Cover Letter Format 2026: Structure, Length, and a Template
The correct cover letter format in 2026 is a single page with six parts in order: a header with your contact details, the date, a greeting to a named person, a three-to-four-paragraph body (opening hook, proof, optional company paragraph, close), a sign-off, and your name. Keep it to 250-400 words in a readable 10.5-12pt font, left-aligned and single-spaced with a blank line between paragraphs, and save it as a PDF so the layout holds. This guide covers each part in order, the exact spacing and font rules, how long it should be, the difference between an emailed and an uploaded letter, and a fill-in-the-blank template you can copy. It's about structure and presentation — for the writing itself, see our step-by-step and examples guides.
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What are the six parts of a cover letter, in order?
A properly formatted cover letter has six components in this sequence: (1) a header with your name and contact details, (2) the date, (3) a greeting addressed to a specific person, (4) the body of three or four paragraphs, (5) a professional sign-off, and (6) your typed name. This order is standard across industries and hiring systems, and following it makes the letter instantly legible to a recruiter scanning quickly.
The header sits at the top and should mirror your resume: your full name, phone, email, city/state, and a LinkedIn or portfolio link if relevant. Below it, the date. Traditionally you'd also add the employer's name and address block, but in 2026 — when almost everything is submitted online — that block is optional and often skipped; the greeting alone is enough. Keep whatever you include tight.
The body is the substance, and the sign-off and name close it. Between them, this six-part skeleton never changes; only the wording inside the body does. Get the structure right once and you can reuse it for every application, swapping only the greeting and the paragraphs.
- 1. Header — your name and contact details (match your resume).
- 2. Date.
- 3. Greeting — 'Dear [Name],' addressed to a real person where possible.
- 4. Body — 3-4 paragraphs (hook, proof, optional company paragraph, close).
- 5. Sign-off — 'Best regards,' or 'Sincerely,'.
- 6. Your typed name (plus a signature image if you have one).
How should you format the header and greeting?
Format the header to match your resume so the two read as one application: same name styling, same font, and the same contact line (name, phone, email, location, and a link if relevant). Reusing your resume's header — the exact block at the top — is the cleanest approach and takes seconds. Don't invent a fancier design for the letter; consistency looks more professional than novelty.
For the greeting, address a real person whenever you can find one: 'Dear Ms. Chen,' or 'Dear Alex Rivera,' using the name from the job post, LinkedIn, or the company's team page. A named greeting signals you did the work and lifts the whole letter. If you can't find a name after a genuine look, 'Dear Hiring Team,' or 'Dear [Department] Team,' is an acceptable fallback.
Avoid the dated defaults: 'To Whom It May Concern' and 'Dear Sir or Madam' both read as impersonal in 2026, and 'Hey there' is too casual for most roles. Punctuate the greeting with a comma (or a colon for very formal industries like law or finance), then leave a blank line before the first paragraph.
- Reuse your resume's header — same name, font, and contact line.
- Address a named person: 'Dear Ms. Chen,'.
- Fallback when no name is findable: 'Dear Hiring Team,'.
- Skip 'To Whom It May Concern' and 'Dear Sir or Madam' — both read as dated.
- Comma after the greeting (colon only in very formal fields).
How should the body be structured?
Structure the body as three or four short paragraphs, each with one job. Paragraph one is the hook: name the role and give one concrete reason you fit. Paragraph two is the proof: tell the story behind your single most relevant achievement and tie it to what the employer needs. An optional paragraph three is 'why this company': one genuine reason this specific employer appeals to you. The final paragraph is the close: restate interest and ask for the next step.
Keep each paragraph to two to four sentences — no dense blocks. White space between paragraphs is part of the format; it makes the letter skimmable, and a recruiter who's skimming should still be able to follow your logic from hook to ask. If a paragraph is running past four sentences, it's probably carrying two ideas and should be split or trimmed.
This four-part body is the writing core of the letter; the mechanics (what to say in each part, how to open and close) are covered in our how-to-write and examples guides. Here, the point is the shape: four purposeful paragraphs, generous spacing, one page.
- Paragraph 1 — hook: name the role, one concrete reason you fit.
- Paragraph 2 — proof: one achievement's story, tied to their need.
- Paragraph 3 (optional) — why this company, stated genuinely.
- Paragraph 4 — close: restate interest and ask for the interview.
- Two to four sentences per paragraph, with a blank line between each.
What length, font, and spacing should you use?
Keep the whole letter to a single page and 250-400 words. In 2026, hiring is fast and skim-heavy, so a full page of dense text is a liability, not a sign of effort. Three or four tight paragraphs almost always fit this range; if you're over 400 words, you're likely restating your resume and should cut back to your best material.
Use a clean, readable font — Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, or Times New Roman — at 10.5-12pt, matching your resume where possible. Left-align everything (don't justify, which creates uneven gaps), single-space within paragraphs, and add a blank line between them. Standard one-inch margins are safest; you can trim to about 0.75 inch if you're slightly over, but don't crush the margins to force a long letter onto one page — cut words instead.
Keep the layout plain: no columns, tables, text boxes, images, logos, or background colors. A cover letter is a professional note, and heavy design both distracts and, if the letter is ever parsed by a system, risks scrambling. One accent color at most, used sparingly, matching your resume.
- Length: one page, 250-400 words.
- Font: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, or Times New Roman at 10.5-12pt.
- Alignment: left-aligned (never justified), single-spaced, blank line between paragraphs.
- Margins: about one inch (0.75" minimum if slightly tight).
- No columns, tables, images, or heavy color — keep it a clean note.
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How does the format change between email and an uploaded file?
