How to Write a Resignation Letter

The short answer

A resignation letter is a short, one-page letter that says you’re resigning, names your position and your last day of work, thanks your employer, and offers to help with the handoff. Date it, address it to your manager, and sign it. Two weeks’ notice is the customary minimum, but in an at-will job it’s usually a courtesy rather than a legal requirement, so check your contract or handbook for a longer notice rule.

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What is a resignation letter, and do you need one?

A resignation letter is the written record that you’re leaving your job. Northeastern University’s career office lists four things it does: it formally states that you’re leaving, gives your employer advance notice to find a replacement, thanks them for the opportunity, and keeps goodwill for future networking and references.

Even when you’ve already told your manager, put it in writing. The University of Maryland’s engineering career office recommends resigning in writing, by email or printed letter, to avoid miscommunication, and telling your manager before any colleagues. The letter fixes the two facts that matter most later: that you resigned, and the date your last day falls on.

A resignation letter is a short business letter, so the usual layout applies: your contact details, the date, the recipient’s name and title, a salutation, a few short paragraphs, a closing, and your signature. The business letter format guide covers that layout line by line; this article covers what goes inside a resignation.

Business letter format

What should a resignation letter include?

Ohio State’s Engineering Career Services breaks a resignation letter into six parts: a greeting, your intention to leave with the date of your last day, a brief reason, a thank-you, an offer to help with the transition, and your contact information. Northeastern adds format advice: keep it to one page, use a professional font and standard margins, and be warm rather than cold or bitter. In practice, that means these pieces, in this order:

The date you deliver the letter, at the top, so there’s a record of when you gave notice.
The recipient: your direct manager by name and title. If your workplace asks you to send resignations to HR as well, address HR too or copy them.
A one-sentence statement of resignation that names your position, such as “Please accept this letter as my formal resignation from my position as account coordinator.”
Your last day of work as a full date, such as “Friday, October 23, 2026.” A vague phrase like “in two weeks” invites disagreement about the end date.
A brief thank-you. One specific line about what you learned or valued is enough.
A transition offer: finishing current projects, documenting your work, or helping train a replacement.
A personal email address or phone number for after your work account closes, so payroll and HR can reach you.
A closing such as “Sincerely,” your signature, and your typed name.

How do you write a resignation letter, step by step?

Work through these steps before you open a blank document. Most of the hard decisions come before the writing.

Check your offer letter, employment contract, union agreement, or employee handbook for a notice requirement, a required format, or a named recipient. If one of them sets a notice period, plan around it.
Choose your last day. Count forward from the day you’ll hand in the letter, and give at least the notice your contract or workplace expects.
Write the first sentence: that you’re resigning, from which position, and your last day. Put nothing else in that paragraph.
Add a short second paragraph thanking your employer and offering specific help with the handoff.
Close with your personal contact details and a polite sign-off, then add “Sincerely,” and your name.
Read it once for tone and once for facts. Check the date, the last day, your manager’s name, and your job title.
Sign it. Keep a copy, plus the email or delivery record that shows when you gave it.

University of Maryland Engineering Career Services: How to write a resignation letter (PDF)

How much notice should you give? Is two weeks required?

Two weeks is the customary minimum. Northeastern calls at least two weeks’ notice the standard expectation, and the University of Maryland’s career office says to give at least two weeks, preferably longer, and to confirm the requirement with HR. Some roles expect more, and Northeastern points readers to their employment agreement.

It’s a custom, not a general legal requirement, for most at-will jobs. State labor departments answer the question directly. Illinois says notice is not required by either party under the doctrine of employment at will. Missouri says its at-will doctrine does not require any notice and that state law sets no notice requirement. Kansas says an at-will employee can quit without any notice.

A contract can change that. If you signed an employment contract, a union agreement, or a policy that sets a notice period, the notice rule may come from that document, and the consequences of short notice can differ. Rules vary by state and by agreement; this is general information, not legal advice. If a lot depends on it, such as a bonus repayment, a non-compete, or tuition reimbursement, ask an employment lawyer or your state labor department.

Your employer may also decide you don’t need to stay through your notice period. The University of Maryland notes that some companies may end your employment on the day you resign. California’s Labor Commissioner says that in that situation you aren’t entitled to wages for the notice period you didn’t work, and your earned wages become due immediately because the employer turned the quit into a discharge. Plan your finances so an early exit isn’t a crisis.

Resignation letter example

Here is a short, standard resignation letter from a fictional employee to a fictional manager. Each item is one block of the letter, top to bottom.

Heading: Jordan Ellis, 218 Birch Lane, Columbus, OH 43215, jordan.ellis@example.com
Date: October 9, 2026
Recipient: Ms. Renee Patel, Operations Manager, Northfield Supply Co., 1400 Commerce Drive, Columbus, OH 43219
Salutation: Dear Ms. Patel:
Paragraph 1: Please accept this letter as my formal resignation from my position as account coordinator. My last day of work will be Friday, October 23, 2026.
Paragraph 2: Thank you for the chance to work on the regional accounts team for the past three years. I’m grateful for what I’ve learned about vendor management and for your support during the warehouse move.
Paragraph 3: Before I leave, I’ll finish the November order schedule and write up the status of each open account. I’m glad to help train my replacement. After October 23, you can reach me at jordan.ellis@example.com.
Closing: Sincerely,
Signature and typed name: (signature) Jordan Ellis

University of Maryland Engineering Career Services: How to write a resignation letter (PDF)

What does a two weeks’ notice letter look like?

