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Job offer acceptance (and polite decline) email

Accept a job offer in writing, turn one down without burning a bridge, or withdraw an acceptance you can’t keep. Pick the situation, add the details and copy a short, professional email. Free, no signup, and nothing you type leaves your browser.

Situation

Tone

Format

Dates like Friday, November 27, 2026.

As you'd greet them: "Priya" or "Ms. Shah".

Your email

7 blanks to fill

Subject: Offer acceptance – [Your name], [Job title]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for offering me the [Job title] position at [Company]. I am delighted to formally accept the offer.

As discussed, my start date will be [start date]. Please let me know if you need anything from me before then, such as signed documents or details for payroll.

I am grateful for the opportunity and look forward to joining the team.

Kind regards,
[Your name]

Fill in or edit the highlighted [brackets] before you send it. It all happens in your browser: what you type isn’t sent anywhere or stored.

Ready-made examples

Three finished emails: accepting an offer, declining one, and withdrawing an acceptance.

Accepting an offer, formal tone

Says yes, repeats the salary and start date so both sides have them in writing, and asks for the paperwork.

Subject: Offer acceptance – Grace Kim, Clinical Data Manager

Dear Ms. Patel,

Thank you for offering me the Clinical Data Manager position at Lumen Health. I am delighted to formally accept the offer, at a salary of $85,000 a year.

As discussed, my start date will be Tuesday, December 1, 2026. Could you please send the contract and the first-day schedule?

I am grateful for the opportunity and look forward to joining the team.

Kind regards,
Grace Kim

Declining an offer, friendly tone

Prompt, warm and brief, with a neutral reason. The recruiter can come back to you for a better-matched role.

Subject: Thank you – Backend Engineer offer

Hi Daniel,

Thank you so much for the offer for the Backend Engineer role, and for making the process such a good experience.

I've thought it over carefully, and I've decided not to accept, because I've chosen a role that's closer to my focus on data infrastructure. It was a genuinely hard call, and I really enjoyed getting to know the team at Copperline.

I hope we cross paths again, and I'd love to stay in touch.

All the best,
Leo Martins

Withdrawing an acceptance, formal tone

Send it the same day as your phone call. It apologizes once, explains in a clause and offers to return anything sent.

Subject: Withdrawing my acceptance – Store Operations Manager

Dear Mr. Novak,

I am writing with difficult news. Although I accepted your offer for the Store Operations Manager position at Fernhill Retail, I have decided to withdraw my acceptance, as my current employer has offered me a new position close to my family.

I am sorry for the inconvenience this causes you and the team, and I wanted to tell you as soon as my decision was final so that you can move forward with other candidates. If you have sent me any equipment or documents, I will return them right away.

Thank you for your understanding and for the trust you showed in me. I regret that it has ended this way.

Kind regards,
Aisha Bello

Before you accept: get the offer in writing

A verbal offer is good news, not a contract. Before you say yes in writing, ask for the written offer and check:

  • job title, salary, bonus and how often you’re paid;
  • start date, working hours, location, and any remote or hybrid arrangement;
  • benefits such as health insurance, pension or 401(k) contributions and paid leave;
  • the probation period and the notice period;
  • conditions: references, a background check, right-to-work documents or a medical.

If anything differs from what you discussed, raise it before you accept, while it’s easiest to fix. And don’t resign from your current job until the offer is in writing and its conditions have been cleared.

If you need more time to decide

If you’re waiting on another interview process, or need to talk the move through at home, ask for a few days rather than answering under pressure. Thank them, say you’re pleased to have the offer, and name a specific date: “Could I come back to you by Thursday?” Most employers will agree to a few working days, especially if you ask early.

Use the time to read the written offer properly and, if the numbers need it, to negotiate. Don’t let the deadline pass in silence, though: an unanswered offer can be withdrawn, and asking for a second extension rarely goes down well.

How to accept a job offer by email

Reply to the person who made the offer, within the deadline they gave you. If they didn’t give one, reply within two or three working days, even if only to say when you’ll decide.

A good acceptance email does three things: says yes clearly, confirms the key terms you agreed (at least the salary and the start date) and asks what happens next. Repeating the terms isn’t awkward. It gives you both a written record and catches misunderstandings early.

Keep the tone warm and the email short. Questions about the package belonged before the yes; from here on it’s about paperwork and your first day.

How to decline an offer without burning a bridge

Once you’ve decided, tell them quickly: the company may have a second candidate waiting, and a prompt answer is remembered. If you’ve dealt with the recruiter by phone throughout, a short call followed by this email is the most courteous way to do it.

  • Thank them for the offer and for their time.
  • Give a reason only if you want to, in one neutral clause: “I’ve accepted a role that’s closer to my long-term focus.”
  • Don’t criticize the salary, the process or the people.
  • Leave the door open. Industries are smaller than they look, and the same recruiter may call you about a better-matched role later.

If pay is the only reason you’re saying no, try negotiating first with the salary negotiation email generator. Many offers have some room in them.

Withdrawing after you’ve accepted

Backing out of an accepted offer is uncomfortable, but it happens: a counteroffer from your current employer, a change in your family’s plans, a role that fits better. If you have to do it, do it properly:

  1. Be sure. You can’t undo it, and that employer probably won’t consider you again.
  2. Call first, then send the email the same day, so they hear it from you directly.
  3. Do it as early as possible. Every day you wait makes it harder for them to go back to their other candidates.
  4. Read your contract. If you’ve already signed one, it may set a notice period that applies even before your start date, particularly in the UK and Europe.
  5. Return anything they’ve sent you, such as a laptop or a building pass.

Apologize once, sincerely, and keep the explanation short. A long justification doesn’t make the news easier to read.

Subject lines for accepting or declining

  • Offer acceptance – Grace Kim, Clinical Data Manager
  • Accepting the Clinical Data Manager offer
  • Re: Offer of employment – Grace Kim
  • Thank you – Backend Engineer offer
  • Withdrawing my acceptance – Store Operations Manager

As with any answer about an offer, replying in the same email thread is usually best: it keeps the offer, your answer and the next steps together.

What happens after you accept

Expect paperwork next: a contract to sign, forms for payroll and tax, and sometimes a background or reference check. Once the offer is confirmed and any conditions are cleared, resign from your current job; the resignation letter generator writes that letter for you. Then let any other employers you’re talking to know that you’ve accepted a role elsewhere, and enjoy the gap before your first day.

Frequently asked questions

Should I accept a job offer by phone or by email?

Often both. It's natural to say yes on the call when they make the offer, then confirm by email the same day so the salary, start date and other terms are in writing.

How quickly should I respond to a job offer?

By the deadline they give you. If there isn't one, reply within two or three working days, even if it's only to thank them and say when you'll decide. Asking for a few days to review the written offer is normal.

How do I politely decline a job offer?

Thank them, say clearly that you're declining, give a short neutral reason if you want to, and leave the door open. Send it as soon as you've decided so they can move on to other candidates.

Can I back out after accepting a job offer?

Yes, but it has a cost. In most US jobs there's no legal barrier, while in the UK and Europe a signed contract may require notice even before you start. Either way you'll probably lose that employer's goodwill, so call first, apologize and do it as early as possible.

Should I negotiate before accepting?

Yes: negotiation happens before you say yes. Once you've accepted, reopening the salary is much harder and can damage trust. If the offer is below what you need, use the time before your answer to ask.

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