The format shifts slightly by channel. When you upload a cover letter to an application portal, use the full six-part format and export it as a PDF so your font and spacing survive on any machine. Name the file clearly — 'Jane-Doe-Cover-Letter.pdf' — since some systems display filenames to recruiters. PDF is the safest choice unless the portal specifically asks for .docx.
When you email a hiring manager directly, put the letter in the body of the email rather than only attaching it — people are far more likely to read text that's right in front of them than to open an attachment. Drop the header and date block (your email signature and the message itself carry that context), start with the greeting, and consider trimming to the shorter end of the range. You can still attach the PDF version as well for their records.
Either way, the underlying structure — greeting, hook, proof, optional company line, close — stays the same. Only the wrapper changes: a formatted PDF for uploads, a lean pasted version for direct email. Send a PDF rather than a raw Word file to strangers so your formatting can't shift, and always send a final proofread copy — the wrong company name in a header is a common, avoidable mistake.
- Uploading: full six-part format, exported as a clearly named PDF.
- Emailing directly: paste into the body, drop the header/date, start at the greeting.
- Prefer PDF over .docx when sending to strangers so formatting holds.
- Keep the same body structure regardless of channel.
- Proofread the header — the wrong company name is a frequent slip.
What does a cover letter template look like?
Here's a fill-in-the-blank template that follows the format above. Replace every bracketed part with your own details, keep it to 250-400 words, and adjust the wording so it sounds like you.
[Your Name] [Phone] · [Email] · [City, State] · [LinkedIn/Portfolio] [Date] Dear [Hiring Manager's Name], [Hook: name the exact role and give one concrete reason you fit — a result, a relevant skill, or a genuine connection. Example: 'When your [Job Title] posting described [specific challenge], it matched the work I did at [Company], where I [one measurable result].'] [Proof: tell the brief story behind your strongest relevant achievement — the situation, what you did, and the number — then say what it means for their team. Name two or three of the posting's key skills or tools in context here.] [Optional — why this company: one genuine, specific reason this employer appeals to you — their mission, product, or a recent move — not generic flattery.] [Close: restate your interest and ask for the next step in one or two sentences. Example: 'I'd welcome the chance to talk through how I could help [Company] with [specific goal]. Thank you for your time and consideration.'] Best regards, [Your Name]
That skeleton works for almost any role — you change the brackets, not the bones. If you'd rather not start from a blank template, CVory's Pro cover-letter tool generates a draft in exactly this format from your resume and a pasted job description, which you then edit into your own voice and trim to length. Whether you use the template or a generated draft, run a final proofread and confirm it's one page before you send.
- Header: name and contact line matching your resume.
- Greeting: 'Dear [Name],'.
- Hook paragraph: role + one concrete reason you fit.
- Proof paragraph: one achievement's story + what it means for them.
- Optional company paragraph + a one-line close with an ask.
- Sign-off and name; export as a clearly named one-page PDF.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct cover letter format for 2026?
The correct format is a single page with six parts in order: a header with your contact details, the date, a greeting to a named person, a body of three to four short paragraphs (hook, proof, optional company paragraph, close), a sign-off, and your name. Keep it to 250-400 words in a 10.5-12pt readable font, left-aligned and single-spaced with blank lines between paragraphs, and export it as a PDF so the layout holds on any device.
Should a cover letter have a header with my contact information?
Yes, when you're uploading or attaching it — put a header at the top with your name, phone, email, location, and a relevant link, ideally matching your resume's header so the two look like a set. This makes you easy to contact and looks polished. The one exception is a cover letter pasted into the body of an email: there, drop the header and date since your email signature and the message itself already carry that context, and start at the greeting.
What font and size should a cover letter use?
Use a clean, readable font — Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, or Times New Roman — at 10.5 to 12 points, ideally matching your resume so the documents feel consistent. Left-align the text (never justify, which creates ragged gaps), single-space within paragraphs, and leave a blank line between them. Stick to standard one-inch margins, trimming to about 0.75 inch only if you're slightly over a page. Avoid decorative fonts, multiple colors, and anything that hurts readability.
How many paragraphs should a cover letter have?
Three or four. Paragraph one is the hook that names the role and your fit; paragraph two is the proof, telling the story behind one strong achievement; an optional third paragraph explains why you want this specific company; and the final paragraph closes with an ask for the next step. Keep each to two to four sentences with a blank line between them. Four purposeful paragraphs are plenty — more usually means you've drifted into repeating your resume.
Do I put the date and the company's address on a cover letter?
Include the date — it's a standard part of the format. The employer's full name-and-address block, however, is optional in 2026 and commonly skipped, since almost all applications are submitted online rather than mailed. If you're applying to a traditional or formal organization, adding the block looks correct; for a typical online application, the header, date, and a named greeting are enough. When in doubt, keep it lean rather than cluttering the top of the page.
Should I send my cover letter as a PDF or Word document?
Send a PDF in most cases, because it locks your font, spacing, and margins so the letter looks the same on the reader's screen as it does on yours. Use .docx only when an application portal specifically requests Word. Name the file clearly — like 'Jane-Doe-Cover-Letter.pdf' — since some systems show the filename to recruiters. If you're emailing a hiring manager directly, paste the text into the email body and optionally attach the PDF as well.
Is a cover letter template a good idea, or does it look generic?
A template is a good starting structure, not a finished letter. Using a consistent format — header, greeting, hook, proof, close — is exactly what recruiters expect and makes you easy to read. What looks generic is templated wording, not templated structure. So keep the skeleton and replace every bracketed part with your own real facts, numbers, and phrasing. A fill-in-the-blank template like the one above helps you format correctly while keeping the content unmistakably yours.