Relocation Cover Letter Templates & Example
An out-of-state address costs you interviews unless the letter handles it — employers assume the move is uncertain, expensive, or slow. The letter inside these templates removes all three doubts in the first paragraph: the move is certain, self-funded, and dated; you'll be local by a specific day; you're available for video interviews now and can travel for in-person meetings. Then it gets on with the job. Formal sage, contemporary teal, or banner laurel.
Pick a letterhead; the letter inside answers the address question first.
Formal in sage for corporate and government roles, Contemporary in teal for tech and healthcare, Banner in laurel for education, nonprofit, and agency applications. The same relocation letter in each.
Relocation cover letter example — the letter inside the template.
[Month Day, Year]
[Hiring Manager Name]
[Title]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
Dear [Hiring Manager Name],
I am writing to apply for the [Position Title] position at [Company Name] in [City, State]. I am a [profession] with [X years] of experience in [specialty], and I am relocating to [City / the area] in [Month Year] — [a brief, confident reason: to join my spouse who has accepted a position there / to be closer to family / by choice, after several years of planning]. My move is certain and self-funded, and I will be local and available to start by [date].
At [Current/Previous Company], I [a specific, measurable result relevant to the posting — e.g., managed a $3M regional portfolio and grew it 22% in two years; led a team of eight through a system implementation delivered on time]. The posting’s requirements — [two or three specific requirements] — describe work I do now, and I would bring that experience with me on day one.
I chose to apply to [Company Name] specifically because [a researched reason — its reputation in the region, a project or product, its team, its role in the community you are moving to]. I am available for video interviews at any time and can travel to [City] for in-person meetings on [dates or with X days’ notice].
My resume is attached, with my new local address and start date noted at the top. I would welcome the opportunity to speak about the role. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Whitfield
What a relocation cover letter should say.
Recruiters don’t reject relocating candidates for being far away — they reject the uncertainty. The letter answers every version of it:
- Certain and dated. ’I am relocating to Denver in January’ — a month, not ’considering’ or ’open to.’
- A reason, in a clause. A spouse’s job, family, a planned move — one confident phrase. It makes the move real; it doesn’t need a story.
- Self-funded and local by a date. ’My move is self-funded and I will be local and available to start by [date].’ It removes the relocation-package question before it’s asked.
- Interview logistics. Video any time; in-person travel on specific dates or with X days’ notice. Make saying yes easy.
Put your new city on the resume header too — “Relocating to Denver, January 2027” — so the ATS and the recruiter see the same answer. Remote roles use the remote letter instead. The rest of the letter is your profession’s: pair it with the matching resume template and, if you want the role-specific body, swap paragraphs two and three from the collection for your field.
Fill it in.
- Open a template in Google Docs or download the Word file.
- Fill the first paragraph’s [brackets] — city, month, reason, start date — then the role-specific result in paragraph two.
- Add your new city to the resume header, export both as PDFs, and apply.
Relocation cover letter FAQ
How do I mention relocation in a cover letter?
Should I say why I'm relocating?
Should I ask for relocation assistance in the cover letter?
Should I use my current address or the new city on my resume?
How do I handle interviews from out of state?
Can I use this if I'm 'willing to relocate' but haven't decided?
Relocation cover letter templates & example · Updated September 2026