For anyone handing in notice

Resignation Letter Template That Stays Short

A resignation letter template with four lines to fill, one sentence to personalise, and nothing you will regret rereading in a year.

Start with a template See how it works
A printed resignation letter and a fountain pen on an oak desk beside a laptop
What goes in

Four lines carry the whole letter

Most resignation letters fail by saying too much. These are the only parts that need to be there.

The decision, first

Open with the fact. I am resigning from my position as Senior Analyst, effective on the date below. No warm-up paragraph, no apology, no hint that it is negotiable.

A precise last day

Write the full date, not 'in four weeks'. A fixed day removes ambiguity for payroll, for your manager, and for you when the notice period is counted later.

A handover offer

One sentence stating you will document open work and brief whoever takes it on. It is the part your manager will remember, so make it specific and make it true.

A civil close

Thank them for something real, then sign off. One honest sentence about what you learned reads better than three of general gratitude.

How it works

From blank page to sent in ten minutes

The structure is the same for every resignation. Only your details change.

  1. 1

    Check your contract first

    Find the notice period and whether it must be written, posted, or sent to a named person. This takes two minutes and decides the date you will write in the letter.

  2. 2

    Fill in the four lines

    Add your name, role, manager, and last working day. The template supplies the remaining sentences in a neutral register that suits a first draft and most real situations.

  3. 3

    Rewrite one sentence

    Change the thank-you line so it refers to something that actually happened. This is the only personal part, and it is the part a reader notices.

  4. 4

    Tell them, then send it

    Speak to your manager before the email arrives. Send the letter the same day, with your own click on Send, so the record matches the conversation.

Where it works

When you want it brief and final

Most people resign once every few years and have no standard to copy. Colleagues forward old letters with the wrong dates in them, and search results offer fifteen versions of the same grateful paragraph. A short template gives you a safe starting point that does what a resignation letter has to do and stops there. It works for a standard full-time role, a fixed notice period, and a manager you will still be on good terms with next year.

  • Standard employment with a contractual notice period
  • Moving to a new employer, with or without a start date confirmed
  • Leaving a team you want to hear good things about you later
A person signing a short resignation letter at a tidy desk with a cup of coffee
Where it does not

Three cases to type from scratch

A template is the wrong tool in a few situations. If you are resigning over a safety, legal, or conduct issue, the wording matters and may be read by lawyers, so take advice before you write. If you are negotiating an early release, the letter should reflect what has been agreed in writing. If you are a director or hold statutory duties, your company's rules govern the form. In each case the short version still helps as a skeleton, but the details are yours to write.

  • Resignation connected to a grievance or a safety concern
  • A negotiated exit with agreed terms or a settlement
  • Directors, partners, and roles with statutory notice duties
See the templates
A professional handing a sealed envelope across a meeting table
Questions

Common questions about resigning in writing

How long should a resignation letter be?
Three to five sentences is enough. State that you are resigning, name your last day, offer help with the handover, and close politely. A resignation letter is a record, not a conversation. Anything longer invites questions you do not need to answer in writing.
Do I have to give a reason for leaving?
No. A resignation letter template only needs the decision and the date. If you want to give a reason, keep it to one neutral sentence about moving on. Complaints, comparisons with a new employer, and detail about a manager belong in an exit interview, if anywhere.
How much notice should I give?
Check your contract first. Many roles in the UK ask for one month, some senior roles three, and probationary roles often just one week. Write the exact last working day in the letter so nobody has to calculate it. If you offer more than the contract requires, say so plainly.
Should I send it by email or print it?
Send an email unless your contract says written notice must be posted or handed over. Email gives you a timestamp and a copy. Tell your manager in person or on a call first, then send the letter the same day so the conversation and the paperwork agree.
Can I withdraw a resignation letter after sending it?
Legally, notice that has been clearly given usually cannot be withdrawn without your employer agreeing. If you change your mind, ask immediately and in writing. Do not assume the answer is yes. This is a good reason to make sure the decision is final before you send anything.
What if I am resigning on bad terms?
Use the same short template and remove every adjective. A flat, courteous letter protects you better than a sharp one, because it is the document someone may reread in a year. Keep the grievances for a conversation with HR, with notes, not for the letter.
Does ohboiler write the letter for me?
It fills the structure from your details: name, role, last day, handover offer. You read it, change what needs changing, and press send yourself. Nothing is sent automatically. The boilerplate disappears and the personal sentence stays yours.

Write it once, send it calmly

Fill the structure, change one sentence, and press send yourself. The boilerplate disappears. The personal part stays yours.

Start with a template Back to the four lines
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