# Two Weeks Notice Letter: 7 Short Templates to Copy

> A two weeks notice letter states that you're resigning and gives your last day, two weeks from the date you hand it in. Tell your manager first, then send a short letter or email with the date, a line of thanks and an offer to help with the handover.

Canonical: https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/two-weeks-notice-letter/  
Published by the Know the Room team (https://knowtheroom.ai/authors/know-the-room-team/). Updated 2026-10-24.

## Key takeaways

- A two weeks notice letter states that you're resigning and names your last working day, two weeks after you hand it in.
- Tell your manager in person or on a call first, then send the letter or email the same day.
- A two weeks notice letter needs four things: that you're resigning, your last day as a date, a short thank-you and an offer to help with the handover.
- Two weeks' notice is a custom in most US jobs, not a law, but your contract or company policy may ask for more.
- Leave complaints and long explanations out of the letter, because it stays on file.

## What is a two weeks notice letter?

A two weeks notice letter is a short resignation letter that gives your employer two weeks' warning of your last day. It's the most common form of notice in US jobs, and it's often just a few lines long.

This page is the quick version: the notice itself and short templates. If you want the full process, how to tell your manager and longer letters, including one for leaving in the middle of a campaign, see our [resignation letter guide](/guides/resignation-letter/).

## Is two weeks' notice required?

Usually it's a custom, not a rule, but your own contract or company policy may set a different period. Check your offer letter, contract and employee handbook before you write the letter, and give whatever they ask for.

Some employers ask for more notice for senior roles, and some policies tie the payout of unused leave or a bonus to working the full period. If anything is unclear, ask HR. Giving the notice your employer expects also protects your reference, which matters in a field as connected as marketing.

## How do you put in your two weeks' notice?

Put in your two weeks by telling your manager first, then confirming it in writing the same day. The order matters: a manager who hears it from HR or a colleague first starts your notice period annoyed. If you're dreading the conversation, that's normal, and it's usually shorter and kinder than people expect. Saying the first sentence is the hard part.

1. **Check your contract and handbook** for the notice period and anything tied to it, such as leave payout.
2. **Ask your manager for a short meeting** or call, and say it plainly in the first minute: "I've decided to resign, and my last day will be [date]."
3. **Send the letter or email** right after, to your manager with HR copied.
4. **Agree a handover plan** and how the team, and any clients or agencies, will be told.

## How do you count two weeks' notice?

Count two weeks from the day you hand in the letter, and name the exact last day in it. If you resign on a Monday, your last day is usually the Friday of the following week.

- **Name the date.** "My last day will be Friday, [date]" leaves no room for confusion. "Two weeks from today" does.
- **Weekends and holidays.** Check how your company counts notice; some count working days.
- **Resign early in the week.** It gives your manager time to plan, and it avoids a weekend of rumor.
- **Accrued time off.** Whether you can use leave during your notice is up to your employer. Ask rather than assume.

## How do you write a two weeks notice letter?

Write a two weeks notice letter in four sentences or fewer, and start with the resignation itself: "Please accept this letter as my two weeks' notice of resignation from my position as [Job title]." No warm-up line is needed.

It needs four things, and each can be one sentence:

1. That you're resigning, and from which role.
2. Your last working day, as a date.
3. A short thank-you.
4. An offer to help with the handover.

Leave out complaints, long explanations and details of your new job you don't want to share. The letter is a record, so write it as if your next manager might read it.

For format, a printed letter has the date at the top, then "Dear [Manager's name]", the body, and your name and signature. An email needs a clear subject line, such as "Two weeks' notice: [Your name]", and no date line, because the email is dated.

## Two weeks notice letter templates

Tell your manager in person or on a call first. Then send one of these the same day. Replace everything in [brackets], and adjust the wording so it sounds like the way you normally write to your manager; a thank-you line in your own voice lands better than a polished stock phrase.

