How to Write a Resignation Letter (With Templates)

A resignation letter is short: say that you are resigning, give your job title, name your last working day, and thank the company for the opportunity. That is the whole job, and anything longer usually creates problems rather than solving them.

The letter itself is the easy part. What matters more is the order you do things in, the notice you give, and how you leave the door open for a reference later.

What a resignation letter is actually for

A resignation letter is a formal record. It proves you resigned, and it fixes the date the clock started on your notice period. HR files it, payroll uses it to work out your final pay, and your manager uses it to start planning cover.

That is it. It is not a review of your manager, a list of grievances, or a negotiation tool. If you want to raise concerns, do it face to face or in an exit interview, where tone and context exist. Anything you write down can be read by people you never intended to send it to, years after you have gone.

What to include in a resignation letter

Keep it to one short page, or a few paragraphs in an email. Include:

• A clear statement that you are resigning from your position
• Your job title, so the record is unambiguous
• Your last working day, written as a full date
• A short thank you for the opportunity or the experience
• An offer to help with the handover
• A polite sign-off with your name and the date

That is the complete list. You do not need a reason, a forwarding address, or a paragraph about your future plans.

What to leave out

Leave out complaints, comparisons with your new employer, salary details, jokes, and anything sarcastic. Leave out long emotional passages too, even positive ones, because they make the letter harder to file and easier to misread.

Also leave out conditions. If you want to negotiate an earlier finish date or use up unused leave, do that in conversation with your manager or HR. A letter that says "I resign, unless..." is not a resignation, and it puts everyone in an awkward position.

Tell your manager before you send anything

Your manager should hear this from you, not from their inbox and not from a colleague. Ask for a short private meeting or call, tell them plainly that you have decided to move on, and give them your intended last day.

Send the written letter straight after that conversation, on the same day. This order matters more than the wording of the letter itself, because it is the part your manager will remember when someone later asks them for a reference about you.

How notice periods work

Your notice period comes from your employment contract, and the minimum standards sitting behind it vary by country and sometimes by the type of contract you are on. Read your contract before you promise a date to anyone, including your new employer.

If your contract is vague or you cannot find it, ask HR what applies to your role. It is a completely normal question, and asking it early is far better than discovering a longer notice period after you have already agreed a start date somewhere else.

Two practical points. Notice usually runs from the date the letter is received, not the date you had the conversation, so send it promptly. And if you want to leave earlier than your notice allows, ask for it as a favour and get the agreement in writing, rather than simply not turning up.

What tone should a resignation letter have?

Warm, brief, and professional. Read it back and ask whether you would be comfortable with your manager forwarding it to HR and to their own boss, because that is exactly what will happen to it.

Avoid over-explaining. A letter that spends three paragraphs justifying the decision reads as though you are asking for permission. You are not. You are informing them, politely.

Three resignation letter templates

Copy the closest one and change the details. Keep the structure and replace only what needs replacing.

Standard resignation

Dear [Manager's name],

I am writing to formally resign from my position as [Job title] at [Company]. My last working day will be [date], in line with my notice period.

Thank you for the opportunity and the support during my time here. I am happy to help with the handover and to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Kind regards, [Your name]

Short notice

Dear [Manager's name],

I am writing to resign from my position as [Job title] at [Company], with my last working day on [date]. I understand this is shorter than my usual notice, and I am sorry for the short timescale.

I will do everything I can to hand over my work properly before I leave, and I am happy to prioritise whatever is most useful to the team.

Kind regards, [Your name]

A job you genuinely enjoyed

Dear [Manager's name],

After a lot of thought, I am resigning from my role as [Job title] at [Company]. My last working day will be [date].

This has been a difficult decision. I have learned a great deal here, particularly [one specific thing], and I am grateful for the support you have given me. I would like to stay in touch, and I will make sure my projects are fully documented before I go.

With thanks and best wishes, [Your name]

How to hand over your work properly

The handover is what people actually remember. Write a short document listing your live projects, their current status, key contacts, deadlines, and where the files live. Add anything that only exists in your head, such as which supplier to call about what.

Then walk someone through it before your final week, not on your last afternoon. If a replacement has not been hired yet, give the document to your manager so it does not get lost between people.

Leaving on good terms protects your references

Most employers check references before an offer becomes final, so the last few weeks of one job can quietly shape the start of the next one. Stay useful, stay pleasant, and finish what you can finish.

Before you go, ask your manager or a close colleague whether they would be happy to act as a referee, and take a personal contact detail while you still have easy access to them. Our guide to references on a CV covers how to store and format those details, and if your next move is not lined up yet, how to find a job walks through the search itself.

Key takeaways

• A resignation letter only needs your intention to resign, your job title, your last working day, and a thank you.
• Tell your manager in a conversation first, then send the written letter the same day.
• Check your contract for your notice period, because the rules depend on your contract and your country.
• You never have to explain your reasons in writing, and it is usually better not to.
• A clean handover and a polite exit are what protect your reference later.

Once your notice is in, turn your attention to the next role. Update your CV while your recent wins are still fresh, add the results you delivered in this job, and get your referees lined up early. You can build your CV free with CVify AI in a few minutes and walk into your next interview ready.