A two weeks' notice is a short letter or email that says you are resigning, names your last working day two weeks from the day you hand it in, and offers to help hand over your work. Four sentences do it. Give the last day as a date, not as "two weeks from today", so nobody has to count.
Two weeks is a custom in many workplaces, not a rule everywhere. Your contract may ask for more or less, so check it before you put a date in writing.
A two weeks notice template
Copy this, fill in the brackets, and cut anything that does not apply.
Subject: Two weeks' notice, [your name]
Dear [manager's name],
Please take this as my two weeks' notice. I am resigning from my role as [job title], and my last working day will be [day and date].
Before I go, I will [the handover task that matters most], and I am happy to help train whoever takes over.
Thank you for [one true thing: the chance to work here, what you learned, the team].
[Sign-off],
[Your name]
Below: how to get the date right, what each sentence is for, and examples for an email, a printed letter and shift work. Or fill in the two weeks notice generator and it writes one with your details.
Work out your last day first
The date is the one part of the notice that has to be right.
- Read your contract or handbook. If it names a notice period, use that. This guide assumes yours is two weeks.
- Count from the day you hand it in, not the day you wrote it. Notice given on Friday 2 October makes the last day Friday 16 October.
- Write the day and the date. "My last working day will be Friday 16 October."
- Ask about the rest. Holiday you have not taken, final pay and equipment are questions for HR or your manager. Ask them, and do not guess in the letter.
Hand the notice in on the day you tell your manager, so the date on it and the conversation match.
What goes in it
- That you are resigning, with your job title.
- Your last working day, as a date.
- One line on the handover.
- A thank you, if you mean it.
No reason is needed. For a longer or warmer letter, and for how to tell your manager in person first, see how to write a resignation letter. This page is about the short two-week version and the fortnight that follows it.
Examples
Names and dates are invented. Use your own, and check the date against your contract.
The four-sentence email
Subject: Two weeks' notice, Hannah Brandt
Hi Victor,
Please take this as my two weeks' notice. I am resigning from my role as Accounts Assistant, and my last working day will be Friday 16 October.
I'll write up the month-end steps and hand my open invoices to whoever you choose. Thank you for the last two years.
Best wishes,
Hannah
A printed letter
Some workplaces want paper. Put the date at the top, sign it, and keep a copy.
2 October 2026
Dear Mrs Aldana,
I am writing to give two weeks' notice of my resignation as Dental Receptionist at Elm Street Dental Practice. My last working day will be Friday 16 October 2026.
I will make sure the appointment book and the recall list are up to date before I go, and I am happy to show my replacement the booking system.
Thank you for the opportunity to work here.
Yours sincerely,
Thomas Reilly
An hourly or shift job
Hi Gina, I'm handing in my two weeks' notice. My last shift will be Saturday 17 October. I'll work everything I'm down for on the rota until then, and I'm glad to train whoever takes over the Sunday opening. Thanks for everything.
When you can offer more than two weeks
Dear Andre,
I am resigning from my role as Site Engineer. My contract asks for two weeks' notice, which would make my last day Friday 16 October. The Mill Lane handover is due on the 23rd, and I am willing to stay until then if that would help. Let me know which you prefer.
Regards,
Katya Morozova
When you have not been there long
Dear Mr Castellano,
I am giving two weeks' notice of my resignation as Sales Associate. My last working day will be Friday 16 October.
I know I only joined in August, and I am sorry to leave so soon. The role is not the right fit for me, and I would rather say so now than later. I will finish the stock count and leave notes on the orders I have open.
Thank you for taking me on.
Yours sincerely,
Nadia Rahimi
The two weeks themselves
The notice takes five minutes. The fortnight after it is what people remember.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Day one | Tell your manager, hand in the notice, and agree what you will finish and what you will pass on. Ask how and when the team and any clients will be told. |
| First week | Write the handover note: open work and where each piece stands, where files live, regular tasks and when they fall due, who to ask about what. |
| Second week | Walk your replacement or a colleague through it. Finish what you said you would finish. Do not start anything new. |
| Last day | Return keys, laptop and passes. Hand over or close any accounts, as your employer asks. Send a short goodbye with a way to reach you. |
A handover note does not need to be long. One page that answers "what is half done, and where is everything?" is worth more than a tidy desk.
The goodbye on your last day can be three lines:
Today is my last day. Thank you all for two good years. The handover notes are in the team folder, and Victor knows where everything stands. I'd like to stay in touch: hannah.brandt@example.com.
Questions you may be asked
"Why are you leaving?" You can answer in a sentence or not at all. "I've accepted another role" or "It's the right time for a change" is enough.
"What would it take to keep you?" If the answer is nothing, say so kindly and once:
Thank you, I appreciate the offer. I've thought about it carefully and my decision is made. I'd like to use the two weeks to hand over well.
"Can you stay longer?" Agree only to what you can do. A clear no now is better than a maybe that turns into a no in week two. How to say no politely has more wording.
"You can finish today." Some employers end things on the day you resign. What that means for your pay depends on your contract and local rules, so ask HR to confirm it in writing.
What to leave out
- Complaints. The notice goes on your file. Feedback belongs in a conversation or an exit interview.
- Your new employer's name, unless you want to share it.
- Conditions. "I will stay if" turns a notice into a negotiation. Have that conversation before you resign, if you want it.
- A vague date. "In a couple of weeks" is not notice.
- Apologies. Leaving a job is ordinary. One thank you does more than three sorries.
Writing it with Hemmingway
The two weeks notice generator is a short form: who it is to, your job, and your last day. Give it the date you have worked out from your contract. Hemmingway writes the notice from what you tell it and nothing else, so no reason or thank you appears that you did not give. For a fuller letter there is the resignation letter generator.
Try HemmingwayDownload the app
Common questions
How do I write a simple two weeks notice?
Say that you are resigning from your job, give your last working day as a date, offer to help hand over, and thank them if you wish. For example: "Please take this as my two weeks' notice. I am resigning as Accounts Assistant, and my last working day will be Friday 16 October."
Does a two weeks notice have to be exactly two weeks?
Not always. Two weeks is a common custom, but your contract or the rules where you work may set a longer or shorter period. Check your contract and base your last day on what it says.
Can I give two weeks notice by email?
Many workplaces accept email, and it gives you a dated record. Some ask for a signed letter, or for it to go to a particular person or to HR. Check your contract, and tell your manager in person or on a call first where you can.
Do I have to say why I am leaving in a two weeks notice?
No. The notice only needs to say that you are resigning and when your last day is. If you want to give a reason, one short line such as "I have accepted another role" is enough.
What if I cannot give two full weeks?
Check your contract first, then ask your manager for an earlier last day and offer what you can for the handover. Your employer may or may not agree. There is an example of that request in how to write a resignation letter.