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Letter of Resignation

LegalLetters and Notices
You and your employer

Optional. Without it the letter opens with Dear Hiring Manager.

Dates
Wording
Tone
Your resignation letter —
Notice given (calendar days)
—
Full weeks of notice
—
Words in the letter
—

A letter of resignation states that you are leaving, names your role and employer, and gives your last working day. Enter those details and the dates, and the letter is written for you. Handing it in on 2 March with a last day of 30 March gives 28 days, or four full weeks, of notice.

About this tool

Most employment contracts ask for resignation in writing, and the letter becomes the record of when notice started and when it ends. This builder writes a short, conventional letter: a dated opening, a clear statement that you are resigning from a named position, the last working day, an optional reason, an optional handover offer and a closing thank-you. You choose a formal or warm tone. It also counts the calendar days between handing the letter in and your last day, so you can compare that figure with your contract. It cannot read your contract, and notice rules differ by country, employer and length of service, so check the required period before you sign and send.

How to use it

  1. Enter the people

    Type your full name, job title and employer; add your manager's name if you want a personal greeting.

  2. Set the two dates

    Pick the day you hand the letter in and your last working day; the notice in days and weeks updates.

  3. Choose the wording

    Select whether to mention a reason, pick Formal or Warm, and tick the handover offer if you want it.

  4. Copy the letter

    Copy the finished text into an email or document, then add your signature.

Examples

Four weeks' notice for a new job

Your full name
Sam Carter
Your job title
Account Manager
Employer
Northwind Ltd
Manager's name
Ms Patel
Date you hand it in
2026-03-02
Last working day
2026-03-30
Reason to mention
New job
Tone
Formal
Offer to help with the handover
Yes

Result Your resignation letter: March 2, 2026

Dear Ms Patel,

Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as Account Manager at Northwind Ltd. My last working day will be March 30, 2026.

I have accepted a position elsewhere that fits the next stage of my career.

Before I leave, I will complete my current work where possible, document my open tasks and help train or brief whoever takes over my responsibilities.

Thank you for the opportunities provided during my employment. Please let me know the next steps regarding my final pay and the return of company property.

Yours sincerely,
Sam Carter
Notice given (calendar days): 28
Full weeks of notice: 4
Words in the letter: 103

  1. Notice = March 30, 2026 minus March 2, 2026 = 28 calendar days (4 full weeks).
  2. Paragraphs: date, greeting, resignation statement, reason, handover offer, thanks, sign-off.

A formal letter handed in on 2 March with the last day on 30 March gives 28 days of notice and mentions the new role.

Four days' notice, warm tone

Your full name
Lena Ortiz
Your job title
Barista
Employer
Harbour Coffee
Date you hand it in
2026-05-04
Last working day
2026-05-08
Reason to mention
No reason given
Tone
Warm
Offer to help with the handover
No

Result Your resignation letter: May 4, 2026

Dear Hiring Manager,

Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as Barista at Harbour Coffee. My last working day will be May 8, 2026.

Thank you for the support and the opportunities I have had here. I have enjoyed working with the team and hope to stay in touch.

Kind regards,
Lena Ortiz
Notice given (calendar days): 4
Full weeks of notice: 0
Words in the letter: 62

  1. Notice = May 8, 2026 minus May 4, 2026 = 4 calendar days (0 full weeks).
  2. Paragraphs: date, greeting, resignation statement, thanks, sign-off.

Four calendar days is under the one-week statutory minimum, so the tool adds a warning; no manager name means the letter opens with Dear Hiring Manager.

Two weeks' notice when relocating

Your full name
Omar Haddad
Your job title
Lab Technician
Employer
Clearwater Labs
Manager's name
Dr Evans
Date you hand it in
2026-06-01
Last working day
2026-06-15
Reason to mention
Moving away
Tone
Formal
Offer to help with the handover
Yes

Result Your resignation letter: June 1, 2026

Dear Dr Evans,

Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as Lab Technician at Clearwater Labs. My last working day will be June 15, 2026.

