Resignation Letter Template

Resignation Letter: [Your name]

A short, professional resignation letter that states your intention to resign, your notice and last working day, and an offer to help with the handover, plus a checklist for working out the notice period. Based on common employment practice, with dated UK, EU and US pointers. Replace every [bracketed] value and every line marked Example. This is a letter format, not legal advice: your notice period depends on your contract and the law where you work, so check both and ask a qualified adviser, union or advice service if unsure.

1. Letter

[Your name] [Your address or work email]

[Date: YYYY-MM-DD]

[Manager's name] [Job title] [Organisation]

Dear [Manager's name],

Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my role as [job title] at [organisation]. In line with my [contractual notice period of N weeks / months], my last working day will be [YYYY-MM-DD].

I am grateful for the opportunities I have had here, in particular [one specific, sincere example]. I will do everything I can to make the handover smooth, including [documenting my current work, handing over to a named colleague, finishing a specific task before I leave].

Please let me know about the next steps, including any holiday balance, the return of equipment and my final pay.

Kind regards,

[Your name]

Example (fictional): Elena Marsh resigns as Operations Coordinator at Quillmont Freight on Monday 2026-11-02 with a contractual notice period of four weeks. Her notice runs from the following day (Tuesday 2026-11-03), so her last working day is Monday 2026-11-30. She offers to document the carrier booking process and to train her successor during her final two weeks.

2. Notice period checklist

• Contract: what notice does your employment contract or collective agreement require, and must it be in writing?
• Holiday: will unused holiday be paid out, or can it be taken during notice? Ask in writing.
• Restrictions: does your contract contain garden leave, non-compete, non-solicitation or confidentiality clauses that apply after you leave?
• Repayments: do training costs, a sign-on bonus or relocation support have to be repaid if you leave within a set time?
• Probation: shorter notice often applies during a probation period; check the contract.

Dated pointers:

• UK: GOV.UK says an employee must give at least one week's notice after more than one month in the job, unless the contract requires more; notice usually runs from the day after you hand it in, and written notice is advisable if you may need to rely on it later: https://www.gov.uk/handing-in-your-notice/giving-notice
• EU: notice rules are set by each Member State's law and by collective agreements, and vary widely. Check the national labour ministry or an official advice service.
• US: most employment is "at will" and no federal law requires an employee to give notice, though two weeks is a common courtesy and your contract or employer policy may set terms (for example, on payout of unused leave). State law varies; check the state labour department.

3. Before you send

• Signed new offer and any background checks complete
• Dates in the letter match the notice calculation
• Copy of the letter and the sent date kept for your records
• Personal files removed from work devices, and work files left where your employer can find them

Standard and licence note

Based on common employment practice for resignation letters, with the UK GOV.UK notice guidance checked on 2026-10-30 as a dated example. Not legal advice: check your contract and the current official guidance where you work. Original text written for this collection; people and organisations are fictional. Template licence: MIT.