Amidst the 9–5 shift, household chores, family duties, and social gatherings, keeping up with our hectic lives can often be too hard to bear. While we could always multitask to a certain extent, we also know it’s physically impossible to be in two places at once. Simple errands like submitting requirements and claiming documents may be difficult to squeeze into our already busy schedules. This is why many people opt to use an authorization letter to allow a competent individual to act on their behalf.
An authorization letter is a legal declaration used to grant a person the authority to perform specific actions on the writer’s behalf. It may be as simple as giving your best friend the permission to accompany your child during a school field trip through a childcare authorization letter. This formal letter is often used for legal purposes such as insurance benefits, loans, medical treatment, as well as business and personal reasons.
Many banks, schools, government agencies, and professional institutions require clients to write an authorization letter to allow a particular person to perform specific tasks during their absence. If you’re going out of town for an important business trip and can’t make it in time to get your passport from the Foreign Affairs department, then you can always ask your spouse or sibling to do it for you by writing an authorization letter to claim and addressing it to the said agency. If your letter meets the legal standards of the recipient, then your request may likely be approved.
There are three primary parties mentioned in the letter. The first party is the original rights holder, or you, as a parent of a child or owner of a bank account. The second party is the entity being addressed in the letter, which may constitute as a group or an individual with whom the first party is conducting a transaction with. This can be anything from a financial institution to a hospital or clinic. Lastly, the third party is the person selected to act as a representative on the first party’s behalf. These three parties must be mentioned clearly in the letter to make it easier for readers to grasp. You may also see simple authorization letter.
Keep in mind that an authorization letter is a formal document that must be taken seriously. Therefore, under no circumstance should the letter be handwritten. Typewritten letters are not only formal in nature, but they’re also a lot easier to handle. This prevents miscommunication caused by an unreadable handwriting and an informal letter format. This also gives you the chance to properly construct your letter and minimize potential errors before the stages of editing and printing. You may also see medical authorization letter.
There are many reasons why an authorization letter may be used, all of which should be clearly specified in the letter.
An authorization letter only grants limited power for a person to make decisions and carry out duties. You could permit a third party to make minor medical decisions for your 92-year-old mother, or allow them to access certain files and folders from your company’s executive document. You can even construct a bank authorization letter to allow a representative to withdraw or deposit money from your account. Whatever your reason may be, make sure your authorization letter remains concise and precise for readers to understand. It’s important to provide specific details about the authorization as well, especially if it covers sensitive information and actions that can cause significant or even life-changing effects. It’s also necessary to state account details, case numbers, and personal data to validate the proposed action. Additionally, the second party may also have the right to request for an ID from you and/or your proxy for further verification.
Unless you’re creating an informal authorization letter addressed to a friend or relative (is that even necessary?), you need to understand just how important it is to formulate a professional letter for business purposes.
Here are four easy steps to follow when writing a letter for authorization:
Any business letter starts with a formal heading. This includes the name and address of the recipient found at the upper left-hand corner of the page. It should contain their full address and their contact information to avoid any confusion. This must be followed by a greeting or salutation that properly addresses the recipient using the appropriate title and last name. If you don’t know the spelling or unsure about the recipient’s gender, then the greeting “To Whom it May Concern,” would be a safe bet. You may also see authorization letter format.
When writing your introduction, cut to the chase. The first paragraph of your letter must clearly state who you are assigning the responsibility to by including the third party’s full name. You should also clarify the exact permission you are granting as well as you’re reason for doing so. It’s also best to indicate why the designated person has the authority to act on your behalf by stating your relationship with the subject. You may also see authorization letter for a child to travel.
Furthermore, explain why you need a representative in the first place. Your explanation may indicate that you are out of town, fallen ill, or working during the specified time. You need to be reasonable with your excuse for it to be accepted.
