How to Write a Resignation Letter: Examples & Templates
A resignation letter is a short written record that you're leaving your job, which role you're leaving and when you intend to finish. It doesn't need to be long, personal or polished — most good ones are five sentences. Copy the template below, replace the bracketed details, and you have a letter you can send.
Simple Resignation Letter Template
Fill in the brackets and send it to your manager. This version works for most roles and most workplaces.
Subject: Resignation — [Your Name] Dear [Manager's Name], Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. My intended final day of employment is [Last Working Day]. I'm grateful for the opportunities and experience I've gained during my time at [Company Name]. I'll do what I reasonably can during my remaining time to help with the transition. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, [Your Name]
Need a different tone or situation? Jump to the nine full examples below, including short, simple, formal, friendly and email versions.
Key takeaways
- • A resignation letter only has to do two things: say you're resigning and, where appropriate, name your intended final working day.
- • It does not need to explain why you're leaving.
- • Short is not rude. A three-sentence letter is perfectly professional.
- • Keep grievances, salary disputes and details of your new job out of it — letters stay on file.
- • Whether a written letter or a particular notice period is expected can depend on your employment agreement, employer policy, applicable law and your circumstances.
1. Resignation letter template
The template at the top of this page is the version most people need. It's deliberately plain: a subject line your manager can search for later, one clear resignation sentence, a specific final date, a short line of thanks and a realistic offer of help. That structure reads the same whether it's printed, pasted into an email or submitted through an HR portal.
Two things are worth adjusting before you send it. First, replace the bracketed date with a real calendar date rather than a relative phrase. Second, check whether your employer has a preferred channel or form for submitting a resignation — handbooks sometimes specify who should receive it, and following that process is easier than correcting it afterwards.
Everything below is a variation on this same skeleton. The tone changes, the length changes and the situation changes, but the core sentences don't.
Subject: Resignation — [Your Name] Dear [Manager's Name], Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. My intended final day of employment is [Last Working Day]. I'm grateful for the opportunities and experience I've gained during my time at [Company Name]. I'll do what I reasonably can during my remaining time to help with the transition. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, [Your Name]
2. What is a resignation letter?
A resignation letter is the written statement that you are leaving your job. It usually names the position you're resigning from and the day you intend to stop working, and it's typically addressed to your direct manager, sometimes copied to HR. Many employers keep it on file as the formal record of when and how notice was given.
People use several phrases for the same document: resignation letter, notice letter, resignation email, letter of resignation. There's no meaningful difference between them, and there are no official categories of resignation letter. “Short”, “simple” and “formal” are descriptions of tone and length, not legal distinctions.
Whether you're expected to submit a written letter at all, and what notice is appropriate or required, can depend on your employment agreement, your employer's policy, applicable law, union or collective arrangements, government employment rules and your individual circumstances. Much U.S. private-sector employment is described as “at will,” a phrase broadly referring to either party being able to end the relationship without a fixed notice period — but how that applies to any particular person depends on their own agreement and the law where they work. Treat this guide as general information, review your documents, and seek qualified guidance if your situation is complicated.
This page is about the written document. If you want the wider process — deciding to leave, telling your manager, counteroffers, the handover and your final days — see our guide on how to resign from a job.
3. How to write a resignation letter
There's a simple sequence worth remembering, because it's the order a reader expects the information in:
Resign → Date → Appreciate → Transition → Close
RESIGN
State clearly that you're resigning
One unambiguous sentence. “Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [Job Title]” does the whole job. Hedging isn't a resignation and leaves your manager guessing.
DATE
Name your intended final working day
Give a specific date rather than “in a couple of weeks” where you can. A date removes ambiguity about weekends, holidays and part-time schedules, and it's the detail HR and payroll need.
APPRECIATE
Say thank you, briefly, if you mean it
One or two sentences at most. This is optional courtesy, not a requirement, and an insincere paragraph reads worse than none at all.
TRANSITION
Offer help you can realistically provide
“I'll document my active projects and support a handover” is a promise you can keep. “I'll finish everything and train my replacement” usually isn't.
CLOSE
End neutrally and professionally
A plain sign-off and your name. No grievances, no parting observations, nothing you wouldn't want read aloud a year from now.
The most common mistake is treating the letter as an explanation. It isn't. A resignation letter generally does not need to contain a long account of why you're leaving, and in most cases it's better without one. Reasons belong in conversation, where tone and context exist, if you choose to give them at all. On paper, a reason becomes a permanent line in a file that can be read by people you've never met, years after the situation that produced it.
A practical method: draft freely first, including everything you feel like saying, then delete every sentence that isn't a fact about your resignation or a genuine courtesy. What's left is almost always the letter. If you find yourself justifying, comparing or defending, that's the material to cut.
