Resignation letter: free template and rules by country

A resignation letter is the dated, signed document in which an employee on a permanent contract (CDI) tells the employer, unambiguously, that they are ending the contract; it starts the notice period and should be handed over against a signed receipt or sent by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt. In Morocco the signature must also be legalised (Article 34 of the Labour Code); in Ivory Coast, Cameroon and the DRC the Code requires written notice; in Senegal the notice period runs from the day the letter is handed over. Below you will find a resignation letter template ready to copy, a version asking to be released from notice, and the rules for six countries. Up to date as of 5 November 2026.

Key points

• Who: employees on a permanent contract. A fixed-term contract (CDD) is not "resigned" from: it runs to its end, except for serious misconduct or mutual agreement.
• Form: a dated, signed letter that clearly says "I resign". No reason is needed, except in Cameroon, where Article 34 asks for the reason for the termination.
• Notice: starts on notification. Its length depends on the country, the job category and often seniority (table below).
• Proof: hand delivery against a signed copy, or registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt. Keep a copy.
• Notice not worked: the party that breaches it owes pay in lieu equal to the salary for the missing period.
• On leaving: final settlement (solde de tout compte) and an employment certificate (certificat de travail), which the employer must issue.

Resignation letter template, ready to copy

This resignation letter template works in all six countries covered here. The letter itself should be written in French, the working language of employment law in these countries. Replace the items in square brackets, print two copies and sign both.

[Prénom Nom]
[Adresse]
[Téléphone, e-mail]
[Matricule ou numéro d’affiliation à la caisse sociale, facultatif]

[Raison sociale de l’employeur]
À l’attention de [nom et fonction du responsable RH ou du dirigeant]
[Adresse]

[Ville], le [date]

Objet : lettre de démission

Madame, Monsieur,

Je vous informe par la présente de ma décision de démissionner du poste de [intitulé du poste] que j’occupe au sein de [raison sociale] depuis le [date d’embauche], dans le cadre d’un contrat de travail à durée indéterminée.

Conformément à [mon contrat de travail / la convention collective applicable / la réglementation en vigueur], j’effectuerai un préavis de [durée], qui commence à courir à compter de la remise de cette lettre. Mon dernier jour de travail sera donc le [date].

Je vous remercie de bien vouloir me remettre, à la fin de mon contrat, mon solde de tout compte et mon certificat de travail.

Je vous prie d’agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l’expression de mes salutations distinguées.

[Signature]

Exemplaire remis en main propre le [date]. Reçu par l’employeur : [nom, fonction, signature et cachet]

In English, the letter says: "I hereby inform you of my decision to resign from my position as [job title], held since [hire date] under a permanent contract. I will work a notice period of [length], starting from the date this letter is handed over; my last working day will be [date]. Please provide my final settlement and employment certificate at the end of my contract."

What the letter must contain

• A clear intention to resign. Senegal’s Labour Code defines resignation as an "unequivocal" termination at the employee’s initiative (Article 3). Avoid conditional wording.
• The date of the letter and the expected end of notice: this sets the last day worked and paid.
• Job title and hire date, which determine category and seniority, and therefore the notice period.
• A handwritten signature, legalised in Morocco.
• The reason: not needed in Morocco, Senegal, Ivory Coast, the DRC or Benin (Benin’s Code says the employee may resign "without having to justify" the reasons, Article 44). In Cameroon, add a neutral sentence such as "for personal reasons".

Resignation letter asking to waive the notice period

Starting a new job sooner? You can ask to be released from all or part of the notice period. It is a request: the employer may refuse, in which case you must work the notice or pay compensation for the period not worked. Here is the version of the resignation letter to use.

[Same header as above]

Objet : lettre de démission et demande de dispense de préavis

Madame, Monsieur,

Je vous informe par la présente de ma décision de démissionner du poste de [intitulé du poste] que j’occupe au sein de [raison sociale] depuis le [date d’embauche].

Mon préavis est en principe de [durée] et prendrait fin le [date]. Je souhaiterais toutefois être dispensé(e) de [tout / une partie de] ce préavis et quitter l’entreprise le [date souhaitée], pour [motif facultatif, par exemple : une prise de poste à cette date].

Je m’engage à assurer d’ici là la transmission de mes dossiers en cours à la personne que vous désignerez.

Si vous acceptez cette demande, je vous remercie de me le confirmer par écrit, en précisant la date de fin de contrat retenue et le fait qu’aucune indemnité compensatrice de préavis ne sera due de part et d’autre pour la période dispensée.

