English Admin & Paperwork Vocabulary
Learn the words you meet on every form and in every office: you fill in a form, sign it, and submit your application. Add the key nouns — document, certificate, licence, fee, deadline — and the verbs apply, renew, approve and reject, and you can handle official paperwork in English.
Level: B2. Sooner or later every adult has to deal with paperwork in English — a form at the bank, an application for a licence, a letter from an office. This page gives you the admin and paperwork words you need, grouped by the task you are doing, each with a plain meaning and a short example you can copy.
This is language teaching, not legal advice: it shows you how the words are used, not what to do about any real legal matter.
By the end of this page you can…
…read and fill in common official forms, talk about documents and fees, and describe what happens to a request — whether it is approved, rejected, renewed or appealed.
How this list was chosen
Every word here comes from the English frequency list (hermitdave/FrequencyWords), which ranks words by how often they appear in a large collection of everyday subtitles. From that list we kept the admin and paperwork words a B2 learner needs and grouped them by task rather than by rank. The Rank column is the word’s real position in the list — a lower number means the word is more common. A few topic words (such as renew and valid) sit lower down the list but are essential for paperwork, so they stay in.
Documents and forms
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 913 | record | an official written note of something | The office keeps a record of every payment. |
| 1260 | form | a printed sheet with spaces you fill in | Please fill in this form in black ink. |
| 1469 | file | a set of papers kept together; to submit officially | Your file is on the desk, ready to sign. |
| 1491 | copy | a second version of a document | Keep a copy of everything you send. |
| 1579 | original | the first, real document, not a copy | Bring the original, not a photocopy. |
| 2197 | licence | official permission, or the card that shows it | You need a driving licence for this job. |
| 3506 | passport | the document that lets you travel abroad | My passport runs out next year. |
| 4296 | permit | an official document that allows something | You cannot build here without a permit. |
| 4599 | document | an official paper or file | Upload each document as a PDF. |
| 4920 | certificate | an official paper that proves a fact | She sent a copy of her birth certificate. |
Filling in and signing
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 189 | name | the words a person is called by | Write your full name in capital letters. |
| 651 | sign | to write your name to agree to something | Sign and date the bottom of the page. |
| 671 | date | the day, month and year | Leave the date blank until you post it. |
| 1141 | address | where a person lives or receives post | Give an address where we can reach you. |
| 1279 | complete | to fill in fully; finished | A completed form has no empty boxes. |
| 2678 | detail | a small single piece of information | Check that your bank details are correct. |
| 3485 | signature | your name written in your own hand | The form is not valid without a signature. |
| 3520 | apply | to make a formal request | You can apply online or by post. |
| 4760 | application | a formal request, or the form for it | Your application reached us on Monday. |
| 6534 | submit | to send something in for a decision | Submit the form before the deadline. |
Money and the law
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 208 | fine | money you pay as a penalty | He paid a fine for parking there. |
| 725 | law | a rule made by a country | The new law starts in January. |
| 752 | court | the place where legal cases are decided | The case will go to court next month. |
| 1827 | contract | a written, binding agreement | Read the contract before you sign it. |
| 1885 | legal | allowed by, or relating to, the law | Ask for legal help if you are unsure. |
| 2075 | official | from a person or body in authority | Keep the official letter in a safe place. |
| 2689 | agreement | an arrangement two sides accept | We reached an agreement on the price. |
| 2716 | policy | the written rules of a company or plan | Check the refund policy before you pay. |
| 3016 | tax | money paid to the government | You must report this income on your tax form. |
| 4445 | fee | money charged for a service | There is a small fee to renew the card. |
Handling a request
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 494 | office | a place where official work is done | Hand the papers in at the front office. |
| 1188 | notice | a formal written warning or message | They gave us a month’s notice to move out. |
| 1706 | process | to deal with something step by step | It takes ten days to process a claim. |
| 2042 | request | to ask for something formally | You may request a copy of your records. |
| 2302 | claim | to ask for money you have a right to | She made a claim on her insurance. |
| 3103 | confirm | to say officially that something is true | Please confirm your booking by email. |
| 3889 | appeal | to formally ask for a decision to be changed | You have the right to appeal the decision. |
| 4536 | approve | to agree to something officially | The bank approved the loan in a week. |
| 7071 | reject | to refuse something formally | They rejected the first application. |
| 13474 | renew | to make a document valid again | Remember to renew your licence in time. |
Example sentences
Play each line, then say it aloud. These use the admin and paperwork words in natural, everyday patterns.
- Please fill in the form and sign at the bottom.'Fill in' + 'sign' are the core form verbs.
- Write your full name and address in capital letters.Standard instruction on official forms.
- Leave the date blank until you post it.'Leave blank' means do not write anything there.
- Bring the original document, not a copy.'Original' contrasts with 'copy'.
- Keep a copy of everything you submit.'Submit' = send in for a decision.
- You can apply online or by post.'Apply' takes no object here.
- Your application was received on Monday.Passive: the doer is not named.
- The form must be completed in full.'Must be + past participle' is common in official English.
