Time Off Request Form Template

Replace email chains and Slack DMs with a structured time off form. This template captures the type of leave, dates, manager, and coverage plan — so HR and managers have everything they need to approve and plan around the absence.

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Fields in this template

Employee Namerequired
Employee Emailrequired
Departmentrequired
Manager Namerequired
Manager Emailrequired
Type of Leaverequired
Vacation / PTO · Sick leave · Personal day · Bereavement · Jury duty · Parental leave · Unpaid leave · Other
Start Daterequired
End Daterequired
Total Days Requestedrequired
Reason (optional)
Coverage Plan

Who uses this template

HR teamsPeople operationsSmall business ownersOffice managersDepartment headsRemote teamsStartups without an HR system

About this template

Time off requests are one of the most repetitive HR processes in any company, and the way most teams handle them — Slack messages, email threads, shared spreadsheets — creates real problems. Requests get lost, dates conflict, coverage plans don't exist, and managers approve things they later forget about. A structured form solves all of this with almost no overhead.

This template captures the fields that turn a vague request into a clean record. Employee and manager email make routing automatic. Leave type lets HR distinguish PTO from sick leave for tracking and policy reasons. Start and end dates plus total days requested are the core information for approval and calendar updates. The coverage plan field is the one most companies forget to ask for — but it's the difference between a smooth absence and a panicked Monday morning when something falls through the cracks.

formformform makes time off tracking free for any team. Embed the form on your intranet, link it from your handbook, or bookmark it for employees to access. Every request lands in HR's inbox and the manager's inbox simultaneously, and the records are stored in your dashboard for easy review later. For startups and small businesses that don't have a dedicated HR platform yet, it's a much better solution than email or paper forms.

What's included

Employee and manager identification fields

Leave type selector (PTO, sick, personal, parental, etc.)

Start date, end date, and total days fields

Optional reason field for context

Coverage plan field for handoffs

Free with unlimited requests and instant email alerts

No HR software subscription needed

How to create a time off request form

1
Click "Use this template" to add the time off request form to your free formformform account.
2
Customize the leave types to match your company's PTO policy and any region-specific categories.
3
Set notifications to send to both HR and a configured manager email when each request is submitted.
4
Add a hidden field for the employee's department or team if you want to organize requests by group.
5
Update the heading and intro paragraph to match your company's branding and policy language.
6
Publish and embed — drop the form on your intranet, link from your employee handbook, or bookmark it for staff.

Best practices for your time off request form

Ask for coverage plans

even one sentence about who's covering what reduces the panic when things slip through the cracks.

Notify both HR and the manager

approval shouldn't require forwarding. Set up notifications to both parties at submission time.

Don't require a reason

most requests don't need one, and asking for one creates unnecessary friction. Make it optional.

Track totals separately

for compliance and PTO tracking, keep a spreadsheet or use a webhook to push approvals into your tracking system.

Set submission lead times

encourage employees to submit requests at least two weeks in advance for vacations, but keep emergencies easy.

Confirm approvals in writing

once a manager approves, send the employee a confirmation so there's a clear record on both sides.

Frequently asked questions

Is this time off request form free?

Yes. You can collect unlimited time off requests for free, with no trial period and no credit card required.

Can I route requests to different managers automatically?

The form captures the manager's email, and you can configure notifications to send to that address on every submission. For more advanced routing, use webhooks to push requests into your HR system.

Can I track PTO balances?

The form captures requests, but balance tracking happens elsewhere. Most teams export submissions to a spreadsheet or push them via webhook into a dedicated HR tool to update balances after approval.

Can I use this for sick leave too?

Yes. The leave type dropdown includes sick leave, personal days, bereavement, parental leave, and other categories. Customize the list to match your company's policy.

Can I require manager approval before the request is finalized?

The form itself doesn't enforce approval workflows. Most teams treat the submission as a request, and approval happens via email reply or in a follow-up tool. For more structured workflows, use a webhook to integrate with your HR system.

Can I customize this for a specific country's leave laws?

Absolutely. Edit the leave types and labels to match local regulations, and add fields for any required documentation (e.g., a doctor's note for sick leave above a certain length).