Two Weeks' Notice Letter Template

A free two weeks' notice letter template that names the exact final day, lays out what you will finish before you go, and closes on good terms. Download in PDF or Word and fill in the bracketed fields.

Last updated: August 5, 2026

What Is a Two Weeks' Notice Letter?

A two weeks' notice letter is a resignation letter written to a specific timeline: it tells your employer you are leaving and confirms that your last working day is fourteen calendar days from the date of the letter. The two-week convention exists because it is roughly the shortest period in which a functioning team can redistribute work, start a search, and take a handover without disruption. It is a professional custom in the United States rather than a legal requirement for most at-will employees.

What separates a good notice letter from a bad one is arithmetic and specificity. Count the fourteen days and write the actual calendar date rather than the phrase "in two weeks," because payroll and benefits will be calculated from that date. Then name the concrete things you will hand over. A letter that says "I will finish the Q3 report and document the vendor renewal process" is worth far more to your reference than a letter that says "I will ensure a smooth transition."

When to Use This Template

  • You are resigning under the standard two-week professional convention and want it in writing
  • Your handbook or offer letter specifies a fourteen-day notice period you need to satisfy
  • You already gave verbal notice and need a dated document confirming the final day
  • Your PTO payout, bonus, or rehire eligibility depends on giving proper notice
  • You want a written handover plan so nobody can later claim you left work unfinished
  • You are leaving a role with client relationships or recurring duties that must be transferred

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Full text of the template. Fields in [BRACKETS] are placeholders you fill in.

Two Weeks' Notice Letter

  1. 1. 1. Header and Date

    [YOUR FULL NAME]. [YOUR STREET ADDRESS]. [CITY, STATE, ZIP]. [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]. [YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS]. Date: [DATE OF LETTER]. This date starts the two-week clock. Count fourteen calendar days forward from it and use that exact date in Section 4 rather than writing "two weeks from today," since payroll, benefits, and scheduling will all be set from the specific date you name here.

  2. 2. 2. Recipient

    [MANAGER FULL NAME]. [MANAGER TITLE]. [COMPANY NAME]. [COMPANY STREET ADDRESS]. [CITY, STATE, ZIP]. Dear [MR./MS./MX. LAST NAME], Copy: [HR CONTACT NAME], [HR TITLE], [HR EMAIL]. Sending a copy to human resources at the same time as the manager ensures the notice date is recorded by the team that actually processes separations, rather than depending on your manager forwarding it.

  3. 3. 3. Notice of Resignation

    Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [YOUR JOB TITLE] with [COMPANY NAME], effective two weeks from the date of this letter. I have accepted a new opportunity and, after careful thought, concluded that this is the right time for me to move on. I wanted to put this in writing promptly so that you have the full notice period to plan around my departure.

  4. 4. 4. Two-Week Notice Period and Final Day

    My final day of work will be [FINAL DAY, EXACT CALENDAR DATE], which is fourteen calendar days from the date of this letter. I plan to work my regular schedule through that date and do not intend to take paid time off during the notice period, other than [ANY PLANNED TIME OFF OR "none"]. If you would prefer that I finish on a different date to fit the team's needs, I am happy to discuss it. Please confirm in writing whether my final day will be as stated above or adjusted, so that final pay and benefits can be calculated correctly.

  5. 5. 5. Transition Plan for the Notice Period

    Here is what I intend to complete before [FINAL DAY]. Week one: [WEEK ONE PRIORITIES, e.g., close out open tickets, finish the (PROJECT NAME) deliverable, write process documentation for (SYSTEM OR TASK)]. Week two: [WEEK TWO PRIORITIES, e.g., hand over client relationships to (COLLEAGUE NAME), transfer file and account ownership, hold two handover sessions with the team]. I will also prepare a written summary of open items, deadlines, and key contacts, and leave it in [LOCATION, e.g., the shared team drive folder]. Please tell me if you would like these priorities reordered, since two weeks does not stretch and I would rather finish the items you value most.

  6. 6. 6. Client, Team, and Communication Handover

    I currently own the following relationships and recurring responsibilities: [LIST OF ACCOUNTS, CLIENTS, VENDORS, OR RECURRING DUTIES]. Unless you prefer a different approach, I will introduce [SUCCESSOR OR INTERIM CONTACT NAME] by email to each external contact and confirm who they should reach going forward. I will not contact any client or colleague about my new role during the notice period, and I will follow your guidance on when and how my departure is communicated internally and externally. Please let me know your preferred announcement timing so we are consistent.

  7. 7. 7. Final Pay, Benefits, and Property Return

    Please confirm in writing my final pay date, the treatment of any accrued and unused paid time off, the last day of my health coverage, and how I will receive continuation coverage information. I would also appreciate confirmation of what happens to [ANY OTHER ITEMS, e.g., my 401(k) balance, unvested equity, my final expense reimbursement]. Before [FINAL DAY] I will return all company property, including [LIST OF PROPERTY, e.g., laptop, monitor, phone, badge, keys, corporate card, parking pass], and I will ask for a written receipt confirming the return.

