Resignation Acceptance Letter Format (India HR Template)

What a Resignation Acceptance Letter Format must include

• Reference to the resignation letter or email and its exact date
• An explicit statement that the resignation has been accepted
• The notice period per the appointment letter clause and the confirmed last working day as a date
• Early release or notice buyout terms, if agreed, with the adjustment math
• Handover expectation with the named person taking over
• Exit mechanics: asset return list, F&F processing, relieving and experience letters
• Authorised signatory with designation, plus an employee acknowledgement line

Drafting tips

• Respond within 2 to 3 working days. A resignation that sits unanswered for two weeks invites both a withdrawal attempt and a dispute about when notice started.
• Write the last working day as a date. "On completion of 60 days notice" is how F&F disagreements begin; "9 October 2026" is how they end.
• Put the buyout math in the letter itself: shortfall days, earned leave adjusted, notice pay recovered. The F&F sheet should only repeat what this letter already says.
• Acceptance is not relieving. This letter confirms the exit is in motion; the relieving letter comes after the last working day and asset return. Keep them separate.
• If the employee alleges the resignation was forced, pause. Accepting a disputed resignation in a hurry converts a resignation file into a constructive dismissal file.

Resignation Acceptance Letter Format format

[Company Letterhead]

Ref: HR/RA/[YYYY]/[Sequence No.]                Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [EMP001]
[Designation], [Department]

Subject: Acceptance of your resignation dated [DD/MM/YYYY]

Dear [First Name],

We refer to your resignation letter/email dated [DD/MM/YYYY], resigning from the position of [Designation]. The management has accepted your resignation.

As per Clause [X] of your appointment letter dated [DD/MM/YYYY], your notice period is [30/60/90] days. Your last working day with [Company Name] will accordingly be [DD/MM/YYYY].

[If early release is agreed, add: "As mutually agreed, you stand released early, and your last working day will be [DD/MM/YYYY]. The notice shortfall of [N] days will be adjusted against your earned leave balance / recovered as notice pay in your full and final settlement."]

During the notice period you are expected to complete a structured handover of your responsibilities to [Name, Designation] and remain available for knowledge transfer until your last working day.

On or before your last working day, please return all Company property, including your laptop, ID and access card, SIM, and any documents or data in your possession. Your full and final settlement, covering earned salary, leave encashment, and approved reimbursements, less any recoveries, will be processed as per Company policy and applicable law. Your relieving letter and experience letter will be issued on completion of the exit formalities.

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

For [Company Name],

____________________________
[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Designation]

Acknowledgement: I confirm receipt of this letter.
Employee Signature: _______________   Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

FAQs

Is an employer legally required to accept a resignation in India?

An employer cannot refuse a resignation to force someone to stay; employment is contractual. Acceptance is still worth issuing quickly because it fixes the record: the notice start date, the last working day, and any buyout terms. Once the notice period runs out, the employment ends whether or not a formal acceptance was issued.

Can an employee withdraw a resignation after we have accepted it?

Once acceptance has been communicated in writing, withdrawal needs the employer's consent. Before acceptance, the employee generally can withdraw, which is exactly why the acceptance letter should go out dated and within 2 to 3 working days rather than sitting in a drafts folder.

What if the employee wants to leave before completing the notice period?

Handle it in this letter: record the agreed earlier date, the shortfall in days, and how it is settled, either adjusted against earned leave or recovered as notice pay per the appointment letter. A 45 day shortfall on a ₹60,000 gross salary is a ₹90,000 recovery, so put the number on paper before the last working day.

When does the full and final settlement have to be paid after acceptance?

Section 17(2) of the Code on Wages, 2019 requires wages due on resignation to be paid within 2 working days of the last working day. Gratuity, where payable, has a separate 30 day timeline under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. Build your exit checklist backwards from those two dates.