Resignation Letter NZ: Template, Example and Notice Rules

You have landed the new job, or you have simply decided it is time to move on. Now comes the part many people quietly dread: telling your current employer. A good resignation letter does not need to be long or clever. It needs to be clear, polite and on the record, so there is no argument later about when you gave notice or what your last day is.

Quick answer

There is no single legal notice period in NZ. Your notice period is whatever your employment agreement says. If the agreement is silent, you must give reasonable notice, generally 2 to 4 weeks according to Employment New Zealand.
Most employment agreements say a resignation must be in writing. Even if yours does not, Employment New Zealand recommends writing anyway, by email or a short letter.
Your letter only has to state two things: that you are resigning, and your last day of employment. You do not have to give a reason.
Your employer must accept your resignation. They cannot refuse it.
Your final pay must include your last wages, all holiday pay you are owed, and any other payments due.

How much notice you have to give

Start with your employment agreement. It will usually name a notice period, and that figure is the one you are bound by. Four weeks is common, but two weeks and longer periods for senior roles also appear.

If your agreement says nothing about notice, the fallback is reasonable notice. Employment New Zealand says 2 to 4 weeks is generally seen as reasonable, depending on the type of job, how long it would take to find and train a replacement, how long you have been in the role, and what is normal in your industry.

A few points that catch people out:

You can resign at any time, including while you are on leave or on annual holidays.
A shorter or longer notice period is possible, but only by agreement, recorded in writing. If your employer will not agree to a shorter period, the one in your agreement stands.
If your employer asks you to finish early, they generally still have to pay you to the end of your notice period. The exception is where you asked to waive the notice yourself and they agreed: then you are only paid for the part you worked.
Fixed-term and casual staff should check their agreement first. A fixed-term employee leaving early has to resign and give notice. Casual employees do not usually have to give notice, but an agreement can require it.
Resigning on parental leave works differently: your last day is treated as the day your leave started, and you must give at least 21 days’ notice before the leave ends, unless your agreement sets a longer period.

An employee writing his resignation letter on a laptop

What a resignation letter must include

Legally, the letter is simple. Employment New Zealand says a written notice should state that the employment is ending and when the last day of employment will be, based on the notice period. Tahatū, the government careers service, adds your job title to that list. Everything else is about tone and leaving well.
A complete letter usually has:

The date. Your notice period runs from when you give notice, so the date matters.
Who it is addressed to. Whoever your agreement says to notify, usually your manager or HR.
A clear statement that you are resigning from your role, naming your job title.
Your last day of employment, worked out from your notice period.
A short thank you. A line or two, kept genuine and brief.
An offer to help with the handover. Finishing tasks, writing notes, training someone. It costs nothing, and it is what managers remember.
Your name and contact details, so the employer can reach you afterwards.

What you can leave out: your reasons. Employment New Zealand is clear that you do not have to say why you are resigning unless you want to. If you do give a reason, keep it short and neutral, and never use the letter to settle scores. It goes on your file, and future employers can contact your old workplace to check your history.

Before you write anything, talk to your manager first, in person or by phone if you can, rather than letting the letter be the first they hear of it. And if you are leaving for a new job, get the written offer or signed employment agreement for the new role first, so you are covered if the offer falls through.

Resignation letter template

Copy this template and replace the parts in square brackets with your details.

[Your full name]
[Your address]
[Your phone number]
[Your personal email address]

[Date]

[Manager's full name]
[Manager's job title]
[Company name]
[Company address]

Dear [manager's name],

Please accept this letter as formal notice that I am resigning from my
position as [your job title] at [company name].

My notice period is [number] weeks as set out in my employment
agreement, so my last day of employment will be [last day, with the
date in full].

Thank you for the opportunities I have had during my time here. I have
appreciated [one or two specific things, for example the training, the
team, or the experience you have gained].

I will do everything I can to hand over my work properly before I
leave, and I am happy to help train my replacement.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature, if printing]
[Your full name]

A filled-in example

Here is the same structure with realistic details filled in. The names and the company are made up.

