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Simple Resignation Letter Templates

Sometimes the right letter is the one that says it and stops: I'm resigning, here's my last day, thank you, signed. These three templates carry exactly that letter — five sentences, three fill-ins, one page with room to spare. No reasons, no speeches, nothing to overthink at 11pm the night before.

Three quiet designs

The five-sentence letter, dressed three ways.

Same short letter in each — a minimalist page, a classic centered letterhead in steel, and a soft sage contemporary. Pick the one that looks like your workplace.

Minimalist — Ink

Five sentences, one page, nothing to decorate. Fill in three brackets and sign.

Classic Centered — Steel

The classic chrome carrying the shortest respectable letter we write.

Contemporary — Sage

A soft sage header on a letter that says exactly enough and stops.
Sample · Simple

Simple resignation letter sample — the letter inside the template.

Read it in full
ALEX RIVERA
[City, State] (000) 000-0000 your.email@email.com

[Month Day, Year]

[Manager Name]
[Title]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]

Dear [Manager 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].

I appreciate the opportunities I have had during my time here.

Before I leave, I will wrap up my current work and hand off my responsibilities.

Thank you for your understanding. I wish you and the team all the best.

Sincerely,

Alex Rivera

This is the actual text inside the templates above — every [bracketed prompt] is a spot you replace with your own detail. Copy the template to keep the letterhead, or use the text as a sample for your own letter.
Less is fine

Why short works.

A resignation letter has one legal-ish job: put your departure and its date in writing. Once that sentence exists, every additional sentence is optional — and optional sentences in a permanent file deserve suspicion. The short letter is the honest default for most situations:

  • You’re leaving on ordinary terms — new job, relocation, life change. No context owed, none given.
  • The relationship is complicated — brevity is how you stay gracious without pretending.
  • You already said the real goodbye in person — the letter is just the paperwork.

One habit worth keeping even in the short form: a single line of thanks. It costs nothing, it reads as class, and the person filing the letter is often the person answering your reference call in two years.

Three blanks

Fill in and go.

  1. Download a design — the letter inside is already the short version.
  2. Fill the three brackets: [Manager Name], [Job Title] + [Company Name], and [Last Day].
  3. Export the PDF, tell your manager in person, and hand it over the same day.
Quick questions

Short-letter FAQ

Is a short resignation letter rude?
No — it's the norm. HR departments read resignation letters as notice documents, not farewell speeches: they need your name, your position, and the date, and everything past that is optional courtesy. A five-sentence letter with one genuine line of thanks reads as composed and professional. The letters that land badly are almost never the short ones; they're the long ones that explain too much.
What's the absolute minimum a resignation letter needs?
Three things make it a valid resignation: a clear statement that you are resigning from your position, the effective date of your last day, and your name with a signature (typed is fine for email). Date the letter itself, too. Everything else in these templates — the thanks, the handoff sentence — is the small extra that keeps the goodwill without adding length.
Can I really leave out why I'm quitting?
Yes, and the short letter is exactly where reasons don't belong. No employer requires a written reason for an at-will resignation, and the personnel file is the last place you want one recorded. If your manager deserves context, give it in the conversation when you hand the letter over — spoken words end; the page is forever.
When is the simple letter the wrong choice?
When your contract specifies notice terms to cite, when you work somewhere ceremonious (government, law, academia), or when the role is senior enough that a bare-minimum letter would read as a message in itself — those cases want the formal version instead. And if you're leaving a job you loved, the standard professional letter gives your gratitude a little more room without becoming a speech.
What is a simple resignation letter sample?
The five-sentence letter printed above — the resignation and last day, one line of thanks, a transition offer, a civil close, your name. It's the shortest letter HR will accept without follow-up questions, and it's the exact text inside all three templates.
Can I copy this simple resignation letter?
Yes. Replace the brackets — manager, job title, company, last day — and it's ready to print or paste into an email. Every letter on this site is free to use.

Simple resignation letter templates · Updated September 2026

More resignation letters

Related samples and templates.

Notice
Two Weeks' Notice Letter
The classic fourteen-day letter with the date counted out.
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Style
Professional Resignation Letter
The standard two-weeks letter with a gratitude line and a transition offer.
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Format
Resignation Email
The compact letter for an email body, plus the subject line.
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Reason
Resignation for Personal Reasons
Says 'personal reasons' once, kindly, and stops.
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Guide
How to Write a Resignation Letter
The four sentences every letter needs, who to address it to, when to give it, and whether to sign it.
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All Resignation Letter Samples & Templates
Every situation, notice period, and occupation — plus the examples page and the writing guide.
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More than three lines?

When you want a fuller letter.

The standard
Professional Resignation Letters
The two-weeks letter with a transition offer — the version most careers call for.
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On the record
Formal Resignation Letters
Traditional language for contracts, ceremonious workplaces, and personnel files.
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Everything
All Resignation Letter Templates
The full library plus the what-goes-in, what-stays-out etiquette guide.
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