Recruitment · Updated October 2026
An experience certificate, also called a service certificate, is a letter from an employer stating the roles an employee held and the period they worked there. It is proof of work history, which is a different job from the relieving letter, which proves the exit itself was completed properly.
| Document | What it proves | Typical content |
|---|---|---|
| Relieving letter | The employee was formally released after notice and clearance | Last working day, resignation accepted, dues cleared |
| Experience certificate | What the person did and for how long | Designation (and any promotions), department, joining and leaving dates, sometimes a line on conduct or performance |
| Service certificate | Same facts, in the older Standing Orders wording | Nature of work or designation and the period of employment |
In day-to-day HR the terms get used loosely, and many companies issue a single letter that does both jobs. What matters is that the content covers designation, tenure and, where you choose to include it, a neutral line on conduct. Keep it factual and consistent for everyone; a certificate that praises some leavers and says nothing for others invites questions.
The next employer’s background verification check is the main use. Banks and housing lenders sometimes ask for it alongside salary slips, and visa or immigration applications often require proof of previous employment. It can also settle a later argument about dates of employment, which matters for service-linked benefits such as gratuity.
For workmen covered by the Standing Orders, the Central Rules Model Standing Orders (Schedule I-B) provide for a service certificate specifying the nature of work and the period of employment, issued when the worker leaves. For salaried staff in general there is no one statute that says so, and the entitlement sits in the appointment contract or company policy. The framework is moving: the Industrial Relations Code and the Central Rules notified in May 2026 carry new model standing orders, so check the current text if your establishment is covered. See standing orders for who is covered.
Employers sometimes withhold it where there is a service bond breach or a disciplinary exit. The Bombay High Court backed an employer on a bond breach in May 2026, but outcomes turn on the facts and the contract, so take advice before relying on either side of it.
Generally no. Salary is verified separately through payslips or Form 16, and putting pay in a general certificate creates privacy and data issues.
Some employers write a neutral confirmation of dates and role only, to avoid defamation or dispute risk. If an employee left under a cloud, state facts that you can document.
Count tenure exactly for the certificate with the Years of Service Calculator, or read how it fits into the offboarding sequence.