Mereana Hohepa
14 Kowhai Street
Karori, Wellington 6012
021 555 014
mereana.hohepa@example.co.nz

Monday 5 October 2026

Daniel Ropata
Store Manager
Harbour City Homewares
128 Lambton Quay
Wellington 6011

Dear Daniel,

Please accept this letter as formal notice that I am resigning from my
position as Team Leader at Harbour City Homewares.

My notice period is four weeks as set out in my employment agreement,
so my last day of employment will be Friday 30 October 2026.

Thank you for the support you have given me over the past three years.
The training and trust I received here are the reason I am ready for
my next step.

I will finish my current stocktake work before I leave, and I have
already started handover notes for the team. I am happy to help train
whoever takes over the role.

Yours sincerely,

Mereana Hohepa

Notice what the example does not do. It does not say where she is going or why, and it criticises nobody. Two short paragraphs are plenty.

Resigning by email

An email resignation is completely normal in NZ. Employment New Zealand lists email and a short letter as the two most common ways to resign, and the content is the same as a letter. Keep the subject line plain: “Resignation: [your name], [your job title]”.

Send it to the right person, the one your agreement names, and copy it to your personal email. Your work inbox may be closed off on your last day.
Keep the date clear. The day you send the email starts your notice period.
Do not resign by text or social media. Employment New Zealand specifically does not recommend it, because messages can be deleted or misunderstood.

If you have already told your manager verbally, send the email the same day. It is the written record that locks in the dates.

What happens after you resign

Once you have given notice, you work through the notice period unless you and your employer agree on something else. You are paid as usual, you can take sick leave or annual holidays in the usual way, and rights and responsibilities continue on both sides.

Final pay

Your final pay must cover everything owed up to the end of your employment: final wages or salary, all holiday pay you are entitled to, and any other payments owed, for example under your agreement or a negotiated leaving package.

On timing, the final leave and holiday payment must be paid on or before the pay day of the final pay period, which can be after your last day at work. Final wages are usually paid at the same time, so if your last day falls mid-cycle, expect the money on the usual payday.

Holiday pay in your final pay

This is the part people most often get wrong, because there are two separate components.

Annual holidays you are entitled to but have not taken are paid out in full, at whichever rate is higher: your ordinary weekly pay or your average weekly earnings.
The 8% calculation covers the period since your last anniversary date: 8% of your gross earnings from that date, including other payments in your final pay, less anything already paid for holidays taken in advance or pay-as-you-go. If you leave before completing 12 months, you have no annual holiday entitlement yet, so your holiday pay is simply 8% of your total gross earnings since you started, with the same deductions.

One quirk worth knowing: for public holiday purposes, your unused entitled annual holidays are treated as if you took them straight after your last day. A public holiday falling in that stretch, on a day you would normally have worked, must be paid, and each one stretches the period by a day. People finishing just before Christmas can pick up several paid public holidays this way.

Two things are not paid out: unused sick leave and bereavement leave. There is no legal entitlement to payment for these when you leave, unless your agreement says otherwise. Alternative holidays (days in lieu for working a public holiday) are different: if you are owed them, they must be paid in your final pay.

Payment in lieu and garden leave

Sometimes the notice period is not worked at all. Two agreed alternatives exist:

Payment in lieu of notice: your employment ends when you give notice, and you are paid out for the notice period instead of working it.
Garden leave (leave in lieu of notice): you stay employed and paid for the notice period but do not come in to work. It does not eat into your annual holiday entitlement.

Both need agreement, either a clause already in your employment agreement or a fresh agreement when you resign, recorded in writing. Garden leave is common where the agreement also has a restraint of trade clause, limiting work for a competitor for a set period after you leave. If yours has one, read it before signing anything with a new employer.

References and your last day

On your last day there is usually housekeeping on both sides: returning company property such as laptops, phones, keys and uniforms, and sorting out system access. You can also ask for a statement of service and a reference. Your employer should provide a statement of service, but they do not have to give a reference unless agreed. Ask a manager or senior colleague to be your referee while you are still there, as Tahatū recommends.

