Two weeks notice letter

What a two weeks notice letter does

A two weeks notice letter tells your employer three things clearly: that you are resigning, when your last day will be, and that you plan to leave on good terms. Two weeks is the common standard because it gives the company time to plan your handover, though your contract may ask for more. The letter does not need to explain why you are leaving or share anything you would rather keep private. It only needs to be polite, dated, and clear about your final day. Keeping it short protects the reference and the relationships you may need later.

• The date you are giving notice.
• A clear statement that you are resigning from your position.
• Your last working day, usually two weeks from the date of the letter.
• A short thank you for the opportunity.
• An offer to help with the handover.
• Your signature and printed name.

Give the letter to your manager, and where your workplace expects it, send a copy to human resources so the resignation is on record.

Free two weeks notice letter template

Copy the template below, or open it in the fill tool and type your details onto the page. Replace every bracketed prompt with your own words.

[Your full name]
[Your address]
[Your email]  [Your phone]

[Date]

[Manager's name]
[Company name]
[Company address]

Dear [Manager's name],

Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position
as [your job title] at [company name]. My last working day will be
[last day, two weeks from today's date].

I am grateful for the opportunities I have had during my time here, and for
the support and guidance from you and the team. I have learned a great deal
that I will carry forward.

Over the next two weeks I will do everything I can to make the handover
smooth. I am happy to help train a replacement, document my current work, and
wrap up any open tasks before I go.

Thank you again for the experience. I wish you and the company continued
success, and I hope we stay in touch.

Sincerely,

[Your signature]
[Your printed full name]

How to fill out your two weeks notice letter

1. Open the template in the fill tool. Copy the text above, or load it into the fill a PDF tool to type your details directly onto the page.
2. Add the date and your details. Put today's date at the top with your name and contact information, so the notice period is clear from when the letter is dated.
3. Address your manager. Write your manager's name and the company details, and greet them by name.
4. State that you are resigning. Keep the first line direct, naming your job title and that you are resigning.
5. Set your last day. Fill in your final working day, usually two weeks out. Check your contract in case it asks for a longer notice period.
6. Thank them and offer to help. Add a short line of thanks and an offer to support the handover, which is what keeps the exit on good terms.
7. Sign and download. Add your signature with the sign a PDF tool, then download a clean PDF with no watermark to hand or email to your manager.

A short version if you prefer brief

If your workplace is casual or you simply prefer to keep it brief, a short two or three line notice is perfectly acceptable. It still needs the resignation statement and your last day. Here is a short version you can use.

[Date]

Dear [Manager's name],

Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation from my position as
[job title] at [company name]. My last day will be [last day].

Thank you for the opportunity. I am glad to help make the handover smooth over
the next two weeks.

Sincerely,
[Your printed full name]

Even the short version should be dated and name your last day, because those are the two facts your employer needs to act on. Everything else is courtesy.

How much notice to give

Two weeks is the widely accepted standard, and it is usually enough for a smooth handover. There are two reasons you might give more. First, your employment contract may set a longer notice period, so check it before you write the date, and match or beat what it asks for. Second, if you hold a senior role or the only person who knows a key system, offering extra time is a goodwill gesture that protects your reputation. Giving less than two weeks is sometimes unavoidable, but it can strain the relationship, so only do it when you have a real reason and explain it briefly and politely.

Keep the tone professional

A resignation letter is not the place to air complaints, even if you are leaving because of them. The letter may sit in your file for years and shape the reference a future employer receives, so keep it warm and neutral. Thank the company for the opportunity, offer to help with the handover, and leave it there. If you have honest feedback, an exit conversation with human resources is a better place for it than the letter. The goal is to leave a door open, since industries are smaller than they look and paths often cross again. A manager who felt respected on your way out is far more likely to give a warm reference later, and colleagues remember how someone handled their exit long after the details of the job fade. A gracious letter costs you nothing and can quietly pay off for years, so it is worth the few extra minutes to get the tone right.

Delivering the letter

How you hand over the letter matters as much as what it says. Where you can, tell your manager in person or on a call first, then follow up with the written letter so the news does not arrive cold. Send or hand a clean, signed PDF rather than an editable document, and copy human resources if your workplace expects it, so the resignation is properly on record. Keep a copy for yourself with the date you gave notice, since that date starts the clock on your notice period. Handling the delivery with care is the last professional impression you leave, and it is worth getting right.

What happens after you give notice

Once your manager has the letter, the handover begins, and how you spend the last two weeks shapes the impression you leave behind. Offer to document your current work, write down passwords and processes the team will need, and help train whoever takes over. Finish or clearly hand off any open tasks rather than letting them stall. Your employer may ask you to work the full period, or in some cases pay you for the notice and end your access early, which is normal and not a reflection on you. Keep doing good work until the last day, since references and reputations are built in exactly these final weeks. Before you leave, return company property, confirm your final pay and any owed vacation, and make sure you have copies of anything personal you are entitled to keep.

Paper or email

Either a printed, signed letter or a PDF sent by email is acceptable, and the right choice depends on your workplace. Many people now email a signed PDF to their manager and copy human resources, which is fast and creates a clear record with a timestamp. If your workplace is traditional, a printed and signed letter handed over in person can feel more respectful. Whichever you choose, keep the tone the same and make sure the letter is dated, since the date is what starts your notice period.

Before you hand it in

• Check your contract. Confirm the notice period it requires before you set your last day.
• Tell your manager first. A conversation before the letter keeps things respectful.
• Keep it short and kind. State the resignation, the last day, and a thank you. Skip the complaints.
• Date it clearly. The date fixes when your notice period starts.
• Save a signed copy. Keep your own PDF for your records.

When your notice is ready, open the fill tool, type in your details, and download a clean, professional PDF you can hand to your manager today. Because everything runs in your browser, a resignation with private details stays on your own device.