A two weeks’ notice letter is the same letter with the notice period stated plainly, which helps when your workplace expects exactly that. The University of Maryland’s sample uses the same approach: name the last day and say it’s two weeks away. This shorter version, by a fictional employee, works as an email body or a printed letter:

October 9, 2026
Dear Sam,
I’m writing to give my two weeks’ notice of resignation from my position as front desk associate. My last day will be Friday, October 23, 2026.
Thank you for the flexible schedule and the training you’ve given me this year. Over the next two weeks, I’ll update the opening and closing checklists and help train whoever covers my shifts.
Best regards,
Alex Romero

What should you leave out of a resignation letter?

Leave out anything you wouldn’t want read aloud in a reference check. Ohio State’s career office warns against oversharing your reasons, which can lead to negative comments, and against negative remarks generally. Northeastern adds: don’t overstate your accomplishments or criticize the company. If you have a complaint that needs action, such as unpaid wages or a safety issue, raise it separately through HR or the right agency instead of burying it in your resignation.

Keep sensitive identifiers out, too. Your employer already has your Social Security number and banking details on file, so the letter doesn’t need them.

Resignation letter: what to include vs. what to avoid
Part	Include	Avoid
Opening	One sentence: you’re resigning, from which position	A long lead-in before you say you’re leaving
Last day	A full date: “Friday, October 23, 2026”	“In two weeks” or “soon” with no date
Reason	Nothing, or one neutral line such as a new role or a move	Complaints about your manager, pay, or coworkers
Thanks	One specific thing you valued	Sarcasm or exaggerated praise
Transition	Concrete handoff tasks you’ll finish	Promises you can’t keep before your last day
Contact	A personal email or phone number	Your Social Security number or bank details
Tone and length	Warm, professional, one page	Emotional language or a multi-page account

How do you deliver a resignation letter?

Tell your manager first, then hand over the letter. Northeastern suggests scheduling a meeting, giving notice in person, and following up with the written letter by email the same day. If your manager isn’t available or you work remotely, email the letter and try to talk just before or right after.

A mailed copy helps in a few situations. Your contract or handbook may require written notice sent to a specific address, you may not be able to reach anyone in person, or you may want an independent record of when the letter was sent and delivered. USPS describes Certified Mail as a way to prove you sent something and see when it was delivered or that a delivery attempt was made; adding Return Receipt gets a delivery record showing the recipient’s signature.

Mail takes days, not minutes, so give yourself margin. If a contract says notice runs from the date your employer receives it, a letter mailed on the last possible day may arrive too late. When the timing matters, email the letter as well and keep both records. Whether a particular delivery method satisfies a contract depends on its wording and your state’s law, so check the document or ask a lawyer rather than assuming.

What happens after you resign?

Your final paycheck timing depends on your state. The US Department of Labor says federal law doesn’t require employers to hand over a final paycheck immediately, though some states do; if the regular payday for your last pay period has passed and you haven’t been paid, you can contact the Wage and Hour Division or your state labor department. California is an example of a strict state rule: for an employee without a fixed-term contract, if you give at least 72 hours’ notice, your final wages, including accrued vacation, are due on your last day, and if you don’t, they’re due within 72 hours.

Unused vacation is a state-law and policy question. The Department of Labor says federal wage law doesn’t require payment for time not worked, such as vacation, and treats it as a matter of agreement between employer and employee. Check your handbook and your state’s rules.

Health coverage and unemployment need attention too. COBRA generally lets workers at employers with 20 or more employees keep group health coverage for a limited time after voluntary or involuntary job loss, though you may pay up to 102% of the plan’s cost. Unemployment benefits are generally for workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own, as determined under state law, so don’t assume you qualify after resigning; check with your state’s program.

Finally, stay professional through your last day. Northeastern suggests continuing to do your work well, not badmouthing the company, and asking your manager whether they’d be willing to give you a reference.

Can you mail a resignation letter without a printer?

Yes. IRIS is an independent print-and-mail service, not USPS or any agency. Save your finished resignation letter as a US Letter-size PDF and upload it; IRIS prints it and mails it by USPS First-Class Mail to a US address. You enter the sender and recipient addresses and review the document, addresses, options, and total before paying, with no stamps or envelope needed. A one-page black-and-white letter is $3.20.

For a delivery record, add Certified Mail for $6.95, so a one-page black-and-white certified letter is $10.15. Certified letters can run up to six sheets, and the tracking number appears on your order page. Electronic Return Receipt adds $2.91 and is available only with Certified Mail. Certified Mail through IRIS doesn’t come with a postmarked USPS sender’s receipt, and IRIS can’t guarantee a delivery date; order status isn’t proof of delivery.

Two limits matter for resignations. IRIS prints your PDF, so any signature on it is a printed image, not a handwritten “wet” signature; if your employer requires an original ink signature, mail a signed paper letter yourself. And because notice periods can depend on when your employer receives the letter, mail it early or send an email copy the same day.

Sources & further reading

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Put it into practice

Need a mailed copy of your resignation?

Upload your signed letter as a US Letter-size PDF and IRIS prints it and mails it by USPS First-Class Mail to a US address, from $3.20 for one black-and-white page. Add Certified Mail for $6.95 to get a tracking number on your order page.

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