Planning your move? Our NZ CV Template guide will help you get the application for the next role right, and you can browse more career guides in our Jobs & Education section.

Changing your mind, and notice disputes

Resigned and regretting it? You can ask to withdraw your resignation, but your employer does not have to agree. Ask early, and expect their answer in writing.

Resignations in the heat of the moment get gentler treatment. If you stormed out after an argument and said something that sounded like quitting, speak to your employer as soon as you have calmed down. Employment New Zealand expects employers to check whether you really meant it, and suggests a cooling-off period before the resignation is treated as final.

The other common dispute is short notice. If you give less notice than your agreement requires, your employer only has to pay you for the days you actually worked, plus any approved paid leave you took. A deduction for an unworked notice period is only allowed if the amount reflects the employer’s actual loss, and either you agree in writing or your agreement contains a valid deduction clause. If you cannot sort it out between you, Employment New Zealand’s mediation service is the usual next step.

Mistakes to avoid

Resigning before the new job is signed off. Get the written offer or signed agreement first.
Guessing your notice period. Read the agreement. The wrong date can cost you pay.
Writing the letter angry. No complaints, no blame. It stays on your file.
Assuming your sick leave gets paid out. It does not, unless your agreement says so.
Forgetting the handover. A few weeks of being helpful buys goodwill for years.
Starting the new job during your notice period without checking your agreement. Some agreements ban a second job, and both employers should be talked to first.

Frequently asked questions

Do I legally have to resign in writing in NZ?

Not under the law itself, but most employment agreements require it, and Employment New Zealand recommends writing even when the agreement does not. A letter or email records when you gave notice and your last day, which avoids disputes later.

How much notice do I give if my agreement does not mention it?

Reasonable notice. Employment New Zealand says 2 to 4 weeks is generally seen as reasonable, depending on the role, how hard you are to replace, your length of service and industry practice.

Can my employer refuse my resignation?

No. Employment New Zealand states that an employer must accept a resignation. They can negotiate the timing with you, but they cannot stop you leaving once you have worked your notice.

When will I get my final pay?

The leave and holiday part must be paid on or before the payday of your final pay period, and your remaining wages are usually paid at the same time. That can be a few days after your last day.

What happens if I just walk out without working my notice?

Your employer only has to pay you for the days you actually worked and any approved paid leave you took. They may be able to deduct an amount for their actual loss, but only if you agree in writing or your agreement has a valid deduction clause.

Can I take annual holidays during my notice period?

Yes, you can ask, and you are paid for leave you take. Your employer can decline an annual holiday request during notice for a good reason, for example if it would make the handover impossible. Sick leave works as usual.

Can I change my mind after resigning?

You can ask to withdraw it, but the employer does not have to say yes. A heat-of-the-moment resignation is the exception: employers are expected to check you meant it before treating it as final. Either way, act fast.

Sources

Employment New Zealand, Resignation: https://www.employment.govt.nz/ending-employment/resignation
Employment New Zealand, Notice periods: https://www.employment.govt.nz/ending-employment/giving-notice
Employment New Zealand, Final pay: https://www.employment.govt.nz/pay-and-hours/pay-and-wages/final-pay
Employment New Zealand, Employee rights and responsibilities: https://www.employment.govt.nz/starting-employment/rights-and-responsibilities/employee-rights-and-responsibilities
Tahatū (Careers New Zealand), How to resign from a job: https://tahatu.govt.nz/work/getting-a-job-offer/how-to-resign-from-a-job
Tahatū (Careers New Zealand), Job offers and employment agreements: https://tahatu.govt.nz/work/getting-a-job-offer/job-offers-and-employment-agreements

This article is general information about resigning from a job in New Zealand. It is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for reading your own employment agreement. If you are in a dispute with your employer, or your situation involves a restraint of trade or a possible personal grievance, get advice from an employment lawyer or a community law centre before you act.