How much notice to give when resigning
How much notice to give when resigning comes down to your employment contract: give what it asks for. If it says nothing, follow your local legal minimum and then local custom. In the US, where most jobs are at will, there is usually no legal minimum and two weeks is the norm. In the UK the legal minimum is one week after a month in the job, but tech contracts often ask for one to three months.
In Germany, the Netherlands and India, a month or more is common. Your contract usually decides.
By PickedJobs · Updated
Typical notice by country
A general guide to where the rules come from, not legal advice. Contracts, collective agreements and probation periods change the answer, so check your own documents and your country's official guidance.
| Country | What usually decides | Typical in tech |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Your contract, if any. Most employment is at will, with no legal minimum for employees. | Two weeks; more for senior roles by agreement |
| United Kingdom | Your contract. By law, at least one week once you've worked there a month, unless the contract says more. | One to three months |
| Canada | Provincial law and your contract. Some provinces, such as Alberta, set a minimum notice for employees; others rely on contracts and “reasonable notice”. | Two weeks, sometimes more |
| Germany | Your contract and the civil code: by default four weeks, ending on the 15th or the last day of a month. Probation periods are usually shorter. | One to three months |
| Netherlands | Your contract and the civil code: by default one month for employees. | One to two months |
| India | Your appointment letter. Notice is set by contract, and some employers allow a buyout. | 30 to 90 days |
| Australia | The award, enterprise agreement or contract that covers you; see the Fair Work Ombudsman. | Two to four weeks |
Official sources worth reading: GOV.UK on giving notice and the Fair Work Ombudsman on resignation notice.
How to count your last day
- Notice in weeks or months usually runs in calendar days, weekends included.
- One month's notice given on March 15 usually ends on April 15.
- Whether the day you resign counts as day one depends on your contract and local rules; in the UK notice usually starts the day after you hand it in.
The notice period calculator handles calendar days, business days and month ends.
Can you leave sooner?
Ask. Many employers agree to a shorter notice period, especially once handover is done. Others may put you on garden leave or pay you in lieu of notice. In India, some contracts let you or your new employer buy out the remaining notice. If you're still in a probation period, the notice is often much shorter.
Tell your new employer early
Give your notice period when you discuss start dates, before the offer is final; recruiters plan around it routinely. A long notice period is also a good moment to ask for a later start date or a week off between jobs. Our guide on negotiating a software engineer job offer covers what else to ask for. Don't resign until you have the final offer in writing.
How to resign well
- Tell your manager first, in person or on a call.
- Follow up the same day in writing with your last working day. The resignation letter generator writes a short, professional letter.
- Offer a handover plan: open work, documentation, who takes over what.
- Keep it positive. Your manager and teammates are your future references.
- If you get a counteroffer, remember why you started looking. Money rarely fixes the reasons people leave.
If your next role is a contract, the notice terms work differently; see contract vs full-time software engineer jobs.