A resignation letter is a short, formal record that you are leaving. It needs four things: a clear statement that you are resigning, your job title, your last day of work, and your name. A line of thanks and an offer to help with the handover are customary. A reason is optional unless your employer asks for one. Three or four sentences are enough.
Tell your manager in a conversation first, then send the letter the same day, to your manager with a copy to HR. The templates below cover standard notice, short notice, leaving immediately and leaving on warm terms.
Key takeaways
- The letter is a record, not an explanation. State that you are resigning and give a specific last day.
- Keep it to a few sentences. Complaints, detailed reasons and feedback do not belong in it.
- Resign in conversation first, and send the letter the same day.
- Email is normal. Send it to your manager, copy HR and keep a copy outside your work account.
- Write nothing you would mind HR reading in your file years from now.
01
What must a resignation letter include?
| Part | What to write | Needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Date | The day you send it | Yes |
| Addressee | Your direct manager, by name | Yes |
| Statement of resignation | That you are resigning from your position as [job title] at [company] | Yes |
| Last day of work | A specific calendar date | Yes |
| Handover | One sentence on what you will finish or document | Customary |
| Thanks | One sentence, as specific as you can make it | Customary |
| Reason | One neutral line, or nothing | Only if your employer asks |
| Sign-off | Your name, plus a personal email and phone number for final paperwork | Yes |
Employers’ own rules show what the letter is for. The University of Washington tells departing staff that a resignation letter must include a statement of intent to resign and the effective date, including the last day worked, and that it goes to the manager with a copy to the unit’s HR partner. UC Berkeley tells managers to ask for a written letter of resignation that includes the effective date of the separation.
Both also ask for the reason for leaving, so check your own handbook. If yours wants a reason, one neutral line does the job: “I have accepted a position elsewhere” or “I am leaving for personal reasons.”
02
What should you leave out?
The letter is usually kept in your personnel file and may be read by people who never met you. Leave out:
- Criticism of your manager, colleagues, pay or the company. If you want to give feedback, the exit interview is the place.
- A long explanation. Nobody needs the full story to process a resignation.
- Your new employer and salary. You can share those in person if you choose.
- Anything conditional. “I am considering leaving” is not a resignation. If you are open to staying, have that conversation first and read how to handle a counter offer.
- A vague end date. “In a couple of weeks” causes payroll and benefits problems. Name the day.
03
Resignation letter templates
Change the bracketed parts and delete any optional line you do not need. For an email, drop the date line and use the subject “Resignation: [Your name], last day [date].”
[Date] Dear [Manager's name], I am resigning as [job title] at [Company], and this letter is my formal notice. I will work through [date], which is two weeks from today. Thank you for the opportunities I have had here, in particular [one specific thing]. Before I leave I will finish [key work] and prepare handover notes for my open projects. Please let me know how else I can help with the transition. Sincerely, [Your name] [Personal email] | [Phone]
[Date] Dear [Manager's name], I am resigning as [job title] at [Company]. [Date] will be my last day. I know this is less notice than usual, and I am sorry for the difficulty it causes. [Optional: A change in my circumstances means I cannot stay longer.] In the time I have, I will prioritize [the most urgent work] and leave written notes on everything else. I can also answer questions by email for [one week] after I leave. Thank you for your understanding and for my time on the team. Sincerely, [Your name] [Personal email] | [Phone]
[Date] Dear [Manager's name], I am resigning from my position as [job title] at [Company], effective immediately. Today, [date], is my last day of work. [Optional: I am unable to continue in the role for personal reasons.] I regret that I cannot give notice. The status of my current work is set out in [document or attached note], and I will return [laptop, badge, other equipment] by [date]. Please send my final pay and benefits information to the address below. Sincerely, [Your name] [Personal email] | [Phone] | [Mailing address]
[Date] Dear [Manager's name], After [number] years at [Company], I have decided to resign from my position as [job title]. My last day of work will be [date]. This was not an easy decision. I am grateful for [one specific thing, such as your support when I moved into the team lead role], and I am proud of what we built, especially [project or result]. I will do everything I can to make the handover smooth, including [training my replacement / documenting our processes]. I hope we stay in touch. With thanks, [Your name] [Personal email] | [Phone]
Leaving immediately has costs: it can strain a reference and, depending on your contract, affect what you are paid. Use that template when you have to, not when you are angry. If you can give the usual notice, the two weeks’ notice letter guide covers what to do with those two weeks.
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How should you format a resignation letter?
In an email, the message is the letter. Put the text in the body, use a subject line that cannot be misread, and skip the attachment unless HR asks for a signed copy.
For a printed letter, use standard business letter format. Purdue University’s writing lab describes the most common layout, block format, as left-justified and single-spaced with a blank line between paragraphs. The parts run in this order: your address, the date, the recipient’s address, a salutation, the body and a closing, with about four lines left for your signature above your typed name. A plain font such as Times New Roman or Arial at 12 points is the accepted choice. One page is the limit, and a few short paragraphs are all it takes.
05
How do you deliver a resignation letter?
- Talk to your manager first. The letter confirms a conversation. It should not be how they find out. How to quit a job professionally has a script.
- Send it the same day, to your manager with HR copied. Check your contract in case it says how written notice must be delivered.
- Keep a copy. Save the sent letter outside your work account, with the date and time.
- Ask for confirmation of your last day, your final paycheck and when benefits end. In the United States, federal law does not require final pay immediately, though some states do, so get the date in writing.
- Be ready for a different end date. Your employer may not keep you for the full notice. In Texas, for example, the state workforce agency says an employer can accept, reject or modify the notice an employee gives.
Do not send the letter until you are sure, which usually means after you have accepted the new offer in writing. Taking a resignation back generally needs your employer’s agreement. The University of Washington, for instance, requires approval before professional staff can rescind one.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does a resignation letter need to give a reason?
Not as a rule. A statement that you are resigning and your last day are what matter. Some employers do ask for the reason in their own policies, so check your handbook. If you include one, keep it to a single neutral line, such as having accepted another position or leaving for personal reasons.
How long should a resignation letter be?
Three to five sentences is typical, and it should never run past one page. State that you are resigning, give your last day, offer to help with the handover and say thank you. Anything more belongs in a conversation or an exit interview.
Can you send a resignation letter by email?
Yes. In many workplaces an email to your manager with HR copied is the normal way to put a resignation in writing. Speak to your manager first if you can, check whether your contract specifies how notice must be delivered, and save a copy of the sent message outside your work account.
Who should a resignation letter be addressed to?
Address it to your direct manager by name and copy HR. If you report to more than one person, address the manager responsible for your employment and copy the other. In a very small company with no HR function, send it to the owner or whoever handles payroll.
Can you take back a resignation letter?
Only if your employer agrees, in most cases. Once a resignation is accepted, the employer may already be planning around it, and policies on rescinding differ. Ask your manager and HR quickly and in writing if you change your mind, and avoid the problem by waiting until your next step is confirmed before you resign.
Sources
- University of Washington Human Resources: Voluntary termination: what one large employer requires in a resignation letter, who receives it and its policy on rescinding.
- UC Berkeley People & Culture: Resignation: guidance to managers to ask for a written letter with reasons and the effective date.
- Purdue Online Writing Lab: Writing the Basic Business Letter: block format, the parts of a business letter and font guidance.
- Texas Workforce Commission: Work Separations - General: in Texas, an employer can accept, reject or modify a notice of resignation.
- US Department of Labor: Last Paycheck: federal and state rules on when final pay is due.
Published by Jobbie and last updated on October 6, 2026. This guide is general information for job seekers, not legal, tax or financial advice. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.