On tone, match your workplace rather than a template's idea of professionalism. A stiff formal letter in a small informal team reads as cold; a chatty note in a regulated environment reads as careless. The examples in section 5 deliberately cover that range.
Finally, read it once as if you were a stranger in HR opening it in two years. If nothing in it would surprise or embarrass you in that reading, it's ready to send.
4. What to include in a resignation letter
Use this as a checklist before you send. The “include it?” column reflects common professional practice, not a legal standard.
| Element | Include it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A clear statement of resignation | Yes | The sentence that makes the document a resignation at all. |
| Your job title | Yes | Identifies the role you're vacating, which matters for HR records. |
| Your intended final working day | Usually | A specific calendar date is clearer than a relative description. |
| Company name | Usually | Standard in a formal letter; often dropped in a short internal email. |
| Date of the letter | Recommended | Fixes when notice was given, which can matter later. |
| Brief appreciation | Optional | Include only if genuine. One or two sentences. |
| Offer of transition help | Recommended | Keep it to what you can realistically deliver. |
| Your reason for leaving | Not required | Rarely needed in writing, even when it's discussed out loud. |
| Feedback or grievances | No | A resignation letter is a record, not a place to make a case. |
| Details of your new job | No | Your new employer, salary and start date are yours to share or not. |
| Signature / name | Yes | A typed name is fine for email; a signature suits a printed letter. |
How long should it be?
Three to six sentences covers nearly every situation, and a single page is the practical ceiling for a formal printed letter. Length is not a measure of professionalism here — a short, clear letter is easier to act on and harder to misread than a long one.
5. Resignation letter examples
Nine versions for different situations and tones. Copy the closest one and adapt the details — they're written to be edited, not sent verbatim. All names, companies and situations are fictional.
1. Simple resignation letter template
When to use it: the standard, neutral version that fits almost any workplace.
Subject: Resignation — [Your Name] Dear [Manager's Name], Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. My intended final day of employment is [Last Working Day]. I'm grateful for the opportunities and experience I've gained during my time at [Company Name]. I'll do what I reasonably can during my remaining time to help with the transition. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, [Your Name]
2. Short resignation letter
When to use it: you want the shortest professional letter possible, with no elaboration.
Dear [Manager's Name], Please accept this as notice of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. My intended final working day is [Date]. Thank you for the opportunity. Sincerely, [Your Name]
3. Professional / formal resignation letter
When to use it: formal organizations, senior roles, or employers that keep letters on file.
[Your Name] [Your Address or Email] | [Phone] [Date] [Manager's Name] [Job Title], [Company Name] Dear [Manager's Name], I am writing to formally notify you of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. My intended final day of employment is [Date]. During my remaining time I will prepare written documentation of my ongoing responsibilities and support the handover of my work to the colleague or successor you designate. I would appreciate confirmation of my final working date and guidance on any offboarding steps required. Thank you for the professional opportunities I have had at [Company Name]. Respectfully, [Your Name] [Job Title] | [Department]
4. Friendly resignation letter
When to use it: a close, informal team where a warmer tone reflects the real relationship.
Hi [Manager's Name], After a lot of thought, I've decided to resign from my role as [Job Title]. My intended last day is [Date]. Working with you and the team genuinely shaped how I approach my work, particularly [specific project or skill]. I'll miss the people here. Tell me what would help most before I finish and I'll make it a priority. Thanks for everything, [Your Name]
5. Resignation email
When to use it: written confirmation after a conversation, or where email is the normal channel.
Subject: Resignation — [Your Name] Hi [Manager's Name], Following our conversation today, I'm writing to confirm my resignation from my position as [Job Title]. My intended final working day is [Date]. Before then, I'll document my active projects and open items so whoever picks them up has what they need. Please let me know what you'd like me to prioritize. Thank you for the opportunity to work with the team. Best regards, [Your Name]
6. Resignation letter when leaving for another job
When to use it: you've accepted another offer and are comfortable saying so without detail.
Dear [Manager's Name], I'm writing to let you know that I have accepted a position with another organization and am resigning from my role as [Job Title]. My intended final day at [Company Name] is [Date]. This wasn't a decision about the team — it reflects the direction I want to take next. I've valued the work we've done together, especially [project or area]. I'll use my remaining time to document my responsibilities and help hand over anything outstanding. Thank you for the support you've given me here. Best regards, [Your Name]
7. Resignation letter without a detailed reason
When to use it: your reasons are personal and you'd rather not explain them.