  8. 8. 8. Thank You

    I want to say clearly that I have valued my time at [COMPANY NAME]. The [NUMBER] years I spent here, and particularly the work on [SPECIFIC PROJECT OR ACHIEVEMENT], gave me experience I will carry into everything that comes next. Thank you for your support, for the trust you placed in me on [SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITY], and for the chance to work with a team I respect. I hope we stay in touch.

  9. 9. 9. Closing and Signature

    Thank you for your understanding, and please let me know how I can make these two weeks most useful to you. Sincerely, ______________________. [YOUR FULL NAME]. [YOUR JOB TITLE]. [EMPLOYEE ID, IF APPLICABLE]. Date signed: [DATE]. Acknowledged by [MANAGER OR HR NAME] on [DATE]: ______________________. Retain a copy of this letter and of any written acknowledgment, since these two documents together prove exactly when notice was given and what final day was agreed.

  10. 10. Disclaimer

    This template is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Two weeks is a professional convention, not a universal legal requirement, and your actual obligation depends on your employment agreement, handbook, and state law. Employers in at-will states may generally end employment before your stated final day, and rules on final pay timing, accrued vacation payout, bonus clawbacks, and unemployment eligibility differ by state. Review your own agreements and consult a licensed attorney if a meaningful amount of money or a restrictive covenant is involved. Use of this template does not create an attorney-client relationship with ScanContract.

Key Clauses Explained

What each important clause does — and what to watch out for before you sign.

Exact Final Day

Converts "two weeks" into a specific calendar date that payroll and HR can act on.

Count the days yourself and write the date. If you write only "two weeks from today," you have handed the employer the choice of which day that means, and disputes about the final day are disputes about a final paycheck. Also confirm whether your employer counts business days or calendar days.

Working the Full Notice Period

States that you intend to work your regular schedule through the final day rather than coasting.

Do not plan to burn accrued PTO across the notice period without asking first, because many employers refuse leave during notice and some policies treat it as failing to give proper notice. If you want time off in that window, get written approval before you commit to it in this letter.

Week-by-Week Transition Plan

Breaks the handover into a realistic fourteen-day plan with named deliverables.

Be honest about what fits in two weeks. Overpromising and then leaving items unfinished is worse for your reference than scoping accurately at the start. Ask your manager to confirm priorities in writing so that whatever gets dropped was dropped by agreement.

Client and Account Handover

Names the relationships you own and how they will be transferred before you leave.

Do not use the handover as an opportunity to tell clients where you are going. If you signed a non-solicitation agreement, that conduct is exactly what it prohibits, and a friendly farewell email can be read as solicitation. Let the employer control the messaging to external contacts.

Final Pay and PTO Payout

Requests written confirmation of the final pay date, amount, and treatment of unused vacation.

Some states require accrued vacation to be paid out and others leave it to company policy, so the answer depends on where you work and what your handbook says. Ask before your last day. Also check whether leaving triggers repayment of a signing bonus, relocation package, or tuition reimbursement.

Early Release from the Notice Period

Acknowledges that the employer may choose a different, earlier final date.

In at-will employment, giving notice does not guarantee you fourteen more paychecks. Employers with access to sensitive systems often walk people out the same day. Do not sign a lease, book travel, or delay a new start date on the assumption that both weeks are guaranteed income.

Professional Tone

Keeps the letter neutral so it can sit safely in a personnel file and support a future reference.

A notice letter written in frustration follows you. Remove anything that reads as a parting shot, including passive-aggressive gratitude. If you have a real complaint about treatment or pay, raise it separately and in writing with HR so it is handled as a complaint rather than buried in a resignation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is two weeks' notice legally required in the United States?
For most at-will employees, no. There is no general federal or state law requiring an employee to give notice before quitting. The obligation comes from your own documents: an employment agreement, an executive contract, a union agreement, or a handbook policy that ties benefits such as PTO payout or rehire eligibility to giving proper notice. Check those before deciding how much notice to give.
Can I take my remaining PTO during the two-week notice period?
Only if your employer approves it. Many employers decline leave requests during a notice period precisely because the point of the notice is the handover, and some policies state that PTO taken during notice does not count as working notice. Ask in writing before you send the letter, and if the answer is no, ask instead whether the balance will be paid out.
What if my employer walks me out the same day I give notice?
That is legal in most at-will situations, and it happens most often in sales, finance, and roles with access to sensitive data. You are typically owed pay only through your actual last day worked unless a policy, agreement, or state rule says otherwise. Some employers pay out the full notice period as a courtesy, but you should not plan your finances around receiving it.
Should I give more than two weeks if I am in a senior role?
Often yes. Leadership, specialist, and client-facing roles usually need three to four weeks or more to hand over properly, and some employment agreements require it explicitly. The trade-off is that a longer notice period gives the employer more time to make your departure awkward, and it may conflict with your new employer's start date. Confirm the new start date first, then offer what you can genuinely deliver.
Does giving notice protect my eligibility for rehire?
It usually helps. Many employers record whether a departing employee gave proper notice and completed a handover, and that flag directly affects rehire eligibility and the content of a future reference. It costs nothing to leave a written, dated record showing you gave the required notice and delivered a documented transition, which is exactly what this letter provides.

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