This is the part where you’re required to expound what has been stated in the first paragraph of your letter. You need to mention all the responsibilities that are being granted to the representative in complete detail. Keep in mind that ambiguity may cause problems along the way. If you fail to mention what a person can and cannot do with the temporary power, especially when you’re being too broad about it, you may be permitting a person to perform critical actions without your knowledge. Restrictions are one of the most important things to point out in your letter. Spell out every detail in a brief and to the point manner to avoid misinterpretations. You may also see authorization letter to receive documents.
Ultimately, whatever they do will reflect and be treated as your own.
In the last paragraph, cite the exact date or time period for which the proxy is permitted to perform the activities mentioned in the letter. You should also leave your contact information for recipients to stay in touch with you in case they have any questions or concerns that need to be addressed immediately. Do not forget to end the letter with a proper closing followed by your signature above your printed name. The document must be signed to prove that you are fully aware of what you are granting in the letter. You may also see letter of verification examples.
Now that we know the basic parts of an authorization letter, it’s time that we take a closer look at its content. While there may not be a hard-and-fast rule regarding the correct way to construct an authorization letter, there is a standard that must be met for it to deliver its purpose effectively. You may also see verification letters.
Let us take a look at a few guidelines to remember when writing an authorization letter:
First and foremost, know your audience. Be careful about the language you are going to use; otherwise, you could be using an inappropriate tone. You should use a simple language that may be understood by the average person. Also, steer clear of any group-specific language that readers might not be familiar with. The idea is to make it easier for readers to understand the instructions being stated in the letter.
Write the complete name of the person you are granting the authority to. And because formality must be observed, avoid any endearments and other nicknames or shortcuts that people outside your inner circle may not understand. Apart from one’s full name, you should also mention an identity proof of the person, such as his or her Social Security number or employee code to avoid any sort of complications down the road. You may also see official letter examples.
Specify the exact date and/or time for when the authorization is in effect. The beginning and ending dates must be stated and spelled out clearly to avoid confusion. But if you’re unsure about the exact dates at the moment, for instance, if you’re dealing with an emergency situation, you can provide an approximation instead. Rather than citing the specific time and date, you can indicate the number of days for when the proxy can act on your behalf. You may also see employee verification letter.
In case you have certain preferences regarding how a task must be carried out, remember to mention it in your authorization letter. If you fail to do so, you can’t blame anyone for the aftermath other than yourself. For instance, if you’re writing an authorization letter for your secretary to act as a proxy in your absence, you need to specify what he or she can do. Is your secretary permitted to let people enter your office, sign vital documents, receive packages, or make critical business decisions during urgent situations? Ensure that you mention important details in your letter. You may also see salary verification letter.
An authorization letter is similar to an ordinary business letter in more ways than one. This means that it’s always a good idea to follow the accepted standards for writing a business letter, where everything from the formal letter format to the content of the letter should meet a prescribed criteria.
There are some authorization letters that play a critical function to the parties involved. If necessary, you’ll need to find someone who can observe while signing the letter. This person should be someone authorized by your local government or state to perform such action. Take note that this person may be a lawyer or someone who isn’t named in the letter. You may also see job application letter.
If there are any spelling or grammar errors, especially in the names of the parties involved, the letter may be questioned and your request is likely to be denied by the agency or institution you submitted it to. Double-check for any mistakes and make sure that your letter is fully comprehensible even at first read. You may also see income verification letter.
Authorization letters are a written confirmation that permits a person to fulfill a set of actions on behalf of the letter’s writer. It is an important document used in a variety of domains, like medical, insurance, banking, personal, and business. You can use the letter to allow someone to obtain a copy of your personal documents and to disclose medical records in your absence. It could also be used to withdraw money from the bank, to make a business transaction, or to permit an underage child to travel without your supervision. For this reason, ensure that your letter contains all the essential information that the recipient must know about, and that it complies with the expected standards of a formal letter. You may also see promotion recommendation letter.
So if you find yourself in need of a personal authorization letter, be sure to keep these guidelines in mind.