I am relocating, which makes it impossible to continue in this role.

Before I leave, I will complete my current work where possible, document my open tasks and help train or brief whoever takes over my responsibilities.

Thank you for the opportunities provided during my employment. Please let me know the next steps regarding my final pay and the return of company property.

Yours sincerely,
Omar Haddad
Notice given (calendar days): 14
Full weeks of notice: 2
Words in the letter: 101

  1. Notice = June 15, 2026 minus June 1, 2026 = 14 calendar days (2 full weeks).
  2. Paragraphs: date, greeting, resignation statement, reason, handover offer, thanks, sign-off.

From 1 to 15 June is 14 days, the two weeks' notice common in US workplaces.

How it is calculated

notice days = last working day − letter date; full weeks = floor(notice days ÷ 7)

letter date
the day the employer receives your written resignation
last working day
the final day you are employed and paid
floor
rounds down to whole weeks

Notice is counted in calendar days, weekends included, because statutory and contractual notice periods are usually stated in weeks or months rather than working days. A result below 7 days triggers a warning, since UK law sets one week as the minimum notice an employee gives after one month in the job. The letter text follows the usual business-letter order and only includes the paragraphs you switch on.

Sources

When not to use it

  • If you are resigning because of how you were treated, get employment advice first, as the wording can affect a later claim.
  • If your contract sets a special format or notice clause, follow that wording instead.
  • If you are a director, office holder or on a fixed-term contract, different rules may apply.

Common mistakes

  • Counting notice from the day you wrote the letter rather than the day your employer received it.
  • Giving a last day that falls short of the contractual notice period.
  • Adding complaints or criticism to a letter that will sit in your personnel file.

Frequently asked questions

How much notice does a resignation letter need to give?

Whatever your contract says. In the UK the legal minimum is one week once you have worked for a month, but many contracts ask for a month or more. In the US most jobs are at will, and two weeks is a common courtesy rather than a legal rule.

Do I have to give a reason for resigning?

No. A resignation is valid without a reason, which is why No reason given is the default. A short neutral reason, such as a new job or a move, can make the conversation easier but adds nothing legally.

Can I send my resignation by email?

Usually yes, unless your contract requires a signed paper letter. Email gives you a timestamp showing when notice started. Keep a copy, and ask for confirmation of receipt and your agreed last day.

Do weekends count towards the notice period?

Normally yes. Notice in weeks or months runs on calendar days, so a Monday-to-Monday span of four weeks is 28 days whether or not you work weekends. That is how the day count here is worked out.

Can I take back a resignation after handing it in?

Only if your employer agrees. Once clear notice has been given, the employer is entitled to accept it and hold you to the leaving date, so be sure before you send the letter.

Should the letter mention unused holiday or final pay?

The formal tone asks about next steps for final pay and returning company property. Detailed questions about accrued holiday are usually better raised separately with HR so the letter stays short.

Cite this tool

Using this tool in an assignment, article or report? Copy a citation, or a link for your website.

APA

Tools Directory Editorial Team. (2026, October 27). Letter of Resignation. Tools Directory. Retrieved October 27, 2026, from https://tools.milunir.com/legal/letters-and-notices/letter-of-resignation/

MLA

Tools Directory Editorial Team. “Letter of Resignation.” Tools Directory, 27 Oct. 2026, https://tools.milunir.com/legal/letters-and-notices/letter-of-resignation/. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Tools Directory Editorial Team. “Letter of Resignation.” Tools Directory. Last modified October 27, 2026. Accessed October 27, 2026. https://tools.milunir.com/legal/letters-and-notices/letter-of-resignation/.

Link<a href="https://tools.milunir.com/legal/letters-and-notices/letter-of-resignation/">Letter of Resignation – Tools Directory</a>