German resignation letter template with notice period

This German resignation letter template tells you your last working day before you hand in the letter (Kündigung), then puts that date into the letter itself.

Independent site, not a law firm: a standard template, like a book of legal forms, not legal advice.

Deadline
Employee
Employer
Place and date

Example: employed since 2021, received today, no own period — change any figure to see your own result

Last day of employment

15 December 2026

four weeks to the 15th or month end (s. 622(1) BGB)

Length of service5 years
Statutory period alone15 December 2026
Formpaper, signed by hand

Go to the finished document

A standard template, like a book of legal forms: no review of your individual case and no legal advice. What you type stays in your browser.

How the check works and its sources

An employee in Germany who resigns needs no reason. Unless something else was agreed, the basic period of section 622(1) BGB applies: four weeks to the 15th or to the end of a calendar month, however long you have worked there. The longer periods that grow with length of service apply only to dismissals by the employer, unless your contract extends them to you. If your letter reaches the employer on 10 February 2027, your last day is 15 March 2027; on 20 February 2027 it would be 31 March 2027. During an agreed probation of up to six months two weeks are enough, so until 24 February 2027. Under section 623 BGB the resignation needs paper and your own handwritten signature; an email or a message in the HR portal does not end employment. If your contract has a longer period, choose it above. The letter prints in German.

Empty fields print as a line to fill in by hand. The document is in German, as the other party expects.

____________________________ ____________________________ __________________

____________________________ z. Hd. Personalabteilung ____________________________ __________________

__________________, den 14. November 2026

Kündigung meines Arbeitsverhältnisses

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

hiermit kündige ich mein Arbeitsverhältnis ordentlich und fristgerecht zum 15. Dezember 2026, hilfsweise zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt.

Bitte bestätigen Sie mir den Erhalt dieser Kündigung und das Ende des Arbeitsverhältnisses schriftlich.

Ich bitte um ein qualifiziertes Arbeitszeugnis sowie um Mitteilung, wie mein restlicher Urlaub bis zum Ende des Arbeitsverhältnisses gewährt oder abgegolten wird.

Für die gemeinsame Zeit bedanke ich mich.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

____________________

Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources

How the German resignation letter template counts

The period starts the day after receipt (section 187(1) BGB) and ends four weeks later on the same weekday (section 188(2) BGB). Employment then ends on the next 15th or last day of the month. If that day is a weekend nothing moves: the end is a date, not a deadline for a declaration.

Employee, no probation
Letter receivedBasic period endsWith 3 months to month end
10 February 202715 March 202731 May 2027
20 February 202731 March 202731 May 2027
1 March 202731 March 202730 June 2027

What goes into the letter

One sentence is enough: that you terminate the employment with ordinary notice on the stated date, or alternatively on the next possible date. That fallback saves the letter if you miscounted. The template also asks for a full written reference (qualifiziertes Zeugnis) and for an answer on remaining leave. You do not have to give a reason. To leave earlier than the period allows, a termination agreement is the route; the notice period calculator shows the employer’s side. If you claim unemployment benefit after resigning, expect a suspension of up to twelve weeks (section 159 SGB III).

Frequently asked questions

Tap a question to see the answer.

How much notice must I give when resigning in Germany?

Without a clause in your contract, four weeks to the 15th or the end of the month, even after many years. Many employment and collective agreements set longer periods, often one or three months to the end of a month; the longer one then applies. For a letter received on 10 February 2027 the basic period ends on 15 March 2027.

Can I resign by email in Germany?

No. Section 623 BGB requires written form and expressly rules out electronic form. Only paper bearing your handwritten signature, received by the employer, is valid. The safest way is to hand it to HR and ask for a signed receipt on a copy. A resignation sent only by email leaves you still employed.

Can my notice period be longer than my employer’s?

No. Section 622(6) BGB forbids agreeing a longer period for the employee than for the employer. Equal periods are allowed and common: many contracts apply the employer’s length-of-service scale to both sides. If yours does, pick the matching option in the form above.

Related templates

Notice period calculator

German employment notice periods for employer and employee, with the length-of-service scale and the deadline to sue.

Termination agreement

End German employment by mutual agreement: severance rule of thumb, benefit suspension risk, agreement to print.

Power of attorney

German power of attorney for post, vehicle registration, a flat handover or a public office, valid from and to.

Sources

Written by

Independent publisher of free German contract and termination templates you fill in in your browser, with a notice-period calculator based on the German Civil Code

Updated on · Editorial policy · Contact

Rules as of 2026, read on