Before you write: check five things
- Your notice period. It is in your offer letter, employment contract or handbook. In the US, two weeks is the custom for most roles, though most jobs are at-will; in the UK it is set by your contract, often one month; in India it is commonly 30, 60 or 90 days.
- Your new offer, in writing. Don't resign on a verbal promise. Have a signed offer letter with a start date that fits your notice.
- Any bond or agreement. Sign-on bonus or relocation clawbacks, tuition repayment, training bonds and non-solicitation clauses can cost money if you leave early. Read them now, not after.
- Your vacation balance. Some employers pay out unused vacation in your final paycheck (some US states require it); others don't. In India, some companies let you adjust earned leave against the notice period. Your handbook or HR policy says which.
- How resignations are submitted. Many companies require it in the HR portal as well as by email. Check, so your notice starts on the right day.
Tell your manager in person or on a call before the letter arrives. Hearing it first from an email or an HR system notification is the fastest way to start a notice period on the wrong foot.
Resignation letter format: what to include, in order
Follow this order and the letter writes itself. Most come to three short paragraphs and fit easily on one page.
- Date of the letter.
- Addressee: your reporting manager by name, often with HR in copy.
- A clear statement that you are resigning, and from which position.
- Your last working day, stated as a date, and that it follows your notice period.
- An offer to hand over: documenting your work, training a replacement, finishing specific deliverables.
- Brief thanks. One or two sentences, specific if you can.
- A question about your final pay and benefits, or in India, a request for your relieving and experience letters and the full and final settlement.
- Your name and signature, or typed name for email.
You don't have to give a reason. If you want to, keep it to one neutral sentence: a new opportunity, higher studies, relocation, family or health. Our resignation letter templates cover each of these situations.
Example resignation letter: a standard sample to copy
[October 15, 2026] Dear [Manager's Name], Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from the position of [Your Job Title] at [Company Name]. My last day will be [October 29, 2026], two weeks from today. Over the coming weeks I will complete [specific deliverables], document my ongoing work, and hand over to [colleague or replacement] so the transition is smooth. I'm happy to help in any way that makes this easier for the team. Thank you for the support and the opportunities I have had here, particularly [one specific thing]. I have learned a great deal and will remember my time at [Company Name] fondly. Could you let me know what I need to do before I leave, and confirm the details of my final paycheck and benefits? Sincerely, [Your Full Name] [Phone Number]
In the UK, replace “two weeks from today” with your contractual notice, for example “in line with my one-month notice period”. In India, letters usually open with a “To,” block (name, designation, company) and a subject line, give the notice period in days, add your Employee ID under your name, and end by asking for your relieving letter, experience letter and full and final settlement; the notice period template is set out that way. For the shortest US version, see the two weeks notice template.
How to work out your last working day
This is where most resignation letters get it wrong, and a wrong date can mean an argument at exit, a pay mix-up or, in India, a delayed relieving letter.
- Find out whether notice is counted in calendar days or working days. “Two weeks” usually means ten working days; most UK and Indian contracts use calendar days or months.
- Check whether the day you resign counts as day one. Policies differ. If you resign on 15 October with 30 days' notice, your last day is usually 13 or 14 November.
- Notice in months usually runs to the same date next month (or the day before): resign 15 October with one month's notice, leave around 14 November.
- Two weeks' notice in the US is normally ten working days: resign on a Monday, leave on the Friday of the following week.
If you are unsure, write the date you believe is correct and add “or as per company policy”. HR will confirm it. If you need to leave earlier, ask for early release separately; our guide to the notice period email to your manager has templates for that.
Short, formal or by email: which version to send
| Situation | What changes | Template |
|---|---|---|
| Moving to a new job | Optional one line on a new opportunity; no company names needed | Better opportunity |
| Two weeks' notice (US) | The shortest standard letter | Two weeks notice |
| 30 to 90 days' notice (India) | Notice period and relieving letter in focus | Notice period |
| Resigning by email | Subject line, shorter body, same content | Resignation email |
| Personal or family reasons | One neutral sentence, no detail owed | Personal reasons |
| Going back to school | Mention the program if you like | Higher studies |
| Need to leave immediately | Request waiver or buyout of notice | Immediate resignation |
| Health reasons | Keep private details private | Health reasons |
| Moving city | Offer remote handover help | Relocation |
What not to put in a resignation letter
- Complaints about your manager, colleagues, salary or the company. The letter goes in your file permanently and may be read by future background verification teams.
- Your new employer's name or salary. You don't owe it, and it can trigger an awkward counter-offer conversation in writing.
- Vague dates like “by the end of next month”. Write the date.
- Emotional language, either way. Warm and brief beats gushing or bitter.
- Promises you can't keep, like being available on weekends after you leave.
If you have real concerns to raise, use the exit interview, calmly and with specifics. The letter stays neutral.
If your manager makes a counter-offer
A resignation is often followed by a retention conversation, especially in tight hiring markets like tech. Decide before you resign whether anything would make you stay. If the answer is no, a polite line works: “Thank you, I appreciate it, but I've made my decision and I'd like to focus on a good handover.”
If you do consider it, be clear about why you resigned in the first place. If the reason was money alone, a raise may fix it. If it was growth, your manager or the work, it usually won't, and you will have damaged trust with your new employer by backing out of a signed offer.
After you resign: handover and paperwork
- Write a handover document: open tasks, contacts, passwords handed to IT (never shared in documents), where files live, recurring deadlines.
- Return company assets: laptop, ID badge, access cards, phone, and get a written acknowledgment.
- Final pay and benefits: in the US, ask when your final paycheck arrives (state law sets the deadline), whether unused vacation is paid out, and how COBRA and your 401(k) work after you leave. In the UK, check your final payslip and P45.
- Relieving and experience letters (India): your next employer will usually ask for them in background verification. Request them in writing and keep a PDF copy. Your full and final settlement (last salary, leave encashment, bonus and recoveries) often follows within 30 to 60 days, and your PF account (UAN) moves with you.
- Update your resume while your recent work is fresh. Our resume examples and how to write a resume guide help when you need it.