A resignation letter in Belgium is valid only if it states, in writing, the date your notice starts and how long it lasts. Leave either out and the notice is void: the contract ends at once and you owe your employer an indemnity.
Below are five templates that get this right, for the situations people actually face: a standard resignation, a resignation in the first six months, a request to leave earlier, a counter-notice after a dismissal and the short email to your manager. Copy the one that fits, replace what is in brackets, and deliver it in one of the three ways the law accepts.
What must a resignation letter contain in Belgium?
Two mentions are compulsory: the start date of your notice and its duration. The SPF Employment is explicit: without them, the notice is void, the resignation itself still stands, and the contract ends immediately. The party that resigned then owes a notice indemnity.
Everything else is courtesy. You do not have to give a reason. Add your name, the date, your job title, a clear sentence saying you resign, and your signature. The procedure around the letter, from what to check before you resign to what happens after, is set out in how to resign in Belgium, step by step.
How do you fill in the start date and the duration?
The start date is not the day you write the letter. Your notice starts on the Monday after the week in which your employer receives it. Hand it over on a Wednesday and the notice starts the following Monday. Send it by registered letter and it counts as received on the third working day after posting, so a letter posted on a Thursday is received on Monday and the notice starts a week later.
The duration depends on your seniority on the day the notice starts. When you resign, it goes from 1 week to a maximum of 13 weeks, reached after 8 years, according to the SPF Employment table. One 2026 change matters: for contracts that started from 1 August 2026, the notice is 1 week during the whole first six months. The full table is in how much notice you give when you resign, and the mechanism behind it in our definition of the notice period.
Which template fits your situation?
Each template states the start date and the duration. Write the duration in weeks, as the law does, and write the start date as a Monday.
Template 1: standard resignation with notice
[First name Last name]
[Address]
[Employer name and address]
[City], [date]
Subject: Resignation
Dear [name of your manager or HR contact],
I hereby resign from my position as [job title], held under the employment contract that started on [contract start date].
My notice period of [number] weeks will start on Monday [date] and will end on [date].
I will make sure the handover of my work is organised during this period.
Yours sincerely,
[Signature]
Received on [date] by [name of employer representative], signature:
The last line is for hand delivery: your employer signs your copy, which then serves as proof of receipt.
Template 2: resignation during the first six months
[First name Last name], [address]
[Employer name and address]
[City], [date]
Subject: Resignation
Dear [name],
I hereby resign from my position as [job title], which I started on [contract start date].
My notice period of [1 or 2] week(s) will start on Monday [date] and will end on [date].
Yours sincerely,
[Signature]
Check the start date of your contract. If it started from 1 August 2026, the notice is 1 week throughout the first six months. If it started before, it is 1 week below 3 months of seniority and 2 weeks from 3 to 6 months.
Template 3: resignation with a request to leave earlier
[First name Last name], [address]
[Employer name and address]
[City], [date]
Subject: Resignation
Dear [name],
I hereby resign from my position as [job title]. My notice period of [number] weeks will start on Monday [date] and will end on [date].
I would like to propose that my employment ends earlier, on [date], by mutual agreement. I have prepared a handover plan so that my files are covered by that date.
If you agree, I suggest we confirm this end date in a short written agreement signed by both of us.
Yours sincerely,
[Signature]
The legal notice stays in the letter. If your employer refuses the earlier date, your resignation is still valid and the normal notice applies. The other ways to leave early are compared in whether you can shorten your notice period.
Template 4: counter-notice after a dismissal
[First name Last name], [address]
[Employer name and address]
[City], [date]
Subject: Counter-notice
Dear [name],
On [date], you gave me notice of dismissal, starting on [date]. I have since found a new job.
I therefore give you a counter-notice of [number] week(s), which will start on Monday [date] and will end on [date].
Yours sincerely,
[Signature]
A counter-notice is open to you only when your employer has dismissed you with notice and you have found another job. Under the SPF Employment rules, it lasts 1 week below 3 months of seniority, 2 weeks from 3 to 6 months, 3 weeks from 6 to 12 months and 4 weeks from one year. For contracts that started from 1 August 2026, it is 1 week during the first six months. Your employer cannot give a counter-notice. Give it in writing, with the same two mentions as a resignation, and make sure it ends before the end of your employer's notice.
Template 5: the short email to your manager
Subject: My resignation
Hi [first name],
I wanted you to hear it from me before the letter reaches you: I have decided to resign. My letter is [handed to you today / on its way by registered mail].
My notice will start on Monday [date]. I would like to agree a handover plan with you this week.
Thank you for [something specific].
[First name]
This email is a courtesy, not the notice. Email is not one of the three delivery methods the SPF Employment lists, so it never replaces the signed letter.
How do you hand in the letter?
You have three options, set out by the SPF Employment:
- Hand it to your employer in person, with a copy your employer signs and dates. The signature only acknowledges receipt, it does not mean your employer agrees
- Send it by registered letter: it counts as received on the third working day after posting, Sundays and public holidays excluded
- Have it served by a bailiff: it takes effect on the day it is served
Hand delivery is the fastest and is open to employees only. Keep the signed copy or the registered mail receipt: it is your only proof of the date your notice started.
Which mistakes make a resignation letter costly?
- Writing "with immediate effect" or "starting today" without a duration: the notice is void and you owe an indemnity
- Putting a start date that is not the Monday after receipt: correct it before you send it
- Resigning before your new contract is signed: once validly given, a resignation cannot be withdrawn without your employer's agreement, which is also why a counter-offer rarely helps
- Forgetting your non-compete clause: check whether it is valid and whether your employer can still apply it
- Relying on an email or a conversation: only the three methods above count
In short
- A Belgian resignation letter must state the start date and the duration of the notice, in writing, or the notice is void.
- The notice starts on the Monday after the week your employer receives the letter.
- When you resign, the notice runs from 1 to 13 weeks. For contracts started from 1 August 2026, it is 1 week in the first six months.
- Deliver the letter by hand against a signed copy, by registered letter or by bailiff. An email is a courtesy, not a notice.
- To leave earlier, propose a mutual agreement in writing. After a dismissal, use a counter-notice.
Resigning is easier with the next contract signed. If you are still looking, start with the IT and engineering roles currently open.
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