A resignation letter is a short, formal note that tells your employer you are leaving and on what date. It needs four things: that you are resigning, your last day, a brief thank you, and an offer to help with the handover. It does not need a reason. Copy the simple letter below, fill in the brackets, and send it after you have told your manager. Below it are 12 templates for specific situations, how to hand the letter in, and a section the usual sample pages skip: how to time a resignation when your right to stay in the US depends on your job. Every letter here is a sample written for this post.
A simple resignation letter you can copy
Sample letter
[Date]
Dear [Manager's name],
Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [job title] at [Company]. My last day will be [date].
Thank you for the support and the opportunities I have had here. I am happy to help with the handover over the next [two weeks], including documenting my work and training whoever takes it on.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
That is the whole letter, and for most people it is enough.
People send a lot of these. US employers recorded 38.0 million quits in 2025, 60.6% of all separations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics annual JOLTS release. The pace has slowed: in August 2026 there were 3.1 million quits, a rate of 1.9%, in the latest JOLTS release.
What to include and what to leave out
The letter becomes a record in your personnel file. Write it for a stranger in HR reading it a year from now, not for the manager you are annoyed with today.
| Include | Leave out |
|---|---|
| The words "resign" or "resignation", so there is no doubt | Why you are leaving, unless it is neutral (school, a move, retirement) |
| Your exact last day, as a date | Complaints about pay, your manager or coworkers |
| A one-line thank you | Your new employer's name and salary |
| An offer to help with the handover | Promises you cannot keep ("I'll be available any time") |
| Your personal email, if you want a way to stay in touch | Anything you would not want quoted in a reference check |
| The date at the top | Long explanations or apologies |
Two points matter more than the rest. First, give a date, not "two weeks from today". Second, keep the reason out unless it helps. Missouri's Department of Labor sums up the legal position in most of the country: the state follows the at-will doctrine, "which does not require any notice" (Missouri Department of Labor). If no notice is required, no reason is either. The National Conference of State Legislatures notes that employment is presumed at will "in all U.S. states except Montana." An employment contract, union agreement or company policy can still set a notice period, so read yours before you pick a date.
If a future application asks why you left, that is a different question with its own answer. Our guide to the reason for leaving on a job application covers it.
Templates by situation
Each template below is a sample. Swap the bracketed parts and delete any line that does not apply.
1. Standard two weeks' notice
Dear [Manager's name],
I am writing to give formal notice that I am resigning from my role as [job title]. My last day will be [date, two weeks from today].
I have valued my time on the [team name] team, especially [one specific project or thing you learned]. Over the next two weeks I will finish [open work], write up handover notes for [systems or accounts], and help train my replacement.
Thank you for everything.
Sincerely, [Your name]
2. Immediate or short notice
Use this when you cannot work out a notice period. Be brief and do not over-explain.
Dear [Manager's name],
Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation from my position as [job title], effective [today's date / date].
I am sorry for the short notice. Circumstances mean I am unable to continue in the role. I have left notes on [current work] in [location], and I am happy to answer questions by email at [personal email] for the next [week].
Thank you for the opportunity.
Sincerely, [Your name]
3. Leaving for a new job
You do not have to name the new employer, and you can wait until you start.
Dear [Manager's name],
I am resigning from my role as [job title] to accept a position elsewhere. My last day will be [date].
This was not an easy decision. I have learned a great deal here, especially from [person or team], and I am grateful for it. I will make sure [project] is in good shape before I go.
Best regards, [Your name]
4. Career change
Dear [Manager's name],
I am writing to resign from my position as [job title], effective [date]. I have decided to move into [new field], and this role is the first step.
The skills I built here, in particular [skill], are a large part of why I could make this change. Thank you for the chances you gave me to grow.
I will hand over [responsibilities] before my last day.
Sincerely, [Your name]
5. Going back to school
Dear [Manager's name],
I am resigning from my role as [job title] to begin a [degree or program] at [school] this [term]. My last day will be [date].
If it would help, I would be glad to stay on in a reduced or part-time capacity until [date]. Either way, I will document [work] before I leave.
Thank you for your support.
