Email Signature

To ensure communications are accessible, the Chief Marketing Office has established and recommends all State of Vermont entities and employees adopt the format for email signatures that are outlined below:

Optional Content for Email Signatures

• Pronouns can be included at the discretion of the user and should be placed within parentheses after the user’s name and any certifications.
• A “Call to action” line for social media, newsletter signup, directions, seasonal messages, etc. This line length must stay under 72 characters, with spaces, should be text only, and should not be placed within parenthesis.

Additional Guidelines for Email Signatures

• The font for email signatures is Arial, 12-point type for size, in black.
• At this time, the default body font of messages in Microsoft Outlook is Aptos (Body), at 11-point size. The Chief Marketing Office recommends changing the default body font to Arial and increasing the default font size to 12-point to match the preferred email signature format. Users can change their default font settings in Outlook’s Options.
• Bold your name. Other than your name, do not use bold, italic or caps. Do not stylize your name in a different font (i.e., do not use a script font or change the color). The recommended font, Arial 12-point size, complies with accessibility standards.
• Use either your Department or your Agency name, not both. If you opt to include your Division or Program name, include the Vermont Department on the following line. Use “Vermont” in your Department or Agency name, and spell it out (i.e., Vermont, not VT). Refer to the options above.
• No logos, social media icons or other images; this includes the State of Vermont logo. The standardized format of your signature identifies you as a representative of Vermont state government. Social media “handles” in text are acceptable.
• Use dashes in your phone numbers rather than parentheses or periods. 
• If you have only one phone number, remove “office” or “cell”.
• Only include a fax number if you receive documents regularly via fax. (Most offices now use email.)
• Use dashes in your phone numbers rather than parentheses or periods. 
• In your address, abbreviate “Bldg”, “St”, “Dr”, etc., with no punctuation. This keeps the character count down and ensures the address line will not break or wrap in the middle. Ideal max character count per line is 72 characters, with spaces.
• If you use the optional “call to action” line, separate it from your other info by a line space.
• Remember to set the same signature from your phone, tablet and in the web-based version of Outlook (i.e., Replace “Sent from my iPhone” with your official signature).