How to write a resignation letter for a job in the US
Knowing how to write a letter of resignation mostly comes down to being clear about one date. Tell your manager first, in person or on a call if you can, then send the letter the same day so there is a dated record. Then follow five steps:
- Date it and address your manager by name. Copy HR if your company expects it.
- Resign in the first sentence, naming your job title.
- Give your last day as a date, not as “two weeks from today”, so nobody has to work it out.
- Offer a handover and name one or two real things you will finish or document.
- Ask about what comes next (final paycheck, unused PTO, benefits), thank them in a line, and sign off with “Sincerely,” and your name.
How to start a resignation letter
Skip the warm-up. “Please accept this letter as my resignation from my position as [job title], effective [date]” does the whole job, and so does the plainer “I am writing to resign from my position as [job title].” To write a formal resignation letter, keep that line and add full addresses at the top; in an email, the same line goes right after the greeting.
What to include in a resignation letter (and what to leave out)
Every sample resignation letter to an employer above has the same four parts:
- That you are resigning, from which job, and your last day.
- An offer to hand over, in a sentence or two.
- A question about your final paycheck, unused PTO and health coverage, so HR answers it in writing.
- Your name and a personal email or phone number, since your work account may close on your last day.
What to say in a resignation letter about why you are leaving
That part is up to you: one neutral line, or nothing at all. Leave out complaints, the salary of your new job and anything you would not want read back to you in a reference check. A letter goes into your personnel file, so the neutral sample above is a safe model even when the job was hard.
Resignation letter template (copy and fill in)
This free resignation letter template is the bare structure behind every sample on the page. Copy it, change each [bracket], and paste it into Word, Google Docs or an email. The generator above fills in the same letter of resignation template for you and gives you a dated letter and a PDF, also free, with no login.
[Date] Dear [Manager's name], Please accept this letter as my resignation from my position as [Job title] at [Company]. My last day of work will be [Day, Month Date, Year]. Before I leave, I will [one or two things you will finish or hand over]. Please let me know what to expect regarding my final paycheck, any unused PTO and my benefits. Thank you for [one specific thing]. Sincerely, [Your name] [Personal email or phone]
For a resignation letter template in Word, paste it into a blank document and use the same font as your other work documents; nothing else needs setting up. An employee resignation letter needs no letterhead or special layout.
Sending a resignation email
If your company accepts resignations by email, a resignation email gives you a timestamped record. Put your name and title in the subject line (“Resignation – [Your name], [Job title]”), paste the letter into the body rather than attaching it, and send it to your manager with HR copied if that is how your company works. Forward a copy to a personal address. The email sample above shows the shorter, friendlier tone that suits a resignation letter email after a face-to-face conversation.
How to format a resignation letter for a US employer
- Dates written month first: October 5, 2026.
- “Dear Ms. Alvarez,” with a comma, or a colon in a formal letter (“Dear Ms. Whitfield:”).
- One page, three or four short paragraphs, US Letter paper if you print it.
- “Sincerely,” then your typed name; sign above it only on a printed copy.
Unlike the letters on our India resignation letter page or the UK resignation letter, a US letter usually has no subject line or reference number, and it does not ask for a relieving letter or a P45.
What happens after you resign in the US
At-will employment. Every state except Montana allows at-will employment, which means you or your employer can end the job at any time, for any reason that is not illegal. It does not cover people working under a signed contract, a union's collective bargaining agreement or in the public sector. So unless your contract or handbook says otherwise, the notice you give is your choice; the two weeks notice letter page has samples built around it.
Your final paycheck. Federal law does not require an employer to pay your final paycheck immediately, but some states do. In California, for example, if you have no fixed-term written contract, you are paid all wages, including accrued vacation, on your last day when you gave at least 72 hours' notice, or within 72 hours of quitting if you did not. If your regular payday passes without it, the Department of Labor says to contact its Wage and Hour Division or your state labor department.
Unused PTO. The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require pay for time not worked, such as vacation; it is a matter of agreement between you and your employer, unless your state says otherwise, as California does.
Health coverage. If your employer had 20 or more employees in the prior year, COBRA generally lets you keep your group health plan for a limited time after you leave, and quitting counts. You may have to pay the whole premium, up to 102% of the plan's cost.
Unemployment. Unemployment insurance pays people who lose a job through no fault of their own, and each state runs its own program. That usually means losing the job for lack of work, so a resignation often does not qualify. Check your state's rules before you count on it.
When a different letter fits better
- Want a letter built around two weeks' notice: two weeks notice letter.
- Three sentences and done: short and simple resignation letter.
- Leaving without notice: immediate resignation letter.
- Leaving for family or health reasons: resignation letter for personal reasons.
Writing a resignation letter usually means a job search is close behind. Cover letter templates and the ATS resume checker are free to use for the next step.
Sources
Checked on 5 October 2026. CVEmber is not a law firm. This page is general information about resigning from a US job, not legal advice. Final-pay deadlines, PTO payout and unemployment rules are set by each state and can change, so check your state labor department, or an employment attorney if something is in dispute.
- USAGov: termination guidance (at-will employment)
- US Department of Labor: last paycheck
- US Department of Labor: vacation leave
- California Labor Commissioner: paydays and final wages FAQ
- US Department of Labor: COBRA continuation coverage
- USAGov: unemployment benefits
- US Department of Labor: unemployment insurance