Je vous prie d’agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l’expression de mes salutations distinguées.

[Signature]

What the employer’s agreement should say

Without a written answer there are two risks: the employer may later claim pay in lieu of notice, or the employee may argue that the release came from the employer and claim the salary for the period. In Morocco, practice is that an employer who releases the employee on its own initiative pays the waived period unless agreed otherwise in writing, hence the last sentence of the template. The employer’s reply should state the agreed end date, that the release is "at the employee’s request", and that no compensation is due by either side.

Two legal situations remove the notice requirement without agreement: force majeure in Morocco (Article 43) and, in Senegal, an employee on a permanent contract placed on technical unemployment, who may resign without notice or compensation (Article 126 of the 2026 Code).

Notice and form of a resignation letter: table by country

These are legal or collective-agreement minimums: your contract, an industry agreement or local custom may provide more. Check your contract before writing the end date in your resignation letter.

Resignation letter rules, country by country

Morocco

An employee on a permanent contract resigns by a letter "bearing the signature legalised by the competent authority" (Article 34 of the Labour Code, Law 65-99, as published by the Ministry of Justice): have your signature legalised before handing in the letter. The employee is bound only by the notice period set by Decree 2-04-469 of 29 December 2004: for employees and workers, 8 days under one year of service, 1 month from 1 to 5 years, 2 months beyond; for managers, 1, 2 then 3 months. Never less than 8 days (Article 43); the period starts the day after notification (Article 44), with paid time off to look for a job (Articles 48 and 49). An employee who leaves without working notice owes compensation under Article 51, and a new employer who poached them may be jointly liable (Article 42). See our guides to the notice period in Morocco and the Moroccan Labour Code. During probation the short periods of Article 13 apply (see probation in Morocco); fixed-term staff follow the rules in our guide to the fixed-term contract in Morocco.

Senegal

The 2026 Labour Code (Law No. 2026-18, in force since 18 September 2026) lets either party end a permanent contract subject to notice (Article 142). Termination takes effect only when notice expires, and notice "starts to run from the date the notification letter is handed over" (Article 143): the resignation letter is what starts the clock. Length comes from collective agreements, otherwise a decree (Article 144); the national inter-professional collective agreement (CCNI) provides 1 month for workers and employees, 2 months for supervisors and 3 months for managers (Article 75). During notice, the employee has 2 paid working days off per week (Article 145). See our guides to the Senegal Labour Code 2026 and severance pay in Senegal.

Ivory Coast

A permanent contract "may always end at the will of the employee" (Article 18.3 of the 2015 Labour Code). Termination requires notice, and "the party taking the initiative must notify the other in writing" (Article 18.4); only the employer must give reasons. Lengths come from Decree 96-200 and Article 34 of the inter-professional collective agreement: for monthly-paid categories 1 to 5, 1 month up to 6 years of service, 2 months from 6 to 11 years, 3 months from 11 to 16 years, 4 months beyond; for categories 6 and above, 3 months up to 16 years, then 4 months. Two paid days off per week (Article 18.6), pay in lieu if notice is not worked (Article 18.7). See severance pay in Ivory Coast.

Cameroon

Article 34 of the Labour Code (Law No. 92/007 of 14 August 1992) is the strictest on form: termination of a permanent contract by either party "must be notified in writing to the other party, stating the reason for the termination". Notice runs from notification and may not overlap with paid leave. Its length is set by Order No. 015/MTPS/SG/CJ of 26 May 1993: categories I to VI, 15 days, 1 month or 2 months; VII to IX, 1, 2 or 3 months; X to XII, 1, 3 or 4 months (under one year, 1 to 5 years, over 5 years). One paid day off per week (Article 35), pay in lieu if not worked (Article 36). No notice during probation (Article 43). See severance pay in Cameroon.

DRC

Since Law No. 16/010 of 15 July 2016, "termination of the contract is notified in writing by the party taking the initiative" (Article 61 ter of the Labour Code). The employee’s notice is half the notice the employer would owe, and can never exceed that limit (Article 64). For categories 1 to 5, the employer owes at least 14 working days plus 7 working days per full year of service: an employee with 4 years of service who resigns therefore owes half of 42 working days, i.e. 21 working days (illustration). The order of 26 October 2005 sets longer periods for supervisors and managers. One paid day off per week (Article 65), and no notice may be served during leave or a suspension of the contract (Article 68). See severance pay in the DRC.

