Relieving Letter Format
The employer's relieving letter format — resignation accepted, relieved from a stated date, handover and dues noted — the document new employers insist on.
A relieving letter is the employer's written confirmation that the employee's resignation was accepted and that they stand relieved from duties from a stated date. It is the document a new employer checks before onboarding, because it evidences a clean exit — no absconding, no unserved notice, no pending disciplinary process.
Issue it on letterhead on or after the last working day, once handover is complete. It is deliberately factual: acceptance of resignation, the relieving date, and a line on handover and settlement status. Conduct and tenure certification belong in the experience letter, which is commonly issued alongside.
When to use this format
- Confirming an employee's exit after their notice period and handover complete
- Providing the exit proof a new employer requires at onboarding
- Closing the exit file together with the experience letter and final settlement
- Recording the relieving date that ends the employment relationship
Key clauses and what they do
- Reference to resignation
- Cites the employee's resignation letter and its date.
- Acceptance
- States that the resignation was accepted by the company.
- Relieving date
- The date from which the employee stands relieved — the operative fact.
- Handover confirmation
- Notes that duties, assets and credentials were handed over.
- Settlement status
- Whether full-and-final settlement is completed or in process per policy.
- Authorised signature
- HR or an authorised signatory, with seal and verification contact.
The format
Replace every [BRACKETED] detail with your own before use.
[ON COMPANY LETTERHEAD] Ref. No.: [HR/RLV/YEAR/NNN] Date: [DATE] [EMPLOYEE FULL NAME] [ADDRESS] Subject: Relieving letter Dear [EMPLOYEE FIRST NAME], This has reference to your resignation letter dated [RESIGNATION DATE] from the position of [DESIGNATION] (Employee ID: [ID]). We confirm that your resignation has been accepted. You have served the applicable notice period and you stand relieved from the services of [COMPANY NAME] with effect from the close of business hours on [LAST WORKING DAY / RELIEVING DATE]. You have completed the handover of your duties, company assets and credentials to the satisfaction of the company. Your full-and-final settlement [has been completed / is under process and will be credited as per company policy within [NUMBER] days]. We thank you for your contribution to the company and wish you success in your future endeavours. For [COMPANY NAME] Signature: ____________________ Name: [AUTHORISED SIGNATORY NAME] Designation: [HR MANAGER / DIRECTOR] [COMPANY SEAL] Contact for verification: [EMAIL / PHONE]
General format for reference — get it professionally drafted for your specific case.
Issue a relieving letter only after handover and asset recovery are actually complete — it certifies a clean exit and is relied upon by third parties. Where dues or inquiries are pending, hold the letter or state the position plainly rather than issuing an unqualified one.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a relieving letter mandatory?
No statute mandates it across the board, but it is standard professional practice and most structured employers will not onboard without one (or an acceptable substitute like an acceptance email plus final settlement proof). Withholding it without cause invites disputes and reputational harm.
Can the employer withhold the relieving letter for unserved notice?
Employers commonly hold it until notice is served or bought out per the appointment letter, and until assets are returned. The condition should be the contract's, not an afterthought — which is why exits go smoother when the resignation letter and policy align on the last working day.
Relieving letter vs experience letter — do I need both?
They answer different questions: the relieving letter proves the exit was accepted and completed; the experience letter certifies tenure, role and conduct. Most exits issue both together; some employers merge them into a single service-cum-relieving certificate.
What if full-and-final settlement is still pending on the relieving date?
The letter can state that settlement is under process per policy with an expected timeline, as the format does. What it should not do is certify settlement that has not happened — the letter is evidence, and inaccurate recitals surface later.
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