Is a relieving letter the same as an experience letter?

No. A relieving letter confirms release and the exit date. An experience letter describes the role and the period worked. Many firms issue both, and some combine them into one document.

Can we withhold it if the notice period was not served?

This depends on the contract and applicable rules. Treat notice shortfall as a pay and settlement matter and agree the approach with a qualified adviser before holding any document back.

Who should sign the letter?

A person with authority, such as the HR head, director or owner. Use the same signatory pattern for all employees so letters look consistent.

Free template

Relieving letter template

A relieving letter confirms that the employee has been released from service. Fill in the square brackets, delete what does not apply, and issue it only after the exit steps are complete. Confirm the final wording with a qualified adviser.

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An HR consultant and business owner reviewing employee records together

Letter

[Company letterhead]

Date: [Date of issue]

To: [Employee name], [Employee ID], [Last known address]

Subject: Relieving letter

Dear [Name],

This is to confirm that your resignation dated [Date of resignation] from the position of [Designation] in the [Department] team at [Company name] was accepted, and that you have been relieved from your duties at the close of working hours on [Last working day].

Details of service

Item	Detail
Date of joining	[Date]
Designation at joining	[Designation]
Designation at exit	[Designation]
Last working day	[Date]
Notice served	[Fully served / bought out / waived by management]
Reporting manager	[Name and title]

Handover and dues

Company assets (laptop, ID card, access cards, keys, tools): returned on [Date] / outstanding items are listed below.
Work handover to [Name]: completed on [Date].
Final settlement: [paid on date / to be paid by date], as per the final settlement statement shared with you.
Outstanding recoveries or advances: [None / amount and reason].

Confidentiality

Your duty to protect the confidential information of [Company name] continues after you leave, as set out in your appointment letter and any agreement you signed.

Closing

We thank you for your contribution and wish you well in the future.

Yours sincerely,

______________________

[Name], [Title], [Company name]

Acknowledgement

I acknowledge receipt of this letter. Employee signature: ______________________ Date: ____________

Note before issuing

Wording on dues, recoveries, notice and non-compete or confidentiality depends on your contracts and applicable rules. Confirm the final wording with a qualified adviser.

A starting point, not legal advice. Check the final wording against your contracts and the rules of your state, and have a qualified professional review it before you issue it.

Experience letter template →Exit checklist and handover note →Exit and offboarding process →

How to use this template

Issue the letter only after the exit checklist is signed off: handover, asset return and access removal.
Match every date and designation to the employee file, the resignation acceptance and the payroll record.
State the notice position honestly: served, bought out or waived. Do not leave it blank.
If dues are still pending, say so plainly and give the date by which you will clear them.
Have a senior HR person or the owner sign it. Send a PDF from an official email address and keep a signed copy.
Record the issue date in the employee file and the exit tracker.

A filled example (illustrative)

This example is invented for illustration. Replace every value with your own.

Field	Example entry
Employee	Employee A, Sales Executive
Resignation date	First of the month
Last working day	End of the notice period
Notice	Fully served, 60 days
Handover	Completed to a named colleague
Assets	Laptop and ID card returned
Final settlement	Paid within the timeline in the policy

Common mistakes

Issuing the letter before the employee has returned assets or completed handover, so there is no leverage and no record.
Holding the relieving letter back to force an employee to do something the contract does not require.
Leaving out the last working day, or giving a date that does not match payroll.
Writing remarks about conduct or performance in a letter meant only to confirm release.
Not keeping a signed copy, so the company cannot prove the date of release later.

Adapt it to your business

Factory or plant: add safety gear and tool-room clearance to the dues section.
Shop or retail: mention till, stock and uniform clearance.
Clinic or hospital: add return of patient records access, registration papers or on-call devices.
Office or services firm: add return of client data, laptop wipe and email access closure.

Questions about this template

It is a formal letter from the employer confirming that the employee's resignation has been accepted and that they have been released from service on a stated date. New employers often ask for it.

Relieving letter template

Letter

Details of service

Handover and dues

Confidentiality

Closing

Acknowledgement

Note before issuing

How to use this template

A filled example (illustrative)

Common mistakes

Adapt it to your business

Questions about this template

Let’s make HR work better.

Let’s start with your business

Relieving letter template

Letter

Details of service

Handover and dues

Confidentiality

Closing

Acknowledgement

Note before issuing

How to use this template

A filled example (illustrative)

Common mistakes

Adapt it to your business

Questions about this template

01What is a relieving letter?

02Is a relieving letter the same as an experience letter?

03Can we withhold it if the notice period was not served?

04Who should sign the letter?

Let’s make HR work better.

Let’s start with your business