What Is a Letterhead? Definition, Elements, and Examples
Quick summary: A letterhead is the pre-printed or pre-designed heading at the top of official business stationery — it typically includes a company’s logo, name, address, phone number, email, and website. It appears on letters, invoices, contracts, and other formal documents to identify the sender and establish a professional, consistent brand identity before the recipient reads a single word of the message.
What is a letterhead?
A letterhead is the header section of a business document — usually placed at the top of the page — that displays a company’s identifying information. It’s the first thing a reader sees, and it signals who the document is from before they read the body text. Letterheads are used on business letters, official correspondence, invoices, contracts, memos, and press releases.
The term refers both to the design (the layout and branding elements) and the physical or digital document that carries it — you might say “we ran out of letterhead” (the paper) or “update the letterhead” (the design).
What elements does a letterhead include?
A standard letterhead typically contains:
| Element | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Company logo | Visual brand identification, usually top-left or centered |
| Company name | Full legal or trading name |
| Address | Physical or mailing address |
| Phone number | Primary contact number |
| Email address | Contact email |
| Website URL | Link to the company’s site |
| Tagline or slogan (optional) | Short brand statement |
| Social media handles (optional, modern letterheads) | Additional contact channels |
Not every letterhead includes all of these — a minimalist design might use only the logo and company name, while a formal corporate letterhead often lists a registered address, company registration number, and multiple contact methods (common in the UK and EU for legal compliance).
What is the purpose of a letterhead?
A letterhead serves several functions at once:
- Identification — confirms who sent the document without the reader needing to check a signature or footer.
- Professionalism — a consistent, well-designed header signals that a business is established and takes its communication seriously.
- Brand consistency — repeating the same logo, colors, and fonts on every document reinforces brand recognition.
- Authenticity — for some document types (invoices, formal letters), letterhead can help indicate the document is genuine and not informal correspondence.
Letterhead vs. letterhead paper
- Letterhead (the design) is the layout template — logo placement, fonts, colors, contact info arrangement.
- Letterhead paper is physical paper pre-printed with that design, used in offices that still print and mail formal letters.
Most businesses today use a digital letterhead: a template file (Word, Google Docs, or a PDF) with the header design already in place, so any document created from it automatically carries the branding — no pre-printed paper required.
What does a letterhead look like?
A typical letterhead layout places the logo top-left or top-center, with the company name beside or below it, and contact details either on the same line (right-aligned) or in a footer band at the bottom of the page. Common structural patterns:
- Classic: Logo top-left, company name and tagline beneath it, contact details in a thin bottom footer.
- Modern minimalist: Logo alone, centered, with contact info in small print at the very bottom or top-right.
- Corporate formal: Logo and full company details (name, address, registration number) spanning the top third of the page, often with a colored band or border.
How to make a letterhead for free
You don’t need design software to create a professional letterhead:
Microsoft Word or Google Docs
- Open a new document.
- Insert your logo image at the top (Insert → Image).
- Add a text box or table row beside/below the logo with your company name and contact details.
- Use Header (Insert → Header) instead of body text if you want the letterhead to repeat automatically on every page of a multi-page document.
- Save the file as a template (.dotx in Word, or a copy kept as a “master” in Google Docs) so you can reuse it.
Saving a letterhead as a reusable PDF template
Once your letterhead design looks right in Word or Google Docs, export it as a PDF to lock in the exact layout, fonts, and spacing — this way it looks identical on every device and printer, regardless of what software the recipient uses to open it. See how to convert a Word document to PDF for free for the exact steps.
How to add a letterhead to an existing document
If you already have a document and need to add your company’s letterhead to it:
- Create the letterhead design as its own page or header (see above).
- If the target document is already a PDF, you can overlay a logo or header image directly — see how to add an image to a PDF for free.
- For a document you’re actively writing, insert the letterhead as a Word/Docs header so it appears automatically on every page without manual copy-pasting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a letterhead example?
A simple example: a consulting firm’s letter starts with their logo centered at the top, “Smith & Associates Consulting” beneath it in bold, and a thin gray line under that with “123 Main St, Suite 400 · (555) 123-4567 · info@smithassociates.com” — followed by the actual letter content below.
What is a letterhead on a document?
It’s the branded header section — usually the top 1–2 inches of the page — that identifies the sender before the reader gets to the body of the letter, invoice, or contract.
Is a letterhead required by law?
Generally no for most small businesses, but some jurisdictions (notably UK limited companies) legally require specific information — company registration number, registered office address — to appear on business letters and other official documents. Check your local business regulations if you’re unsure.
What’s the difference between a letterhead and a logo?
A logo is just the visual brand mark (an icon or wordmark). A letterhead is the complete header layout that includes the logo along with contact information, arranged for use at the top of documents.
Can a letterhead be digital only, with no printing?
Yes — most modern business correspondence is sent as email or PDF attachments, so many companies design a letterhead purely for digital use (as a Word/Docs template or a pre-formatted PDF) and never print physical letterhead paper at all.
How do I make sure my letterhead prints consistently?
Export the final document as a PDF rather than sending the editable Word file — PDF locks the exact fonts, spacing, and logo placement so it looks the same on any printer or screen. See how to make a PDF for free for general PDF creation steps.
Related guides
- How to edit a PDF for free — update text or branding on a letterhead PDF
- How to convert email to PDF for free — preserve branded correspondence as a permanent record
- How to password protect a PDF for free — restrict who can edit an official letterhead template