Resignation Acceptance Letter Format and Sample

A resignation acceptance letter is the company's written reply to an employee's resignation. It confirms that the resignation has been accepted, fixes the last working day after applying the notice period, names who will take over the work and lists the exit steps, from returning company property to the full and final settlement. It turns an employee's notice into an agreed exit plan, and it prevents later arguments about the relieving date.

When to use it: Issue it within a few working days of receiving the resignation, after the reporting manager has spoken to the employee and any retention discussion is over. HR prepares it using the notice term in the appointment letter, and the HR head or an authorised signatory signs it. A copy signed by the employee goes back to HR for the file.

Resignation acceptance letter template

Copy the text below and replace everything in square brackets with your company details.

[Company Name]
[Office Address]
[City], [State] [PIN Code]

Date: [Date]
Ref: [Company Code]/HR/RA/[Year]/[Number]

To
[Employee Name]
[Designation], [Department]
Employee ID: [Employee ID]

Subject: Acceptance of your resignation

Dear [Employee Name],

We acknowledge your letter dated [Resignation Date] resigning from the post of [Designation]. The management has accepted your resignation.

As per your appointment letter, your notice period is [Number] days. [Choose one: Accordingly, your last working day will be [Last Working Day]. / At your request, the company has agreed to relieve you on [Last Working Day], and the shortfall of [Number] days will be [waived / adjusted against your earned leave / recovered from your final settlement].]

Before your last working day, please complete the following:

Hand over your responsibilities, files and open work to [Handover Person Name], [Designation], as agreed with [Manager Name].
Return your ID card, laptop, access cards, SIM card and any other company property to [Department or Name].
Settle any outstanding advances, imprest or expense statements with the accounts department.
Complete the no dues clearance from [Departments, for example: IT, Admin, Accounts and your department] and the exit interview with HR.

Salary for the days you work up to [Last Working Day] will be credited within two working days of that date. The rest of your full and final settlement will follow as per company policy, and your relieving and experience letters will be issued when the exit formalities are done.

During the notice period, the terms of your employment, including attendance, leave rules and confidentiality, continue to apply. Leave during the notice period needs your manager's prior approval.

We thank you for your contribution to [Company Name] and wish you success in the future.

Yours sincerely,
For [Company Name]

[Signatory Name]
[Signatory Designation]

Acknowledgement

I have received this letter and note my last working day as [Last Working Day].

Name: [Employee Name]
Signature: ____________
Date: ____________

What to include

Confirm the last working day

State the date in full. It controls the handover plan, the final salary, leave encashment and the relieving letter, so it must be the one date everyone works to.

Record any change to the notice

If the company shortens the notice, say how the shortfall is handled: waived, set off against leave or recovered. Leaving it unsaid causes disputes in the final settlement.

A named handover

Name the person taking over the work. It makes the manager's handover plan official and gives the employee a clear owner to hand files to.

Exit checklist in the letter

List the property to return, advances to settle and clearances to complete. Employees then finish them during the notice period rather than on the last afternoon.

Dues timeline

Tell the employee that wages are paid within two working days of the last day and how the rest of the full and final settlement will follow.

Common mistakes to avoid

Not replying to the resignation for weeks, leaving the last working day uncertain.
Changing the notice period in the acceptance letter from what the appointment letter says.
Forgetting to state how a notice shortfall will be handled.
Using the acceptance letter to argue with the employee's reasons for leaving.
Promising the relieving letter on the last day without mentioning exit clearance.

Run it in ZeniaHR

When HR records the resignation on the employee record in ZeniaHR, the last working day is set and the employee moves to on notice, so managers and payroll see the same date. Offboarding then gives HR the structured exit reasons to choose from and an 8-item exit checklist to track clearance. Payroll then counts paid days for the final month only up to the exit date. Keep the signed acceptance in the employee's documents.

Employee records and exits Payroll Employee documents

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Frequently asked questions

Is it necessary to give a resignation acceptance letter?

It is good practice to accept a resignation in writing. The letter confirms the last working day, the handover and the exit steps, and it protects both sides if there is a dispute later about the relieving date or notice shortfall. An email acceptance with the same details also works.

Can a company refuse to accept a resignation?

A company cannot force an employee to keep working indefinitely, but it can ask the employee to serve the notice period in the appointment letter and complete a handover. It may also delay relieving while a disciplinary inquiry is pending, if the conduct rules provide for it.

Can the last working day be changed after acceptance?

Yes, if both sides agree in writing, for example when the employee asks for early release or the company needs a longer handover and the employee agrees. Issue a short letter or email confirming the revised date, and update HR and payroll records the same day.