Business letters: Complimentary close

On this page

• Where to place the complimentary close
• How to capitalize and punctuate the complimentary close
• How to choose the right complimentary close
• Additional information

Where to place the complimentary close

One of the standard parts of a business letter is the complimentary close, the polite closing that comes between the last line of the body and the signature. It is placed at the left margin, on the second line below the body.

For an example, see the article Business letters: Model letter in recommended format.

Note: The guidelines above are for a letter in full block style. In modified block style, the complimentary close is placed on the same line as in full block style, but it begins at the centre of the page instead of at the left margin. For more information on different letter styles, see the article Business letters: Letter styles.

How to capitalize and punctuate the complimentary close

Capitalize the first word only, and put a comma after the complimentary close:

How to choose the right complimentary close

There are several possible complimentary closes in English, depending on the level of formality you want to convey.

The following standard closes can be used for a general business letter:

• Sincerely,
• Sincerely yours,
• Yours truly,

If a more personal close is needed (for a business letter to a receiver you know), you can use:

• Regards,
• Best regards,
• Warm regards,

If a more formal close is required, you can use:

• Very truly yours,
• Yours very truly,
• Very sincerely yours,

Additional information

• Correspondence and addresses – Guidelines and resources
• Business letters: Model letter in recommended format
• Business letters: Letter styles