Resignation Notice Letters and Email Examples

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Updated January 30, 2018

Providing resignation notice is the act of notifying your employer that you are going to leave your job. Your resignation, whether verbal or in writing, should include the date for your last day of work and a polite thank you for any and all opportunities you have had working for the company. When you resign, you do not have to reveal your future plans, although you can share details if you'd like.

Even if you give your notice to your supervisor in person, it's a good idea to provide a written resignation letter for your employee file and to confirm the date of your departure as well. Having the details in writing will prevent any misunderstandings. The letter could also be helpful if you ask your employer to be a reference, or if future employers need to find out your employment dates at the company.

Find out more about how much notice to give, and review sample resignation notice letters to help know what to include in your own letter, below.

How Much Notice to Give When You Resign

Giving two weeks notice is the standard practice when resigning from a job. This amount of time allows you to tie up loose ends and allows your manager time to recruit for your position. Having a transition period makes it easier both for your employer and for the other people in your department. If you are willing to assist in the transition (doing things like training your successor, finishing up uncompleted projects, or writing an outline of your daily work responsibilities and / or unfinished project statuses), this will help ensure that you leave your job on a good footing with your employer and colleagues.

However, an employee has no legal obligation to provide notice unless he or she is covered by an employment contract or labor agreement that specifies how much resignation notice must be given.

There are circumstances where you might find that you must quit your job without notice. Perhaps a family emergency requires that you care for a family member full-time.

You may have found a new employer who is insisting that you begin work for them immediately. Or, perhaps your current workplace has become hazardous to your physical, mental, or emotional health. Here is a complete list of some of the reasons when you could quit without notice.

Resignation Notice Letter Samples

The following are sample resignation notice letters you can use to write and format your own resignation notice letter. There are also examples of resignation notice email messages you can use to provide notification of your resignation if circumstances are such that email is the best way to resign.

Keep in mind that these examples are intended as references only – you should tailor your cover letter to reflect your own “voice,” reflect the nature of your relationship with your employer, and speak to the specific details surrounding your resignation.

Resignation Notice Email Messages

Tips for Turning in Your Resignation

How to Resign
When you resign from your job, it's important to resign gracefully and professionally. Give adequate notice to your employer, write a formal resignation letter, and be prepared to move on prior to submitting your resignation.

What to Include in a Resignation Letter
Here you can find more resignation letters samples, information on the best way to resign, and information about how to write a resignation letter.

Resignation Do's and Don'ts
How should you resign from your job? Perhaps just as important: what shouldn't you do when turning in your resignation? Here's what you should (and what you shouldn't) do when resigning from your job.