### 1. Basic two weeks notice letter

```text
Dear [Manager's name],

Please accept this letter as my two weeks' notice of resignation from my position as [Job title] at [Company]. My last day will be [date].

Thank you for the opportunity to work here. I'll do everything I can to make the transition smooth.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
```

### 2. Two weeks notice email

```text
Subject: Two weeks' notice: [Your name]

Hi [Manager's name],

Following our conversation today, I'm writing to confirm my resignation from my role as [Job title]. My last day will be [date].

Thank you for your support during my time here. I'll share a handover plan for [main projects] by [day].

Best,
[Your name]
```

### 3. Short and sweet

```text
Hi [Manager's name],

I'm resigning from my position as [Job title], effective [date], two weeks from today. Thank you for everything. I'm happy to help with the handover in any way that's useful.

Best,
[Your name]
```

### 4. Warm and grateful

```text
Dear [Manager's name],

I'm writing to give my two weeks' notice. My last day as [Job title] will be [date].

Thank you for [one specific thing: trusting me with the newsletter, teaching me how to brief an agency, backing my idea for the creator program]. I've enjoyed working with you and the team, and I'd like to stay in touch.

I'll make sure [your work] is documented and handed over before I go.

Warm regards,
[Your name]
```

### 5. After a short time in the job

If you're leaving after a few months, keep it just as brief. You don't owe a long explanation.

```text
Dear [Manager's name],

Please accept this as my two weeks' notice. My last day as [Job title] will be [date].

I appreciate the chance to work with the team, and I'm sorry to be leaving sooner than either of us expected. I'll make sure everything I've worked on is handed over cleanly.

Best,
[Your name]
```

### 6. Offering more than two weeks

Useful for managers and senior marketers with a launch, a budget cycle or a team to hand over.

```text
Dear [Manager's name],

I'm writing to confirm my resignation from my role as [Job title]. My contract asks for [notice period]; given [the launch / planning season / the team changes], I'm happy to stay until [later date] if that would help. Either way, my last day will be no later than [date].

Thank you for the last [time period]. I'll work with you on a handover plan this week.

Best,
[Your name]
```

### 7. Agency side, with client handover

At an agency, the handover covers clients as well as your manager.

```text
Dear [Manager's name],

Please accept this letter as my two weeks' notice. My last day as [Job title] will be [date].

Before I leave, I'll brief [colleague] on [client names] and the open work for each, update the status documents, and join the client calls you'd like me on to introduce the new lead. Let me know how and when you'd like the clients told.

Thank you for the opportunity and for everything I've learned here.

Best,
[Your name]
```

If you work with clients directly, ask your manager how and when they want clients told before you say anything to them yourself.

## What should you hand over in a marketing role?

Hand over the work, the access and the relationships. Marketing jobs collect admin rights and logins over time, and missing ones are the most common loose end.

| Area | What to hand over |
|---|---|
| Open projects | Status, next steps, deadlines, files |
| Accounts and access | Ad platforms, social profiles, analytics, email tools, the CMS |
| Partners | Agency, freelancer and vendor contacts, with an introduction |
| Reporting | Where dashboards live and how often they're updated |
| Budget | What's committed, what's pending, open purchase orders |

Write it up in a shared document and walk your manager or replacement through it before your last week ends. A clean handover is the last thing your team remembers about you, and it's one of the best references you can leave behind.

## FAQ

### Can I just send a two weeks notice email?

Yes, after you've told your manager in person or on a call. An email is the normal written record in most marketing jobs. Only skip the conversation if your manager is unreachable, and say so in the email.

### What if my employer tells me to leave right away?

It happens, especially if you're joining a competitor. How your pay for the rest of the notice period, unused leave and benefits are handled depends on your contract, company policy and where you work, so ask HR and read your contract and handbook. Hand over what you can before you go.

### Who should I send my two weeks notice letter to?

Your direct manager, with HR copied so the date gets into payroll and benefits. If your company has a resignation form or system, use it as well as the letter.

### Can I give less than two weeks' notice?

You can, but it's harder on your team and your reference. If something forces it, such as a start date you can't move or a health or family reason, tell your manager the reason briefly and offer what handover you can in the time left.

### Do I need to say where I'm going?

No. You can share it if you're comfortable, but the letter doesn't need it. Some people wait until they've started the new job.

### Should I give two weeks' notice if I've been there only a short time?

Give the notice your contract or policy asks for, however long you've been there. A short tenure is easier to explain later than leaving without notice.

## More on Leaving a job

- [Resignation letter](https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/resignation-letter.md)
- [Exit interview questions](https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/exit-interview-questions.md)
- [Why are you leaving your current job?](https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/why-are-you-leaving-your-current-job.md)