Relieving Letter Format: Free Word and PDF Samples for Every Case (India)

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By Vekho P Ringa · Last updated: 28 Oct 2026 · 28 October 2026

Short answer: a relieving letter is a short letter from the employer, on letterhead, confirming that the employee’s resignation was accepted and that they were relieved from duty on their last working day after handing over their work. It should state the employee’s name, ID, designation, date of joining, last working day and the status of the full and final settlement, and be signed by an authorised person. Copy the basic format below, or download all eight letters in Word and PDF.

[Company Name]
[Company address, city, PIN]
[Phone] · [Email] · GSTIN/CIN: [if any]

Ref: [HR/REL/2026/__]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [ID]
[Employee address]

Subject: Relieving letter

Dear [Employee Name],
This is with reference to your resignation letter dated [date of resignation]. Your resignation has been accepted and you are relieved from the services of [Company Name] at the close of working hours on [last working day].
You worked with us as [Designation] in the [Department] department from [date of joining] to [last working day].
You have handed over your duties, company property and documents in your charge. Your full and final settlement [has been paid on [date] / will be paid on or before [date]].
We thank you for your contribution and wish you success in the future.
Yours sincerely,

For [Company Name]


[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Designation: Proprietor / Partner / Director / HR Manager]
(Signature and company seal, if used)

Educational information only. This page is general guidance for Indian small businesses and employees. It is not legal advice and it is not a substitute for a labour lawyer, your CA or current official sources. Labour rules change and differ by state; verify before you act.

Download relieving letter formats (Word, PDF, Excel)

No sign-up, phone number or WhatsApp needed. All files are free.

Using Google Docs or Sheets? Upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs or Google Sheets. The letters keep their layout and the settlement formulas keep working.

Need a detailed experience letter instead, with duties and conduct? Use our free Experience Letter Generator; it fills the letter for you and downloads it as Word.

What a relieving letter is (and how it differs from other exit letters)

When someone leaves, a small business usually hands over two or three documents. People mix them up, and new employers often ask for a specific one, so it helps to know which is which.

New employers mostly use the relieving letter to check that you have actually left your last job and were not dismissed in the middle of a dispute. Background verification firms often ask for it alongside payslips.

What to include in a relieving letter

1. Company letterhead with address and contact details (or the business name and address typed at the top if you have no letterhead).
2. Reference number and date of the letter.
3. Employee’s full name, employee ID and, if you like, address.
4. Designation and department at the time of leaving.
5. Date of joining and last working day. These are the two dates the next employer checks.
6. Reference to the resignation (date of the resignation letter) or to the letter that ended employment.
7. A clear line that the employee is relieved “at the close of working hours on [date]”.
8. Handover status: duties, company property and documents handed over.
9. Settlement status: full and final paid on a date, or the date by which it will be paid. Write “no dues” only if it is true.
10. Signature, name and designation of the proprietor, partner, director or HR manager, with the company seal if you use one.

What not to write

• Negative remarks or reasons for leaving. If there was misconduct, it belongs in the disciplinary record and the termination letter, not in the relieving letter.
• Ongoing disputes, warnings or police complaints. A relieving letter is not the place to argue a case.
• “No dues” when dues are pending on either side. Say “full and final settlement will be paid on or before [date]” instead.
• Salary figures, unless the employee asks for them. Payslips and Form 16 already show pay.
• Threats about bonds or non-compete clauses. Under section 27 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, an agreement that restrains someone from a lawful profession or trade is void to that extent. If you believe you can recover documented training costs under a bond, take legal advice and raise it separately.

Filled sample: relieving letter for a small business

Here is the standard letter filled in for a made-up 12-person printing business in Pune. The employee resigned with one month’s notice, served it fully and was paid on the next working day.