Best, [Your name]
6. Relocation
Dear [Manager's name],
Because I am relocating to [city or region], I am resigning from my position as [job title]. My last day will be [date].
If a remote arrangement is something the team would consider, I would be happy to discuss it. If not, I will make the handover as smooth as I can.
Thank you for a great [number] years.
Sincerely, [Your name]
7. Short tenure (a few months in)
Keep it short and gracious. The job did not work out; the letter does not need to say why.
Dear [Manager's name],
I have decided to resign from my position as [job title]. My last day will be [date].
I appreciate the time the team put into onboarding me, and I am sorry it is ending early. I will finish [task] and leave clear notes on [work in progress].
Thank you for understanding.
Sincerely, [Your name]
8. Personal or family reasons
Dear [Manager's name],
Due to personal circumstances, I am resigning from my position as [job title], effective [date].
I have appreciated working with you and the team. Please let me know how I can best help with the transition in the time I have left.
Sincerely, [Your name]
You do not need to name a health or family reason. If you are taking time off for medical or caregiving reasons rather than leaving for good, ask HR about leave options before you resign.
9. Retirement
Dear [Manager's name],
After [number] years with [Company], I have decided to retire. My last day will be [date].
Working here has been one of the best parts of my career. I would like to help plan the handover of [responsibilities], and I am open to staying reachable for questions after I leave.
With thanks, [Your name]
10. Remote employee with equipment to return
Dear [Manager's name],
Please accept this as notice of my resignation from my role as [job title]. My last day will be [date].
I have company equipment at home ([laptop, monitor, badge]). Please let me know how you would like it returned, or send a shipping label to [address]. I will make sure all files are saved to [shared drive] before my last day.
Thank you for the flexibility and support.
Best regards, [Your name]
11. Senior role with a longer transition
Dear [Manager's name],
I am writing to resign from my position as [job title]. To give the team time to plan, I propose that my last day be [date, three to six weeks out].
Before then I will [hire or brief a successor / transfer client relationships / finish the plan for X]. I am open to adjusting the date if another timeline works better for the business.
Thank you for the trust you placed in me.
Sincerely, [Your name]
The email version
Template 12 is the resignation email. It is the same letter with a clear subject line. Send it to your manager, copy HR if that is the norm where you work, and attach a signed PDF only if your company asks for one.
Subject: Resignation, [Your name], last day [date]
Hi [Manager's name],
As we discussed today, I am resigning from my position as [job title]. My last day will be [date].
Thank you for your support during my time here. I will spend the next [two weeks] wrapping up [work] and preparing handover notes. Please let me know anything specific you would like me to prioritize.
Best, [Your name] [Personal email or phone]
Subject lines that work: "Resignation, [Name]", "Notice of resignation, [Name]", or "[Name], last day [date]". Avoid anything that sounds like a complaint or a joke.
How to hand it in
- Read your paperwork first. Look for a notice clause in your offer letter, contract or handbook, and for anything tied to it, such as a bonus, commission or vacation payout.
- Tell your manager first. In person or on a video call, before anyone else at work hears it. Keep it to the same facts as the letter. Our guide to putting in your two weeks has a word for word script.
- Send the letter the same day. Email gives you a timestamp. Keep a copy in your personal email.
- Be ready to leave that day. Under at-will employment, as the NCSL puts it, an employer "can terminate an employee at any time for any reason, except an illegal one." Some employers end access as soon as notice is given. Before you resign, save your own pay stubs, tax forms, benefits information and any personal files.
- Do not take what is not yours. Company code, client lists and documents stay behind.
- Agree a handover plan. A short list of open work, owners and access to transfer (through the proper system) makes your last weeks easier.
- Prepare for the exit interview. If HR schedules one, our exit interview guide covers what to say and what to keep back.
On a visa: time your resignation first
If your right to be in the US depends on your job, the date you resign is a legal decision as well as a career one. This section is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your own situation with an immigration attorney, or with your school's designated school official (DSO) if you are an F-1 student. Rules below are as of 18 October 2026.
H-1B, and also E, L-1, O-1 and TN
Do not resign before the new employer has filed. Under H-1B portability, USCIS says you "may begin working for the new employer as soon as they properly file a non-frivolous Form I-129 petition" for you, or on the requested start date, whichever is later. The safest order is: new offer, new petition filed, receipt in hand, then the resignation letter. Our H-1B transfer guide walks through each step.
