Resignation Letter Template
A free resignation letter template that states your last day, offers a clean handover, and keeps the tone professional enough to survive a reference check years from now. Download it in PDF or Word and fill in the bracketed fields.
Last updated: August 5, 2026
What Is a Resignation Letter?
A resignation letter is a short written notice from an employee to their employer confirming that they are leaving and identifying the final day of work. It is not a negotiation, an exit interview, or a place to settle grievances. Its job is narrow and practical: create a dated record of when notice was given, so that payroll, benefits, final pay, and the last day on the schedule are calculated from a single agreed date rather than from someone's memory of a hallway conversation.
The letter also has a reputational function that most people underestimate. It usually ends up in the personnel file, and it is often the last document a future reference-checker sees. A letter that is brief, specific about the date, and free of complaints costs nothing to write and protects the relationship. Anything you genuinely need to raise about the workplace belongs in a separate conversation with HR, not in the document that formally ends your employment.
When to Use This Template
- ✓You have accepted another position and need to give your current employer formal written notice
- ✓You are leaving for personal reasons, relocation, education, or retirement and want the date documented
- ✓Your employment agreement or handbook requires written notice before you can resign
- ✓You want an unambiguous record of the notice date because final pay or PTO payout depends on it
- ✓You already told your manager verbally and want to confirm the conversation in writing
- ✓You want to leave on terms that keep a positive reference available later
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Full text of the template. Fields in [BRACKETS] are placeholders you fill in.
Resignation Letter
1. 1. Header and Date
[YOUR FULL NAME]. [YOUR STREET ADDRESS]. [CITY, STATE, ZIP]. [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]. [YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS]. Date: [DATE OF LETTER]. Note that the date at the top of this letter is the date notice is considered given, and any notice period in your employment agreement is counted from it. Use your personal email address rather than your work address so that the employer can reach you after your access is disabled.
2. 2. Recipient
[MANAGER FULL NAME]. [MANAGER TITLE]. [COMPANY NAME]. [COMPANY STREET ADDRESS]. [CITY, STATE, ZIP]. Dear [MR./MS./MX. LAST NAME], or Dear [MANAGER FIRST NAME] if that matches how you normally address them. Send a copy to [HR CONTACT NAME], [HR TITLE], so that the notice is recorded by the department that processes final pay and benefits rather than sitting in one manager's inbox.
3. 3. Statement of Resignation
I am writing to formally notify you of my resignation from my position as [YOUR JOB TITLE] at [COMPANY NAME]. I have accepted an opportunity that moves my career in a different direction, and after careful consideration I have decided this is the right time to make that change. This decision is final and is not intended to open a discussion about my current role or compensation. I appreciate that this creates work for the team and I have tried to give as much notice as my circumstances allow.
4. 4. Last Day of Work
My last day of employment will be [LAST DAY OF WORK], which provides [NOTICE PERIOD, e.g., two weeks] of notice from the date of this letter and satisfies the notice requirement in [SOURCE OF NOTICE REQUIREMENT, e.g., my offer letter dated (DATE) / the employee handbook]. I intend to work my full schedule through that date, including [ANY SCHEDULED OBLIGATIONS, e.g., the month-end close, the client onboarding call on (DATE)]. If a different final date would be more workable for the team, I am open to discussing it, though I am not able to extend beyond [LATEST POSSIBLE DATE].
5. 5. Transition and Handover Offer
I want the handover to be as clean as possible. Before my last day I will complete [KEY PROJECTS OR DELIVERABLES TO FINISH], prepare written documentation covering [PROCESSES, ACCOUNTS, OR SYSTEMS YOU OWN], and transfer ownership of [FILES, TOOLS, OR ACCOUNTS] to whoever you designate. I am glad to help train my replacement or brief [COLLEAGUE NAME] on my recurring responsibilities, and I will make myself available for handover sessions at whatever times work best for you. Please let me know your priorities for these final [NUMBER] weeks so I can sequence the work accordingly.