Kulkarni Print Solutions
Shop 4, Laxmi Road, Pune 411030
020-0000 0000 · accounts@example.com

Ref: KPS/HR/REL/2026/07
Date: 15 October 2026

To,
Ms Ritu Deshmukh
Employee ID: KPS-019

Subject: Relieving letter

Dear Ritu,
This is with reference to your resignation letter dated 15 September 2026. Your resignation has been accepted and you are relieved from the services of Kulkarni Print Solutions at the close of working hours on 15 October 2026.
You worked with us as Accounts Executive in the Accounts department from 3 June 2024 to 15 October 2026.
You have handed over your duties, the office laptop, ID card and the files in your charge. Your full and final settlement will be paid to your bank account on 16 October 2026.
We thank you for your contribution and wish you success in the future.
Yours sincerely,

For Kulkarni Print Solutions

Sanjay Kulkarni
Proprietor

Ritu’s settlement in the Excel sheet: salary for 15 days of October (₹14,516.13 on a ₹30,000 gross), 12 days’ leave encashment (₹6,923.08 on a ₹15,000 basic, using the 26-day divisor her appointment letter sets) and a ₹1,200 reimbursement, less PF of ₹870.97, professional tax of ₹200 and a ₹5,000 advance. Net payable: ₹16,568. With 2 years and 4 months of service she is not yet due gratuity. All figures are sample data.

Relieving letter samples for every situation

Each letter below is also in the Word and PDF downloads. Pick the one that matches what actually happened; the facts in the letter should match the resignation, emails and settlement.

1. Standard relieving letter (notice served)

The basic format at the top of this page. Use it when the employee resigned and worked the full notice period.

2. Resignation acceptance letter

Not a relieving letter, but the step before it. Sending one fixes the last working day in writing and avoids arguments later about when notice started. Notice period comes from the appointment letter; see our offer letter format for how that clause is written. If the appointment letter never spelled out the notice period, our appointment letter format shows how to write that clause for new joiners.

[Company Name]
[Company address, city, PIN]
[Phone] · [Email] · GSTIN/CIN: [if any]

Ref: [HR/REL/2026/__]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [ID]
[Employee address]

Subject: Acceptance of your resignation

Dear [Employee Name],
We acknowledge receipt of your resignation letter dated [date of resignation]. Your resignation is accepted.
As per your appointment letter, your notice period is [number] days. Your last working day will be [last working day].
Before your last working day, please hand over your work to [name of person], return company property ([laptop, ID card, keys, SIM, documents]) and clear any advance taken.
Your relieving letter and full and final settlement will be processed after your last working day, as per company policy and applicable law.
Yours sincerely,

For [Company Name]


[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Designation: Proprietor / Partner / Director / HR Manager]
(Signature and company seal, if used)

3. Relieving-cum-experience letter

Small firms often issue one letter instead of two. Keep the duties to two or three lines. For a fuller experience letter, use the Experience Letter Generator.

[Company Name]
[Company address, city, PIN]
[Phone] · [Email] · GSTIN/CIN: [if any]

Ref: [HR/REL/2026/__]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [ID]
[Employee address]

Subject: Relieving and experience letter

To whom it may concern
This is to certify that [Employee Name] (Employee ID [ID]) worked with [Company Name] as [Designation] from [date of joining] to [last working day].
During this period [he/she/they] handled [two or three main responsibilities, e.g. GST invoicing, vendor payments and month-end bank reconciliation].
[He/She/They] resigned from the services of the company and has been relieved at the close of working hours on [last working day], after handing over all duties and company property.
We wish [him/her/them] the very best in future.
Yours sincerely,

For [Company Name]


[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Designation: Proprietor / Partner / Director / HR Manager]
(Signature and company seal, if used)

4. Relieving letter: notice period bought out or waived

Use Option A when the employee paid for the unserved notice, and Option B when you agreed to let them go early. Either way, put the agreement in writing first.