Benin

"Subject to the notice provided in Article 53, the employee may resign freely without having to justify the reasons" (Article 44 of the Labour Code, Law No. 98-004 of 27 January 1998). Notice is 15 days for hourly-paid workers, 1 month for employees, workers and labourers, 3 months for supervisors, managers and equivalent (Article 53, mirrored in Article 31 of the general collective agreement, CCGT). Two paid days off per week (Article 54), pay in lieu if notice is not observed (Article 55). The Code sets no required form, but only a dated, countersigned resignation letter proves when notice started. See severance pay in Benin.

How to hand in your resignation letter

Even the best resignation letter is useless if you cannot prove when it was delivered.

1. Prepare two signed copies (with a legalised signature in Morocco).
2. Hand one over to your manager or HR, and have the other signed with the date of receipt and the company stamp. That is your proof.
3. Otherwise, send it by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt. Notice then runs from actual delivery.
4. Email can accompany delivery but does not replace a signed letter: in Morocco, legalisation requires a paper original.
5. Work out the end date: notice, accrued leave (which counts against notice only by written agreement in Senegal, Article 147, and never in Cameroon, Article 34) and public holidays.

After the resignation letter: final pay and employment certificate

Resigning does not forfeit pay for notice worked, compensation for untaken leave, or pro-rata bonuses where the contract or agreement provides them. Severance pay, however, is not due. At the end of the contract the employer issues the employment certificate, with deadlines that vary: within 8 days in Morocco (Article 72), 2 working days in the DRC (Article 79), on departure elsewhere. Required content and templates are in our guide to the employment certificate.

For employers: processing a resignation without paperwork

A resignation letter triggers a chain of tasks: acknowledging receipt, working out notice by category and seniority, organising handover, preparing final pay, issuing the employment certificate and reporting the departure to social security. With Socium, the employee files the request in the app, the HR approval workflow routes it to the manager and HR, and the HR document management module generates the acknowledgement, employment certificate and final settlement from the employee record, then files them in the employee’s digital vault with e-signature. Final pay is calculated under each country’s rules. Book a demo to see this flow with your own templates.

Employment contract guides by country: Morocco, Senegal, Ivory Coast, employment contract in Cameroon, employment contract in the DRC, Benin.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to give a reason in my resignation letter?

No in Morocco, Senegal, Ivory Coast, the DRC and Benin. In Cameroon, Article 34 asks for the reason for termination: a neutral phrase is enough.

Can a resignation letter be sent by email?

An email shows intent, but a signed, countersigned letter remains the safest proof. In Morocco, a legalised signature requires a paper original.

Where do I legalise the signature on a resignation letter in Morocco?

With the authority competent to legalise signatures, in practice the legalisation office of your municipality or district, bringing your national ID card. Sign the letter in front of the officer.

Can I withdraw a resignation letter?

A clear, unequivocal resignation binds the employee. It can be withdrawn only with the employer’s written agreement. A resignation given under pressure or in the heat of the moment may, however, be challenged in court.

What if I leave without working the notice stated in my resignation letter?

You owe the employer compensation equal to pay for the period not worked (Morocco, Article 51; Ivory Coast, Article 18.7; Cameroon, Article 36; Senegal, Article 146; Benin, Article 55). The employer may deduct it from the final settlement.

Is the notice in a resignation letter the same as for dismissal?

Yes in Morocco, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Benin, where the length is the same whichever party ends the contract. In the DRC, a resigning employee owes half the employer’s notice.

Can I resign during sick leave or paid leave?

Yes, but notice cannot overlap with paid leave in Cameroon, and only by written agreement in Senegal; in the DRC it cannot be served during leave or a suspension. In Morocco, notice is suspended during a work accident or maternity leave (Article 45).

Which resignation letter for a fixed-term contract?

None: a fixed-term contract can end early only for serious misconduct, force majeure or mutual agreement. Draft a request for termination by mutual agreement instead, to be signed by the employer.

Key takeaways

• A dated, signed, unambiguous resignation letter handed over against a receipt: this is what starts the notice period.
• Morocco: legalised signature. Cameroon: state a reason. Ivory Coast, DRC: written notice required.
• Notice depends on country, category and often seniority; in the DRC the employee owes half.
• Release from notice is requested, and the employer’s agreement is given in writing.
• On leaving, ask for your final settlement and employment certificate.

Are you an employer looking to automate resignations, from notice to employment certificate? Book a Socium demo.