house legal expert at wikiHow. Jennifer reviews, fact-checks, and evaluates wikiHow's legal content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. She received her JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006.

There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

This article has been viewed 183,456 times.

If you're getting a professional license or applying to sit for an exam, you may need to write an attestation letter stating that you've fulfilled the requirements. You also may have a former coworker or employee call on you to write them an attestation letter because they're applying for a new job. Through an attestation letter, you certify that you personally witnessed something or know it to be true. An attestation letter typically is written as a formal business letter.

Attestation Letter Template

Formatting Your Letter

• For example, if you're writing an attestation letter for a former employee to attest to their skills and expertise, you would want to use company letterhead.
• If you're writing an attestation letter for yourself, don't use company letterhead if the subject of the letter has nothing to do with your work for the company.

• You can also use a default font, such as Arial or Helvetica.

• If you're using a business letter template through your word processing application, it may insert the current date by default.

• Addresses on business letters are typically done in block format, similar to the way you would write them on an envelope. If you're using a template from your word processing app, it will already have these text boxes set up for you.
• If you're not using letterhead, the first block on your letter would be your name and address. You would then follow with the recipient's name and address.

• The subject line typically will be the reason you're writing the attestation letter. If you're writing the letter for another person, you might use their name as the subject line. For example, you might write: "Attestation Letter for Sally Sunshine."

• If you're planning on getting your letter notarized, you'll also want to include a notary block. Search online for a notary block you can copy. In the US, you can typically find these on the website for your state's Secretary of State.

Drafting Your Letter

• For example, if you are writing an attestation letter certifying that you have met the continuing education requirements for a license, you might address it "Licensing Board" followed by a colon.
• Use the name of the specific department or board when possible, rather than addressing it "To Whom It May Concern."
• If you're writing an attestation letter on behalf of another individual, such as a former employee, try to address it to the recipient by name if at all possible.

• For example, if you're writing an attestation letter for a former employee, you might begin by describing your job title in the company and how long you've been working there.
• If you're writing the letter for yourself, you may not need any introduction other than your name. For example, you might write "I, Sally Sunshine, attest that I completed the weekend seminar in Sunny Valley, held October 3 - 7." For that sort of attestation letter, the body of the letter typically would only be a sentence or two.

• For example, if you were writing an attestation letter for a former employee, you might write: "I am Holly Henderson, president of Henderson Motors. I am writing to attest to Sally Sunshine's mechanical expertise."

• Stick to the facts, and keep your writing as clear and concise as possible using active voice.

• For example, your last sentence might read: "By signing below, I declare that all the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge."
• This type of declaration is especially important if you're planning on getting your signature notarized.

Finalizing Your Letter

• Check your facts as well. When you sign your letter, you'll be certifying that everything in it is true. Double check any numbers, dates, and other figures to make sure they're accurate.

• Make sure the letter printed cleanly, and the margins are adequate. There should be at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) on all sides of the page.
• If your letter is more than one page, make sure the pages are numbered. Using "1 of 2" format will help the recipient confirm they have all of the pages.

• Notarization typically is required if the attestation letter has legal significance. For example, if you are sending an attestation letter to certify that you've met the requirements for a professional license, notarization may be required.

• If you're emailing your attestation letter, print it and sign it first. Then scan the original document so you can attach a PDF of the signed letter.

Expert Q&A

Tips

You Might Also Like

1. ↑https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/professional_technical_writing/basic_business_letters/index.html
2. ↑https://www.finra.org/sites/default/files/Industry/p014808.pdf
3. ↑https://www.finra.org/sites/default/files/Industry/p014808.pdf
4. ↑https://www.athabascau.ca/prior-learning/documents/attestation-letter-example.pdf
5. ↑https://www.abii.org/docs/ABII%2010-Year%20Requirements_Practice_QI%20Project%20Attestation_Sample.pdf
6. ↑https://www.athabascau.ca/prior-learning/documents/attestation-letter-example.pdf
7. ↑https://www.share4rare.org/sites/default/files/imce/S4R_Tools_Letter%20to%20politician.pdf
8. ↑https://michiganimmigrant.org/sites/default/files/Writing%20letters%20for%20immigration%20purposes.pdf
9. ↑https://www.stclaircollege.ca/inservice/prior-learning-assessment/attestation

1. ↑https://www.abii.org/docs/ABII%2010-Year%20Requirements_Practice_QI%20Project%20Attestation_Sample.pdf
2. ↑https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
3. ↑https://sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/sample-notary-acknowledgements

About This Article

This article was written by Jennifer Mueller, JD. Jennifer Mueller is an in-house legal expert at wikiHow. Jennifer reviews, fact-checks, and evaluates wikiHow's legal content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. She received her JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. This article has been viewed 183,456 times.

If you’re getting a professional license or applying to sit an exam, you may need to write an attestation letter to show that you’ve met the requirements. You’ll need to set out your attestation like a formal business letter, including the recipient’s address and the date at the top. When addressing your letter, you generally don’t need to write “Dear.” Just write the recipient’s name or office. After that, you’ll need to name yourself and list the requirements that you’ve met. For example, write something like, “I, Sally Sunshine, attest that I completed the weekend seminar in Sunny Valley.” If you’re writing the letter on behalf of someone else, introduce yourself and your relationship to the person. If you’re writing it for yourself, include a sentence at the bottom to declare that all the information you provided is true. For more tips from our Legal co-author, including how to proofread your finished attestation letter, read on!

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