[Company Name]
[Company address, city, PIN]
[Phone] · [Email] · GSTIN/CIN: [if any]

Ref: [HR/REL/2026/__]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [ID]
[Employee address]

Subject: Relieving letter

Dear [Employee Name],
With reference to your resignation dated [date of resignation], you are relieved from the services of [Company Name] at the close of working hours on [last working day].
[Option A: The balance notice period of [number] days has been bought out by you, as agreed in writing on [date].] [Option B: The company has waived the balance notice period of [number] days at your request.]
You worked with us as [Designation] from [date of joining] to [last working day]. You have handed over all company property and documents.
Your full and final settlement [has been paid / will be paid on or before [date]].
We wish you success in the future.
Yours sincerely,

For [Company Name]


[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Designation: Proprietor / Partner / Director / HR Manager]
(Signature and company seal, if used)

5. Relieving letter: short notice with recovery

Leaving early does not by itself stop you issuing a relieving letter. If you want to adjust notice pay, do it only as the appointment letter allows and with the employee’s written agreement, and show it in the settlement statement (see the legal section below on deductions).

[Company Name]
[Company address, city, PIN]
[Phone] · [Email] · GSTIN/CIN: [if any]

Ref: [HR/REL/2026/__]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [ID]
[Employee address]

Subject: Relieving letter

Dear [Employee Name],
You resigned on [date of resignation] and your last working day was [last working day]. Your notice period as per your appointment letter is [number] days, of which [number] days were not served.
As agreed by you in writing on [date], an amount of ₹[amount] for the unserved notice period has been adjusted in your full and final settlement. The settlement statement is attached.
You are relieved from the services of [Company Name] with effect from the close of working hours on [last working day]. You worked with us as [Designation] from [date of joining] to [last working day].
We wish you success in the future.
Yours sincerely,

For [Company Name]


[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Designation: Proprietor / Partner / Director / HR Manager]
(Signature and company seal, if used)

6. Relieving letter during or at the end of probation

Probation notice is often shorter (or nil) in appointment letters. State whether it was served or waived.

[Company Name]
[Company address, city, PIN]
[Phone] · [Email] · GSTIN/CIN: [if any]

Ref: [HR/REL/2026/__]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [ID]
[Employee address]

Subject: Relieving letter

Dear [Employee Name],
You joined [Company Name] on [date of joining] as [Designation] on probation. [Option A: With reference to your resignation dated [date], / Option B: As informed to you by letter dated [date],] your employment ends on [last working day].
You are relieved from the services of the company at the close of working hours on [last working day], after handing over company property. The notice period of [number] days applicable during probation [has been served / has been waived].
Your dues up to your last working day [have been paid / will be paid on or before [date]].
We wish you success in the future.
Yours sincerely,

For [Company Name]


[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Designation: Proprietor / Partner / Director / HR Manager]
(Signature and company seal, if used)

7. Relieving letter after termination or layoff

After a termination or layoff the employee still needs proof of the dates they worked. Keep this letter neutral and dated; the reasons stay in the termination letter.

[Company Name]
[Company address, city, PIN]
[Phone] · [Email] · GSTIN/CIN: [if any]

Ref: [HR/REL/2026/__]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [ID]
[Employee address]

Subject: Relieving letter

Dear [Employee Name],
Further to our letter dated [date of termination / layoff letter], your employment with [Company Name] ends on [last working day]. You are relieved from the services of the company at the close of working hours on that date.
You worked with us as [Designation] from [date of joining] to [last working day].
Your wages, [notice pay / retrenchment compensation, if applicable] and other dues [have been paid on [date] / will be paid on or before [date]].
Please return any company property still with you by [date].
Yours sincerely,

For [Company Name]


[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Designation: Proprietor / Partner / Director / HR Manager]
(Signature and company seal, if used)

8. Notice to an absconding employee (not a relieving letter)

If an employee simply stops coming, do not issue a normal relieving letter saying they resigned and handed over. Write to them first, give a fair deadline, keep a copy, and follow your appointment letter and HR policy. If they later resign or you end the employment, issue a factual letter with the real last working day.

