What must a resignation letter contain?

Three things: a clear statement that you are resigning, the date your notice period ends or your last working day, and your signature or name. Anything beyond that is optional. Leaving out the date is the most common mistake, because it is the one detail your employer needs for payroll and for your final payslip.

Do I have to give a reason for leaving?

No. In most places you are not obliged to explain, and a short letter without a reason is easier to write and harder to argue with. If you do give a reason, keep it neutral and forward-looking — "I have accepted another role" rather than anything about your manager or the team.

Should I mention a counter-offer?

No. Raising the possibility invites a negotiation you have already decided to end, and it signals that your decision is for sale. If you want to stay, negotiate before you resign, not in the letter.

Can I resign by email?

Often yes, and it is increasingly normal. Send it to your manager and copy HR so the date is recorded in more than one place, and keep the sent copy. If your contract requires written notice by post, follow the contract instead.

How long should the letter be?

Two or three sentences. A resignation letter is a record, not a persuasive document; nobody needs to be convinced. Longer letters create more surface area for disagreement.

What if I want to leave before my notice period ends?

That is a negotiation, not a letter. Ask, and expect the answer to depend on your contract and your employer. If you need the exact date your notice period ends, including month-end and weekend rules, use the notice period calculator first and put that date in the letter.

Should I say thank you?

One short sentence is usually worth it, especially if you may need a reference. Keep it specific and brief: a generic "thank you for the opportunity" adds nothing, while naming something real you learned or worked on is remembered.

Resignation Letter Template

Two or three sentences, the right date, and no argument. A resignation letter is a record of a decision you have already made — not a place to negotiate or explain.

Before you write it: work out the date

The letter needs one date: the day your notice period ends, or your last working day. Getting it wrong is the most common and most annoying mistake, because it is the detail payroll works from.

Notice periods are not always simple arithmetic. "One month" from 31 January ends on 28 February, not 31 February; two weeks can mean 14 calendar days or 10 working days depending on your contract; and a period that expires on a Saturday gives you a Friday last working day. Use the notice period calculator to get the date first, then copy it into the letter. It also works backwards if you have a start date at your next job and need to know the latest day you can hand your notice in.

What the letter must contain

A clear statement that you are resigning. "I am resigning from my position as [role]" leaves nothing open to interpretation. Do not soften it into "I wanted to let you know that I have been thinking…".
The date. Your last working day, or the date your notice period ends. State it explicitly rather than making them calculate it from the date on the letter.
Your name and the date you are writing it. The letter is a record; make it a usable one.

That is the whole requirement. Everything below is optional, and most of it is better left out.

Six templates

All six are in the block below — copy it and keep the one that fits. Placeholders in [square brackets] are things only you can fill in; we have deliberately not invented examples for them. Replace the date with the one the calculator gave you.

=== 1. Standard resignation (most situations) ===

Dear [manager name],

I am resigning from my position as [role] at [company]. In line with my notice period,
my last working day will be [date].

Thank you for the time I have spent here. [Optional: one specific sentence about something
you learned, shipped or worked on.]

I will do what I can to hand over my work and leave things in good order. Please let me
know if there is anything specific you would like me to prioritise before then.

Yours sincerely,
[your name]
[date]


=== 2. Short and neutral (when you want minimum surface area) ===

Dear [manager name],

I am writing to give notice of my resignation from my role as [role]. My last working
day will be [date].

I will prepare a handover before I leave.

Regards,
[your name]
[date]


=== 3. Resigning during a probation period ===

Dear [manager name],

I am resigning from my position as [role]. As I am still within my probation period, my
notice period is [one week / as set out in my contract], so my last working day will
be [date].

Thank you for the opportunity to work with the team. I will make sure my current work
is documented before I leave.

Yours sincerely,
[your name]
[date]


=== 4. By email, when you cannot speak in person first ===

Subject: Resignation — [role], last working day [date]

Dear [manager name],

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

I would like to hand over properly, so I have set out where my current work stands
below. I am also happy to speak whenever suits you.

Thank you for the time I have spent on the team.

[your name]
[date]


=== 5. When you are leaving for a specific reason you are happy to state ===

Dear [manager name],

I am resigning from my position as [role]. My last working day will be [date].