- There is a small fee to renew the licence.'Fee' + 'renew' + 'licence' together.
- The bank approved the loan in a week.'Approve' = agree officially.
- They rejected the first application.'Reject' is the opposite of 'approve'.
- You have the right to appeal the decision.'Appeal' = ask for a decision to be changed.
- Please confirm your booking by email.'Confirm' = say officially it is true.
- She made a claim on her insurance.'Make a claim on' + the policy.
- Check that your bank details are correct.'Details' = small pieces of information.
- The letter gives us a month's notice.'Notice' = formal advance warning.
- The form is not valid without a signature.'Valid' = legally acceptable.
- Read the contract carefully before you sign it.Advice with 'before you sign'.
Recap cheat-sheet
A few patterns to remember before the quiz.
Quick recap before the quiz.
| Point | Example |
|---|---|
| complete a form | fill in / fill out the form |
| make a request | apply for / make an application |
| official language | the form must be completed |
| a decision | approved, rejected, appealed |
Practice
Admin and paperwork practice
Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.
1 Match each word to its meaning.
- fee
- signature
- appeal
- certificate
Show answer
- fee → money charged for a service
- signature → your name written in your own hand
- appeal → to ask for a decision to be changed
- certificate → an official paper that proves a fact
Linking a word to its meaning helps you recall it faster.
Hint: British English phrasal verb
Show answer
fill — You 'fill in' (or 'fill out') a form.
Hint: to make a formal request
Show answer
apply — You 'apply for' a document; you do not 'do an application'.
6 Put the words in order.
Show answer
submit it before the deadline — Submit it before the deadline.
Quiz
Admin and paperwork quiz
12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.
-
Show answer
sign it — You sign a form to agree to it.
-
Show answer
certificate — A certificate proves a fact, like a birth certificate.
-
Show answer
I want to make an application. — You 'make an application' or simply 'apply'.
-
Show answer
make it valid again — Renew = make a document valid again.
-
Show answer
was received — Official English often uses the passive: was received.
-
Show answer
fine — A fine is a penalty; a fee is a charge for a service.
-
Show answer
ask for it to be changed — You appeal when you want a decision changed.
-
Show answer
licence (card) — British English: noun 'licence', verb 'license'.
-
Show answer
send it in for a decision — Submit = send in for a decision.
-
Show answer
fill in the form — You 'fill in' (BrE) or 'fill out' (AmE) a form.
-
Show answer
notice — A notice is a formal written message or warning.
-
Show answer
contract — A contract is a binding written agreement.
Next
- Next set: English Environment & Climate Vocabulary
- Related sets: English Business & Work Vocabulary, English Money & Banking Vocabulary
- Grammar behind official language: The passive (present and past), Have to and must, Phrasal verbs: an introduction
- New here? Start with Start Learning English Here
All English vocabulary topics
Vocabulary, pronunciation, phrases, practice and exam help, ordered by level. Pick a topic and go straight to it. New lessons go live every day, so topics marked Coming soon fill in over the next weeks.
Vocabulary
A1 13 topics · 13 ready
- 01 100 Most Common English Words
- 02 English Words 101-250 (Frequency)
- 03 100 Essential English Verbs
- 04 Common English Adjectives
- 05 English Question Words & Phrases
- 06 English Time Expressions
- 07 English Food & Cooking Vocabulary
- 08 English Animals Vocabulary
- 09 English Clothing Vocabulary
- 10 English Weather Vocabulary
- 11 English Family & Relationships Vocabulary
- 12 English Colours Vocabulary
- 13 English Numbers, Dates & Money
A2 14 topics · 14 ready
- 14 English Words 251-500 (Frequency)
- 15 English Words 501-1000 (Frequency)
- 16 Everyday English Adverbs
- 17 English Body & Health Vocabulary
- 18 English House & Furniture Vocabulary
- 19 English Kitchen & Tableware Vocabulary
- 20 English Transport & Travel Vocabulary
- 21 English Places in Town Vocabulary
- 22 English Jobs & Professions Vocabulary
- 23 English Money & Shopping Vocabulary
- 24 English Emotions & Feelings Vocabulary
- 25 English Sports & Exercise Vocabulary
- 26 English Verbs of Motion
- 27 English Irregular Verbs Reference
B1 11 topics · 11 ready
- 28 English Words 1001-1500 (Frequency)
- 29 English Words 1501-2000 (Frequency)
- 30 English Connectors & Linking Words
- 31 English Nature & Geography Vocabulary
- 32 English Technology & Internet Vocabulary
- 33 English Education & School Vocabulary
- 34 English Medical & Pharmacy Vocabulary
- 35 English Arts, Music & Film Vocabulary
- 36 100 Essential English Phrasal Verbs
- 37 Commonly Confused English Words
- 38 British vs American English
B2 6 topics · 6 ready
- 39 English Words 2001-3000 (Frequency)
- 40 English Business & Work Vocabulary
- 41 English Opinion & Attitude Vocabulary
- 42 English Admin & Paperwork Vocabulary You are here
- 43 English Environment & Climate Vocabulary
- 44 Linking Words for Essays