Even if they didn’t pay much attention to them at the time, most people have dealt with permission letter since they were young. These letters are frequently sent home by students in order for them to participate in athletics, health classes, and field trips. Other requests to use intellectual property or copyrighted content fall under the category of permission letters. A letter of request for permission asks the receiver for permission to carry out a particular action. In a Permission Consent Letter, it is made very clear that the responsible party—such as a parent, guardian, inventor, creator, or owner—approves of the suggestion and authorizes the request.
There is no automatic consent. The person in charge is not obligated to accept. Additionally, if they choose to do so, they might restrict the license to a certain purpose or occasion. Before proceeding, the requester and the consent giver should carefully evaluate the potential results of their request and consent. Sometimes it’s simple, like when you know your child will have fun on the bus and during a class trip to the zoo. When it comes to selecting whether to allow someone to use your image in images or to reuse a line from a song you wrote when they might profit from it, the situation can be a little more tricky.
What Is a Permission Letter?
The purpose of permission letters is to give the recipient legal permission to perform an action. This “something” can be taking a child who isn’t yours on vacation or exploiting materials and photographs that are protected by copyright. Asking whether there are any legal constraints will help you quickly decide whether a permission letter is required. For instance, small children cannot travel or receive medical care without their parent’s permission. Similarly, unless you have permission from the author or owner of those works, you are not allowed to reproduce an artist’s work, an excerpt from a book, or, in many situations, a song. There are a few exceptions, but this article will teach you how to ask for or give consent.
How to Write a Permission Letter
A letter of authorization need not be particularly difficult to write. You must make it obvious that you consent and offer information about who is granting permission to whom. The remainder of the letter is mostly made up of salutations, closings, and dates. Never discuss or inquire about personal matters in a permission letter. If you later want to inquire about the sender’s mother or whether they will attend your birthday party, you can do so in a casual letter. All the necessary components of a permission letter are included in the list below.
- Your Address
- Date
- Full Name and Address of Requester
- Regarding your request to use, borrow, or take my ______ for (event or intended purpose), this subject heading should read something like that. The reader should be informed in one sentence about the topic heading’s purpose.
- Use a formal salutation, such as “To” or “Dear,” followed by the recipient’s name.
- Say you have received and reviewed their request for permission in a clear, concise manner. Then make it obvious that they have your approval to continue.
- Limitations: List any restrictions you may have, such as a one-time use policy, additional authorization to sell works including copyrighted content, or a request that your child does not consume any tree nuts while on the trip due to an allergy.
- Important Information: This should make it obvious who or what is the subject of the license by properly identifying them.
- Parting Remark: Your parting statement should be formal and include your name and the words “Sincerely Yours” or “Signed.”
- The signing date
- Witnesses: Since a permission letter is a contract, it is usually a good idea to have witnesses sign it.
Recommended Read: Attrition Rate
Granting Permission for Your Child
Parents’ consent letters are frequently provided in the pre-formatted form by schools and summer camps. You might, however, need to create your own. A permission letter should always be sent with your child whenever they travel somewhere alone. The exception, like sleepovers, is an overnight visit while you can still send a letter of authorization. The procedures listed below will help you write a formal permission letter.
- Subject-Example: Letter From ______ Authorizing My Child To Travel With You (starting and ending dates go here)
- Use the recipient’s complete name when addressing the letter, such as To Mrs./Mr./Miss/Mx.________ or To Whom It May Concern.
- Example of Intention and Permission: I/We (full names of all parents or legal guardians) the custodians of _____ (child’s full legal name) hereby grant permission for _____ (full names of responsible adult or adults) to take my child to ______ (location or locations) for _____ (reason) from _____ to. (dates).
- Specific Instructions- You should also mention any allergies, prescription medicine needs, or any special requirements your child may have.
- The extent of the permission is optional. You can give specific consent for an adult to watch over your child.
- Identity information for your child, including their name, date of birth, address, and phone numbers for each of their parents or legal guardians, is listed in order of contact. You should include the ID or passport number here if they have one. So that the accountable party can reach you whenever necessary, you should mention your current phone number(s) as well as your place of employment.
- All parents or guardians must sign the paperwork with two witnesses or a Notary Public present. Note that you must sign in front of the witness or notary; you must never sign in front of them before they view the blank form.