[Company Name]
[Company address, city, PIN]
[Phone] · [Email] · GSTIN/CIN: [if any]

Ref: [HR/REL/2026/__]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [ID]
[Employee address]

Subject: Unauthorised absence from [date]: please report or respond

Dear [Employee Name],
You have been absent from work since [date] without leave or information. Our calls and messages on [dates] have not been answered.
Please report to work or reply in writing by [date, at least 7 days ahead] explaining your absence. If you wish to resign, please send your resignation in writing.
Please also return company property in your possession: [laptop, ID card, keys, documents].
If we do not hear from you by that date, the company will take further action as per your appointment letter and company policy. Your wages for days worked up to [last day attended] are available and will be paid to your bank account.
Yours sincerely,

For [Company Name]


[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Designation: Proprietor / Partner / Director / HR Manager]
(Signature and company seal, if used)

9. Settlement still pending

If the full and final payment is not done on the last working day, do not hold back the relieving letter for that reason. In any of the letters above, use the line “Your full and final settlement will be paid on or before [date].” Then pay on time: the Code on Wages, 2019 asks for wages due on resignation to be paid within two working days.

Employee exit timeline for employers

The two-day rule in section 17(2) runs from the “removal, dismissal, retrenchment or, as the case may be, his resignation”. Most firms read this as the date the employee is relieved; your state government can also set a different time limit, so check the rules notified in your state.

Full and final settlement checklist

Work out each line before the last working day, so the relieving letter can say when the settlement will be paid. The Excel download does the arithmetic.

Is a relieving letter mandatory? The legal position in plain words

This is what we could and could not confirm from official sources on 28 October 2026.

• No central labour Code we read requires a “relieving letter” by name. We searched the Code on Wages, 2019, the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. The four Labour Codes came into effect on 21 November 2025. In practice the duty to give one usually comes from the appointment letter, HR policy or, in larger establishments, standing orders. Almost every employer issues one and new employers expect it, so treat it as standard.
• Standing orders. Under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the standing orders chapter applies to industrial establishments with 300 or more workers, and the matters they must cover include termination of employment and the notice to be given by employer and workers. Most small businesses fall below that size.
• State shops and establishments rules. Some state laws or rules may require a service or employment certificate when someone leaves, and many set notice rules. We did not verify each state’s rules for this guide; check your state labour department’s Act and rules.
• Final wages. Section 17(2) of the Code on Wages, 2019 requires wages due on removal, dismissal, retrenchment or resignation to be paid within two working days. Section 18 allows deductions from wages only for listed purposes (such as absence, damage to goods entrusted, recovery of advances, income tax and PF), and total deductions in a wage period cannot exceed 50% of wages. “Unserved notice pay” is not named in that list, so recovering it from final wages is a grey area: rely on a clear clause in the appointment letter and the employee’s written agreement, or take legal advice.
• Gratuity. Under the Code on Social Security, 2020, gratuity is payable after five years of continuous service (not needed on expiry of fixed-term employment, where it is pro rata), and the employer must pay it within 30 days of it becoming payable.
• Withholding the letter. We found no provision that lets an employer hold back a relieving letter as leverage, and none that sets a penalty for it. We have not cited court rulings here; outcomes depend on the facts. Holding the letter usually creates more trouble than it solves: settle money disputes separately and keep the letter factual.
• Original documents. Do not keep employees’ original certificates as security. If you collected any at joining, return them on the last working day against a signed receipt.
• Bonds and non-compete. Section 27 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 makes agreements in restraint of a lawful profession or trade void to that extent. Training-cost recovery is a separate question; take legal advice before relying on a bond.
• Emailed and digitally signed letters. Sections 4 and 5 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 give legal recognition to electronic records and electronic signatures. A scanned signed PDF or a digitally signed letter sent from the official email is widely accepted; some employers still prefer a hard copy.

For employees: how to ask for a relieving letter

Ask in writing, from your personal email, a few days before your last working day. Keep it short and copy your manager.

