Most people mess up formal letter routing lines without even realizing it. A single wrong format can delay approvals, get your document misfiled, or ignored entirely. This guide breaks down the Sample Letter With Thru format, when you need it, and exactly how to use it correctly every time.

The 'thru' line exists for a reason—it tells office staff exactly who needs to review and sign off on your request before it reaches the final recipient. Skip this line or format it wrong, and you’re wasting everyone’s time. You’ll walk away with ready-to-copy examples for every common work and personal scenario.

Understanding The 'Thru' Line In Formal Letters

The 'thru' line (sometimes written as 'through') is the official routing line placed between your return address and the final recipient address. It is most commonly used in hierarchical organizations, government offices, schools and corporate environments. This single line is responsible for 70% of formal letter routing speed and approval success.

Before drafting any Sample Letter With Thru, you need to follow these basic rules:

  • List recipients in order of review, lowest rank first
  • Never skip a required sign-off party
  • Use full job titles for every person listed
  • Align the entire thru block left on the page

For quick reference, here is the standard placement breakdown:

Letter Section Order Position
Your Return Address 1
Date 2
Thru Routing Line 3
Final Recipient 4
Subject Line 5

Sample Letter With Thru For Employee Leave Request

Date: 3 October 2024

THRU: Sarah Chen, Department Supervisor
THRU: Mark Torres, HR Generalist

To: Mia Carter, Operations Manager

Subject: Annual Leave Request 12-19 October 2024

I am writing to formally request annual leave for the dates listed above. All pending client tasks have been handed over for coverage. I can be reached by phone for emergency matters only.

Regards,
Alex Reed

Sample Letter With Thru For School Excuse Absence

Date: 3 October 2024

THRU: Ms. Lopez, Homeroom Teacher
THRU: Mr. Hale, Grade Level Coordinator

To: Principal Watson

Please excuse my daughter Lily Moore from school 7-8 October. She will be attending a scheduled family medical appointment out of town. All missed class work will be completed upon return.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Moore

Sample Letter With Thru For Budget Approval Request

Date: 2 October 2024

THRU: Marketing Team Lead
THRU: Finance Officer

To: Department Director

This letter requests approval for the $1250 Q4 social media ad budget outlined in the attached document. All projected performance metrics are included for review. This spend supports our October product launch.

Submitted by,
Riley Park

Sample Letter With Thru For Equipment Purchase Request

Date: 1 October 2024

THRU: Office Administrator
THRU: IT Support Supervisor

To: Facilities Manager

I request approval to purchase one replacement wireless keyboard and mouse for workstation 14B. The current hardware has failed and cannot be repaired. Approved vendor pricing is attached.

Thank you,
Tyler Brooks

Sample Letter With Thru For Tenant Maintenance Request

Date: 4 October 2024

THRU: Building Concierge
THRU: Property Maintenance Coordinator

To: Property Landlord

This notice reports a leaking bathroom tap in Unit 307. The leak started yesterday evening. Please arrange a repair visit this week; I will be home after 5pm daily.

Regards,
Zoe Campbell

Sample Letter With Thru For Volunteer Application

Date: 5 October 2024

THRU: Volunteer Coordinator
THRU: Program Supervisor

To: Event Director, Community Food Drive

I am submitting my application to volunteer at the November 16 food drive. I have previous event experience and can work all scheduled shifts. Reference contact details are attached.

Sincerely,
Omar Hassan

Sample Letter With Thru For Performance Review Submission

Date: 6 October 2024

THRU: Direct Team Supervisor
THRU: Department HR Representative

To: Head Of People Operations

Attached please find my completed self-assessment for the Q3 2024 performance review period. I have included notes on completed goals and suggested development priorities.

Submitted,
Nina Patel

Frequently Asked Questions about Sample Letter With Thru

When should I use a thru line in a letter?

Use a thru line any time your letter requires review or sign-off from multiple people before reaching the final decision maker. This is standard for corporate, government and school formal correspondence.

Is 'thru' acceptable in formal letters?

Yes, 'thru' is the standard accepted abbreviation for formal letter routing lines. You may also write 'through' but 'thru' is universally recognized for this specific formatting use.

What order do I list people on the thru line?

Always list recipients from lowest authority to highest authority. The first person listed reviews the letter first, then passes it up the chain to each subsequent person.

Can I put more than 2 names on the thru line?

Yes, you can list as many required routing parties as needed. Just place each one on a separate line, each starting with the THRU label for clarity.

Where exactly does the thru line go on the letter?

The thru line goes immediately after the date, and directly before the final recipient's name and address. Never place it after the subject line or opening greeting.

Do emails need a thru line?

Yes, you can use the same thru format at the top of formal internal emails. This clearly tells all recipients the intended routing order for approval.

What happens if I format the thru line wrong?

Incorrect order on a thru line will cause your letter to be routed incorrectly. This will almost always delay approval, and may result in your request being sent back entirely.

Can I use 'cc' instead of a thru line?

No, CC only informs people of the letter. A thru line indicates that each listed person must take action, review or sign off before the letter proceeds.

Do I need to sign after each thru line?

No, only you as the sender sign the letter once at the end. Each routing recipient will add their own signature or approval note as they review the document.

Using the Sample Letter With Thru format correctly removes one of the most common causes of delayed approvals and lost correspondence. Every example in this guide follows standard accepted formatting that will work across almost every organization and industry.

Save this page for the next time you need to submit a formal request. Copy the template that matches your situation, update the names and details, and submit your request with confidence that it will be routed properly the first time.