Dear [Manager's Name], Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. My intended final working day is [Date]. I'm leaving for personal reasons I'd prefer to keep private, but I want to say that I've appreciated my time with this team. I'm committed to a clean handover and will make sure my current work is documented before I finish. Thank you for your understanding. Sincerely, [Your Name]
8. Resignation letter with two weeks notice
When to use it: you intend to work approximately two more weeks and want the date stated plainly.
Dear [Manager's Name], Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. I intend to provide two weeks' notice, with [Date] as my final working day. I'll spend that time documenting my active work and supporting the handover as best I can. Thank you for the opportunity. Sincerely, [Your Name]
9. Resignation letter with a shorter notice period
When to use it: circumstances mean you can't offer a full notice period.
Dear [Manager's Name], I'm writing to resign from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. Because of circumstances outside my control, I'm only able to work until [Date], which is shorter notice than I would have liked to give. I'm sorry for the short timeline. I'll prioritize documenting my open work and will make myself available for handover questions where I reasonably can. Thank you for your understanding. Sincerely, [Your Name]
If you're leaving a role you only started recently, the framing is slightly different and worth handling carefully — see how to quit a job you just started.
6. Short resignation letter
A resignation letter can be genuinely short. Three sentences is enough to carry everything the document has to do: that you're resigning, from which role, and when you intend to finish. Nothing about brevity is unprofessional, and a short letter gives nobody anything to interpret.
Short versions work particularly well when you've already spoken to your manager, when your reasons are private, when the relationship is strained enough that extra words are a risk, or when your employer simply needs the record for their files. Resist the urge to pad it out of politeness — the appreciation sentence is optional, and forced warmth reads worse than a plain statement.
Dear [Manager's Name], Please accept this as notice of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. My intended final working day is [Date]. Thank you for the opportunity. Sincerely, [Your Name]
If you do cut it this far, make sure the two essentials survive: the explicit word “resignation” (or “resigning”), and the date. Letters that get queried are almost always missing one of those.
7. Simple resignation letter
“Simple”, “short” and “formal” get used interchangeably in searches, but they describe slightly different things — and none of them is an official category:
- • Simple — plain, everyday wording and no unnecessary structure. It can still include thanks and an offer to help.
- • Short — stripped to the essentials. Usually three sentences, no elaboration.
- • Formal / professional — traditional letter layout, addresses and headers, measured language. Longer by structure, not by content.
For most people a simple letter is the right default. It's readable, it sounds like a person, and it avoids the slightly stiff quality of a formal template used in a workplace that doesn't call for one.
Dear [Manager's Name], I'm writing to let you know that I'm resigning from my role as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. My intended final working day is [Date]. Thank you for the support I've had here. I'm happy to help hand over my current work before I finish. Sincerely, [Your Name]
8. Professional resignation letter
A formal version makes sense in traditional or regulated organizations, in senior roles, where the letter will be printed and filed, or where the relationship is formal enough that a casual note would seem out of place. The content is the same; the packaging is more deliberate.
Formal letters usually add a header block with your name and contact details, the date, and the recipient's name and title, then use a conventional salutation and sign-off. Keep the body just as restrained as a simple letter — formality is about structure, not about adding paragraphs.
[Your Name] [Your Address or Email] | [Phone] [Date] [Manager's Name] [Job Title], [Company Name] Dear [Manager's Name], I am writing to formally notify you of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. My intended final day of employment is [Date]. During my remaining time I will prepare written documentation of my ongoing responsibilities and support the handover of my work to the colleague or successor you designate. I would appreciate confirmation of my final working date and guidance on any offboarding steps required. Thank you for the professional opportunities I have had at [Company Name]. Respectfully, [Your Name] [Job Title] | [Department]
9. Resignation letter by email
Email is a normal way to send a resignation letter in many workplaces, and often the only practical one for remote employees or for teams that already handle formal communication by email. Where a conversation is practical, many people choose to speak with their manager first and send the written version the same day as confirmation — it protects the relationship and makes the email a record rather than a surprise. Some employers ask for resignations through a specific form or portal, so it's worth checking your handbook before you send.
Subject line examples
- • Resignation — [Your Name]
- • Resignation — [Job Title]
- • Notice of Resignation — [Your Name]
- • Resignation, effective [Date] — [Your Name]
Keep the email itself as short as the letter. Send it from your work account where that's appropriate, copy HR if your employer expects it, and keep a copy for yourself before your access ends.
Subject: Resignation — [Your Name] Hi [Manager's Name], Following our conversation today, I'm writing to confirm my resignation from my position as [Job Title]. My intended final working day is [Date]. Before then, I'll document my active projects and open items so whoever picks them up has what they need. Please let me know what you'd like me to prioritize. Thank you for the opportunity to work with the team. Best regards, [Your Name]
10. Resignation letter with two weeks notice
If you intend to provide about two weeks' notice, your resignation letter can simply say so and name the intended final working day. Nothing else about the letter changes.
