조선시대에는 문․무과 합격자에게는 ‘홍패’라는 문서를, 생원․진사시 합격자에게는 ‘백패’라는 문서를 발급하는 제도가 존재하였다. 그러나 이러한 제도는 엄밀히 말해 경국대전 체제가 마련된 이후에 시행된 것이다. 이 논문에서는 현재까지 고문서 형태로 전하고 있는 홍패와 백패 가운데 고려말에서 조선초에 발급된 문서를 대상으로 경국대전 체제가 성립되기까지의 홍패․백패의 발급 제도와 문서 양식의 변화를 중점적으로 살펴보았다. 고려말에는 예부시 합격자에게 ‘王命准賜’라는 문구로 시작한 홍패를 발급하였다. 이 홍패는 관사에서 왕명을 받들어 官印을 찍어 발급한 것이고, 해당 문서에는 시험을 관장한 지공거와 동지공거의 서명이 기재되었다. 이에 반해 조선초에는 문․무과 합격자에게 ‘王旨’ 또는 ‘敎旨’라는 문구로 시작한 홍패를 발급하였고, 고려말의 홍패와는 달리 왕명을 직접적으로 기재하여 寶印을 찍어 발급하였다. 문서 양식으로 볼 때 조선초의 홍패가 고려말의 홍패에 비해 격상된 형태를 갖춘 것이다. 백패 발급제도는 조선초에 제도화되었다. 조선에 들어와 생원․진사시 제도가 정립되었고, 1438년(세종20)에 이르러 생원․진사시 합격자에게도 문서를 발급해야 한다는 논의가 본격화되었다. 문서 양식은 이때에 마련된 형태가 경국대전에까지 그대로 반영된 것으로 보인다. 여말선초의 홍패와 백패는 문서 양식의 변화뿐만 아니라 당시의 제도와 정치적 변화를 살펴볼 수 있는 중요한 사료이다.In Joseon period, there existed a system to issue the document, ‘crimson certificate’ to the successful candidates of erudite examination and the document, ‘white certificate’ to the successful candidates of licentiate examination. However, strictly speaking, this system was implemented after Complete Code of Law was designed. In this paper, I examined mainly with the issuance system and the changes of form of the documents issued in the late Goryeo period and the early Joseon period among ‘crimson certificates’ and ‘white certificates’ that have been handed down as ancient document so far until Complete Code of Law was completed. At the late Goryeo period, the ‘crimson certificates’ starting with the phrase of ‘Wang-Myeong-Joon-Sa’ were issued to the successful candidates of higher civil service examination. The ‘crimson certificates’ was issued at government office stamping official seal following the royal command and the signatures of Jigonggeo and Dongjigonggeo who were in charge of the exam were written in the document. In contrast, at the early Joseon period, the ‘crimson certificates’ starting with the phrase of ‘Wang-Ji’ or ‘Gyo-Ji’ were issued to the successful candidates of erudite examination, which the name of the king was directly written stamping the Royal seal unlike those in the late Goryeo period. The ‘crimson certificates’ issued in the early Joseon period were upgraded comparing to those in the late Goryeo period in terms of the documentary form. The issuance system of ‘white certificate’ was instituted in the early Joseon period. The licentiate examination was established since Joseon started and the debate that the document should be issued to the successful candidates of licentiate examination had been in earnest in 1438 (20th ruling year of King Sejong). It seems that the documentary form prepared at that time had been reflected to Complete Code of Law without any modification. The ‘crimson certificates’ and the ‘white certificate’ in the late Goryeo period and the early Joseon period are important historical record to examine the systems and the political changes at that time as well as the changes of documentary form.