I have accepted a role that is closer to [area of work / the direction I want to take],
which is the main reason for my decision. I have valued [one specific thing] here and
am grateful for it.

I will make sure my work is handed over cleanly before I go.

Yours sincerely,
[your name]
[date]


=== 6. Retiring or leaving the workforce ===

Dear [manager name],

I am writing to let you know that I will be leaving [company], and my last working day
will be [date].

This is not a decision I have taken quickly, and it is not a reflection on the team.
I have appreciated [one specific thing] during my time here.

I will do everything I can to make the handover straightforward.

Yours sincerely,
[your name]
[date]

What to leave out

Complaints. Whatever the real reason, the letter is a permanent record and may be read by people you have never met. Anything you would not say in a reference conversation does not belong here.
Reasons you have not been asked for. You are usually not obliged to give one. A letter without a reason is shorter, safer and harder to argue with.
Counter-offers, hinted or invited. "Unless something changes" turns a decision into an opening bid. If you want to stay, negotiate before you resign, not inside the letter.
Salary, bonus or holiday disputes. These are separate conversations with HR. Mixing them into a resignation letter makes the date itself look negotiable.
Length. Every extra paragraph is another thing someone can respond to. Two or three sentences is the whole document.
Apologies. You are allowed to leave. "I am sorry to have to do this" invites them to treat a normal decision as a problem to be solved.

How to deliver it

The order matters as much as the wording, and it is not the same for everyone:

Tell your manager in person or on a call first, then send the letter. This is the usual expectation in most workplaces and it costs you one conversation. The written version then confirms what you have already said.
Send it to your manager and copy HR. Two recipients means the date is recorded in more than one place, which matters if anyone later disputes when your notice started.
Keep a copy. Save the sent email or a scan of the signed letter. This is the only proof of the date you gave notice, and notice disputes are almost always about that date.
Do not resign before you have the new offer in writing. A verbal offer is not an offer, and resigning on one is the most expensive mistake in this whole process.

After the letter

Notice periods are also when most of the practical work happens, and the same questions come up every time:

Confirm the exact dates in writing, including the last working day and any holiday you still have to take or be paid for. The notice period calculator covers the arithmetic, including month-end resignation dates and periods that end at a weekend.
Write the handover document before your final week, not during it. Your last days fill up with exit paperwork and goodbyes.
Line up the next application while you are still employed. Start from the ATS-friendly resume template and check it with the free ATS check.
If the last two lines of your resume are the weak part, the summary examples page covers exactly that, and the cover letter template is the same style as this letter.
Once interviews start, the thank-you email templates are the follow-up most candidates never send.

Common questions

What must a resignation letter contain?: Three things: a clear statement that you are resigning, the date your notice period ends or your last working day, and your signature or name. Anything beyond that is optional. Leaving out the date is the most common mistake, because it is the one detail your employer needs for payroll and for your final payslip.
Do I have to give a reason for leaving?: No. In most places you are not obliged to explain, and a short letter without a reason is easier to write and harder to argue with. If you do give a reason, keep it neutral and forward-looking — "I have accepted another role" rather than anything about your manager or the team.
Should I mention a counter-offer?: No. Raising the possibility invites a negotiation you have already decided to end, and it signals that your decision is for sale. If you want to stay, negotiate before you resign, not in the letter.
Can I resign by email?: Often yes, and it is increasingly normal. Send it to your manager and copy HR so the date is recorded in more than one place, and keep the sent copy. If your contract requires written notice by post, follow the contract instead.
How long should the letter be?: Two or three sentences. A resignation letter is a record, not a persuasive document; nobody needs to be convinced. Longer letters create more surface area for disagreement.
What if I want to leave before my notice period ends?: That is a negotiation, not a letter. Ask, and expect the answer to depend on your contract and your employer. If you need the exact date your notice period ends, including month-end and weekend rules, use the notice period calculator first and put that date in the letter.
Should I say thank you?: One short sentence is usually worth it, especially if you may need a reference. Keep it specific and brief: a generic "thank you for the opportunity" adds nothing, while naming something real you learned or worked on is remembered.

Not legal advice. Notice periods and resignation rules depend on your contract and your jurisdiction. This page is a writing template; check your contract or ask HR about anything you are unsure of.