Business letters: Salutation

On this page

• Where to place the salutation
• How to format the salutation
• What to do in special cases
  • When you don’t know the receiver’s gender identity or courtesy title
  • When you don’t know the receiver’s name
  • When you’re writing to a group
• What salutations to use in letters to persons of rank
• Additional information

Where to place the salutation

The salutation, a standard letter part, is the greeting that comes before the body of the letter.

Place the salutation at the left margin, on the second line below the last line of the inside address. (See Business letters: Model letter in recommended format.)

How to format the salutation

The salutation ordinarily begins with the word Dear, followed by the receiver’s courtesy title (when known) and last name:

Variations are possible; see the section “What to do in special cases” below for more possibilities.

Use capitals for the first word and for all nouns in the salutation:

The standard style for punctuating salutations and complimentary closes in North America is called mixed punctuation. In mixed punctuation, a colon follows the salutation:

Note: A comma isn’t normally used after the salutation in a business letter. However, in a social business letter (that is, one that expresses a more personal message, such as condolences, congratulations or thanks), you should use a comma after the salutation.

What to do in special cases

The style of salutation may vary depending upon the person addressed and the nature of the letter. Follow the guidelines below in special cases.

When you don’t know the receiver’s gender identity or courtesy title

Be careful not to assume gender identity on the basis of a first name. If you aren’t sure of the gender identity of the receiver, omit the courtesy title:

If you know that the receiver has a non-binary gender identity but you don’t know the person’s preferred courtesy title, you should omit the courtesy title in that case as well.

For guidelines on how to make your correspondence gender-inclusive, see the article Gender-inclusive writing: Letters and emails.

When you don’t know the receiver’s name

If you don’t know the name of the person who fills a certain position in an organization, the ideal solution is to contact the organization and find out the receiver’s name.

But if you can’t obtain that information, you can use the job title in the salutation:

Avoid using a binary salutation like Dear Sir or Madam that is not inclusive of diverse gender identities. Also, avoid the impersonal salutation To Whom It May Concern, which is often seen as outdated.

When you’re writing to a group

If you’re sending a letter to a wider audience, you can use a salutation such as the following:

Again, avoid using a binary salutation like “Dear Sir or Madam” or “Ladies and Gentlemen” if the group may include persons with a non-binary gender identity.

What salutations to use in letters to persons of rank

Certain specific salutations are used in letters to dignitaries, military officers, professionals, members of the clergy or members of the royal family.

Examples of salutations for receivers in positions of rank

Receiver	Appropriate salutations
Ambassador	Dear Ambassador:
Cabinet minister	Dear Minister:
Chief Justice of Canada	Dear Chief Justice:
Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces	Dear Colonel + surname:
Doctor, dentist, optometrist	Dear Doctor + surname:
Governor General of Canada	Excellency:
Grand Chief	Dear Grand Chief + surname:
Imam	Dear Imam + surname:
Judge	Dear Judge + surname:
King	Your Majesty: Sire:
Lieutenant Governor of a province	Your Honour: Dear Lieutenant Governor:
Major in the Canadian Armed Forces	Dear Major + surname:
National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations	Dear National Chief + surname:
Priest	Dear Father + surname:
Prime Minister of Canada	Dear Prime Minister: Prime Minister:
Prince or princess	Your Royal Highness:
Professor	Dear Professor + surname:
Queen	Your Majesty:
Rabbi	Dear Rabbi + surname:
Senator	Dear Senator + surname:

For more examples of salutations for different persons of rank, see the Canadian Heritage page “Styles of address”.

Additional information

• Correspondence and addresses – Guidelines and resources
• Business letters: Model letter in recommended format
• Gender-inclusive writing: Letters and emails
• Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals
• Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms.

Other resources

• Styles of address (Canadian Heritage)