6. 6. Final Pay, Benefits, and Company Property
Please let me know how you would like to handle my final paycheck, any accrued and unused paid time off, and the end date of my benefits coverage, including how and when I will receive information about continuation coverage. I would appreciate written confirmation of the final pay date and the amount so I can plan accordingly. I will return all company property before my last day, including [LIST OF PROPERTY, e.g., laptop, phone, badge, keys, corporate card], and I will delete company data from any personal device once you confirm it is no longer needed.
7. 7. Gratitude
I am genuinely grateful for the [NUMBER] years I have spent at [COMPANY NAME]. Working on [SPECIFIC PROJECT OR ACCOMPLISHMENT] taught me [SPECIFIC SKILL OR LESSON], and the support I received from you and from the [TEAM OR DEPARTMENT NAME] team made a real difference in how I have developed professionally. I have valued the chance to work alongside people I respect, and I will be glad to see the team continue to do well.
8. 8. Closing and Signature
Thank you again for the opportunity and for your understanding. Please do not hesitate to contact me at [YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL] or [YOUR PHONE NUMBER] if any questions come up after my departure. Sincerely, ______________________. [YOUR FULL NAME]. [YOUR JOB TITLE]. Date signed: [DATE]. Delivery method: [DELIVERY METHOD, e.g., emailed to manager and HR with read receipt / hand-delivered with a copy retained]. Keep a copy of this signed letter and of any acknowledgment you receive for your own records.
9. Disclaimer
This template is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Notice requirements, final pay deadlines, and rules on payout of accrued vacation vary by state and by the terms of your own employment agreement, and resigning may affect eligibility for unemployment benefits or trigger repayment obligations such as a signing bonus clawback. Review your offer letter, handbook, and any equity or bonus agreements before sending notice, and consult a licensed attorney in your state if significant amounts are at stake. Use of this template does not create an attorney-client relationship with ScanContract.
Key Clauses Explained
What each important clause does — and what to watch out for before you sign.
Statement of Resignation
Makes the decision unambiguous so there is no question later about whether you resigned or were let go.
Keep this sentence plain and unconditional. Wording like "I feel I have no choice but to leave" can later be read as a claim of constructive discharge, which changes the legal character of your departure. If you actually intend to raise that claim, do not do it here without talking to an attorney first.
Last Day of Work
Fixes the exact final date of employment, which drives final pay, benefits end date, and PTO payout.
Check your offer letter or handbook for a required notice period before you pick a date, since some employers tie the PTO payout or a retention bonus to giving proper notice. Also be aware that in most at-will states, an employer can end your employment on the day you give notice rather than letting you work the full period.
Transition and Handover Offer
Documents the specific handover you are offering, which is what preserves the relationship and the reference.
Offer only what you can actually deliver in the time left. A promise to "be available after my last day" with no limit invites unpaid calls for months. If you are willing to consult after departure, say so as a separate paid arrangement rather than folding it into the resignation.
Final Pay and Accrued PTO
Asks in writing for the final pay date, amount, and treatment of unused paid time off.
Whether unused vacation must be paid out on separation depends entirely on your state and your employer's written policy. Ask before your last day rather than after, and get the answer in writing. Some policies also require repayment of a signing bonus or tuition reimbursement if you leave within a set window.
Return of Company Property
Lists the items you will return and when, closing off a common source of post-departure disputes.
Get a signed or emailed receipt for anything you hand back, especially hardware. Employers are generally not allowed to withhold your final paycheck as leverage for unreturned property in most states, but the argument is far easier to avoid than to win.
Tone and Grievances
Keeps the letter neutral and professional because it becomes a permanent personnel record.
Anything you write here can be read aloud in a future dispute or shown to a reference-checker. Complaints, sarcasm, and detailed criticism of colleagues cost you more than they gain. Raise genuine issues in a separate written communication to HR where they can be handled properly.
Continuing Obligations
Reminds you that confidentiality, non-solicitation, and IP terms usually survive your last day.
Resigning does not cancel agreements you already signed. Re-read your NDA, non-solicitation, and any non-compete before you start at a competitor or contact former clients. Do not copy files, contact lists, or documents on your way out, even ones you personally created.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice do I have to give when I resign?▾
Do I have to say why I am leaving?▾
Can my employer fire me after I give notice?▾
Should I email the resignation letter or hand it over in person?▾
Will resigning affect my unemployment benefits?▾
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