Dear [Manager's Name], Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name]. I intend to provide two weeks' notice, with [Date] as my final working day. Thank you for the opportunity. I'll help with the handover as much as I reasonably can before I finish. Sincerely, [Your Name]
Two weeks is a common professional convention in the United States rather than a universal requirement, and what's appropriate or required for you can depend on your agreement, employer policy and applicable rules. For choosing the date, notice-specific scenarios and more wording, see our two weeks notice letter templates.
11. What not to include in a resignation letter
Most resignation letters go wrong by adding rather than omitting. This isn't about being guarded — it's that the letter is a record with a long life and a small job to do.
| Avoid | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Long emotional explanation | Keep the letter focused on the resignation itself. |
| Personal attacks | Keep criticism out of the formal letter entirely. |
| Detailed complaints | Use an appropriate separate channel if you want to raise them. |
| Unclear final date | State the intended final working day clearly where appropriate. |
| Promises you cannot keep | Offer only the transition help you can realistically provide. |
| Sensitive details about the new employer | Share only what you actually choose to share. |
| Salary disputes | Keep compensation conversations separate from the resignation document. |
| Conditions and ultimatums | If you want to negotiate rather than leave, do that as its own conversation. |
| Anything written while upset | Draft it, wait a day, then cut whatever reads as anger or justification. |
If pay is the actual issue and you'd rather stay, that's a different conversation to have before you resign — our guides on how to negotiate salary and salary negotiation emails cover it. Using a resignation as leverage tends to work badly even when it appears to work.
12. What to do after sending your resignation letter
Once the letter is sent, the letter's part is over. A few practical things are worth handling in the days after:
Confirm it was received
If you don't get a reply, a short follow-up is reasonable. A written acknowledgement is useful to have.
Agree the final working day
Get the date confirmed in writing, even a one-line email. Pay, benefits and references all hang on it.
Document your active work
List open projects, deadlines, contacts and where files live. Ask your manager what to prioritize.
Hand over responsibilities
Brief whoever picks up your work, and offer a walkthrough rather than a document alone where practical.
Return company property as applicable
Laptops, badges, phones and equipment. Ask how your employer wants it returned rather than assuming.
Keep your own records
Pay stubs, benefits information, your offer letter and anything about final pay are worth saving before access ends.
Stay professional to the last day
The final stretch is the most visible one, and it's the basis of any future reference.
The full process — the conversation, counteroffers, the handover plan and your final days — is covered in our guide on how to resign from a job. If you're resigning because you've accepted something else, our guides on accepting a job offer and declining one cover the other side of the move.
13. Frequently asked questions
How do I write a resignation letter?
State that you're resigning and from which role, give your intended final working day, add a brief thank you if it's genuine, offer realistic handover help and sign off. Five sentences is plenty.
What should a resignation letter say?
The essentials are your resignation, your job title and your intended last day. Everything else — appreciation, transition help, a reason — is optional.
How long should a resignation letter be?
Three to six sentences, and no more than a page. Longer letters add risk without adding clarity.
Do I have to give a reason for resigning?
Generally no. A short reason is customary in conversation but rarely needed in writing. “I've accepted another opportunity” or “for personal reasons” is a complete answer.
Can a resignation letter be an email?
In many workplaces, yes — email is normal and often expected, especially for remote roles. Check whether your employer specifies a particular form or recipient.
Do I need to give two weeks notice?
Two weeks is a common U.S. convention, not a universal requirement. What's appropriate or required for you can depend on your employment agreement, employer policy, applicable law and your circumstances, so check your documents and seek qualified guidance if it matters.
Should I tell my boss before sending my resignation letter?
Where practical, a short private conversation first — with the written letter following the same day — is usually better received. If a conversation isn't realistic, written notice alone is fine.
What date should I put in a resignation letter?
Your intended final working day, as a specific calendar date. Consider your schedule, any notice terms in your agreement and any start date you've committed to elsewhere, and confirm the date with your employer afterwards.
Can I write a very short resignation letter?
Yes. As long as it clearly says you're resigning and names your intended last day, a three-sentence letter is entirely professional.
What should I avoid putting in a resignation letter?
Complaints, criticism of individuals, long emotional explanations, salary disputes, conditions, details about your new employer, and promises you can't keep.
Moving to a new role? Check the market rate
If you're resigning for another job, it's worth comparing the new pay with reported wages for your occupation and state before your start date.
This guide offers general career guidance and is not legal advice; employment rules, contractual obligations and notice expectations vary by state, employer and circumstances. All example letters are fictional. Browse all career guides or start at FindMySalary.