Subject: Request for relieving letter and full and final settlement - [Your Name], [Employee ID]

Dear [HR / Manager name],
My resignation dated [date] was accepted and my last working day is [date]. I have handed over [work/assets] to [name].
Please share my relieving letter and experience letter on my last working day, and confirm the date of my full and final settlement.
Please also mark my date of exit for PF so that I can transfer my account.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
[Phone]

If the employer refuses or delays

• Ask what is pending. Often it is an unreturned asset, an unsigned handover sheet or an advance. Clear it and ask again in writing.
• Send a polite reminder after a week, again by email, listing your dates and attaching your resignation acceptance.
• Collect proof of employment in the meantime: appointment letter, payslips, bank salary credits, Form 16, PF passbook. Many new employers accept these with an explanation if the relieving letter is delayed.
• For unpaid wages, you can approach the labour department of your state (the inspector-cum-facilitator or labour office for your area). Check your state labour department’s website for the current complaint route.
• PF transfer does not depend on the relieving letter. EPFO’s transfer FAQ says the date of exit is needed for online transfer and that a member can update it only after two months of leaving, if the employer has not done so.
• For a serious dispute, speak to a labour lawyer before sending legal notices.

Frequently asked questions

Is a relieving letter mandatory in India?

We found no central labour Code that requires a “relieving letter” by name. It usually comes from the appointment letter, HR policy or standing orders, and new employers commonly ask for it, so almost every employer issues one. Check your state’s shops and establishments rules too.

Can a company refuse or hold back a relieving letter?

We found no law that allows an employer to hold it back as leverage, and no specific penalty for doing so. If it is delayed, ask in writing, clear any pending handover, and keep payslips and other proof of employment ready. For unpaid wages, approach your state labour department.

What is the difference between a relieving letter and an experience letter?

A relieving letter confirms that your resignation was accepted and you were relieved on a date. An experience letter confirms how long you worked and in what role, often with your duties. Many small firms combine them into one relieving-cum-experience letter.

When should the relieving letter be given?

On the last working day, or as soon as possible after it, once handover is done. Wages due must be paid within two working days of resignation under the Code on Wages, 2019, so the letter can state the settlement date even if payment follows a day later.

Can I join a new job without a relieving letter?

Often yes, if the new employer agrees. Many accept the resignation acceptance email, payslips, bank salary credits or a PF record for the time being. Tell the new employer early and ask what they will accept.

What if the employee did not serve the full notice period?

You can still issue a relieving letter with the real last working day. Any recovery for unserved notice should follow the appointment letter, be agreed in writing and be shown in the settlement statement, as deductions from wages are limited by law.

Who should sign a relieving letter?

An authorised person: the proprietor, a partner, a director or the HR manager. Add their name and designation and the company seal if you use one.

Should a relieving letter mention salary?

Usually no. Salary is shown in payslips and Form 16. Add it only if the employee asks for it in writing, for example for a visa or loan.

Is a relieving letter needed for PF transfer?

No. EPFO’s online transfer needs the date of exit to be updated. The employer can mark it, or the member can update it after two months of leaving.

Can a relieving letter be sent by email or digitally signed?

Yes. The Information Technology Act, 2000 gives legal recognition to electronic records and electronic signatures. A signed, scanned PDF or a digitally signed letter from the company’s official email is widely accepted; some employers still ask for a hard copy.

Related guides and tools

Sources and checked dates

How we researched this guide

ScaleSaathi publishes practical guides for Indian small businesses under LendLink Tech Private Limited. For this guide we read the Labour Codes, the Contract Act, the IT Act, and the EPFO, PIB and income tax pages listed above on 28 October 2026, and compared the formats that currently show up in search. We wrote and tested the letters and the settlement sheet ourselves. Where we could not confirm a rule on an official source, such as state shops and establishments rules or court rulings on withholding letters, we say so instead of guessing.