If you quit first, a grace period may apply. The regulation, 8 CFR 214.1(l)(2), says a worker in E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1 or TN status is not out of status "solely on the basis of a cessation of the employment" for "up to 60 consecutive days or until the end of the authorized validity period, whichever is shorter, once during each authorized validity period." It also says DHS "may eliminate or shorten this 60-day period as a matter of discretion," and that you may not work during it unless otherwise authorized.
USCIS's archived guidance on job loss adds three details that matter for a resignation:
- The grace period "may apply to voluntary and involuntary cessation of employment." Quitting counts.
- It "starts the day after termination of employment, which is typically determined based on the last day for which a salary or wage is paid." Your last paid day, not the day you hand in the letter, is day zero.
- It "ends upon any departure from the United States." A trip abroad between jobs ends it.
The grace period may be removed. On 11 September 2026, DHS published a proposed rule, 91 FR 57807, to delete 8 CFR 214.1(l)(2) and return to "not providing aliens in certain nonimmigrant classifications (and their dependents) with an up to 60-day grace period upon cessation of employment." It covers the same E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1 and TN classifications. DHS's own analysis says some workers "may incur lost income" because "they would need to leave the country instead of being able to stay and begin new employment without departing." Comments close on 10 November 2026. It is a proposal, not a final rule, but it is one more reason not to resign until a new petition is filed.
F-1 OPT and STEM OPT
On OPT, your status depends on being employed, and leaving a job starts a counter. DHS's unemployment counter page (last updated 27 July 2026) sets the limits: "Post-completion OPT: 90 days. STEM OPT: 150 days, which includes any days accrued while on post-completion OPT." The page says to "count each day without employer information."
Three things to do around a resignation:
- Report the change within 10 days. Study in the States says students "must report to the DSO within 10 days any changes" in name, address "and employment information" (OPT overview). You can usually do this in the SEVP Portal.
- On STEM OPT, file the final evaluation. When you change employers, DHS says you must submit your final Form I-983 self-evaluation "within 10 days of ending employment with their current employer" (Students and the Form I-983). Your current employer signs it, so ask for that before your last day.
- Line up the next start date. Every day between jobs is a day on the counter. Our guide to OPT unemployment days shows how to work out how many you have left.
After you resign: final pay, benefits and equipment
| Item | What the rule says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Final paycheck | "Employers are not required by federal law to give former employees their final paycheck immediately. Some states, however, may require immediate payment" (US Department of Labor) | Look up your state labor department's rule and ask payroll for the date |
| Health insurance | COBRA lets workers who lose group health benefits continue them, and generally applies to plans of employers with 20 or more employees in the prior year; you "may be required to pay the entire premium for coverage up to 102% of the cost to the plan" (DOL, COBRA) | Ask HR for the date your coverage ends and watch for the election notice |
| COBRA timing | Your plan "must give you at least 60 days" to elect, and after leaving a job (other than for gross misconduct) coverage can continue for up to 18 months (DOL employee guide to COBRA) | Compare the cost with a spouse's plan or the Marketplace before electing |
| Marketplace plan | To special enroll, "you must select a plan within 60 days before or after losing your job-based coverage" (same DOL guide) | Price a plan before your last day so there is no gap |
| Unemployment benefits | Generally for people unemployed "through no fault of their own (as determined under state law)" (DOL, termination) | Quitting often limits eligibility; check your state's rules before assuming either way |
| Equipment and access | Set by company policy | Return everything, get a receipt, and remove personal accounts from work devices |
Also ask about unused vacation, your 401(k) and any stock or bonus with a vesting date. Those depend on your state and your company's plan documents, so get the answer in writing from HR.
Before you send it
Most of the stress in a resignation comes from not having the next thing lined up. If you are leaving before your next role is set, it helps to keep the search running while you still have a paycheck. ApplyEze, which publishes this blog, applies to jobs on your behalf on the platforms it supports, with a resume and cover letter written for each posting, so the applications can keep going while you finish your notice.