Resignation acceptance letter template for Saudi Arabia
A resignation acceptance letter is the employer’s written reply confirming it accepts an employee’s resignation and setting the last working day. Under the 2025 Labour Law rules, a resignation from a fixed-term contract is deemed accepted after 30 days with no reply. This resignation acceptance letter also confirms the handover, clearance and final settlement within two weeks.
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your details.
[Company name]
[Commercial registration number] · [Address] · [Phone]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Reference: [Reference number]
To: [Employee full name]
Employee number: [Employee number]
Job title: [Job title]
Subject: Acceptance of resignation
Dear [Employee name],
We acknowledge receipt of your resignation dated [DD/MM/YYYY], received on [DD/MM/YYYY], and confirm that the company accepts it.
Your last working day will be [DD/MM/YYYY] [open-ended contract: the end of your notice period under Article 75 / fixed-term contract: the date of this acceptance, under Article 79 bis]. Until then, your employment continues on the same terms, and we ask you to hand over your work to [Name and title of the colleague or manager].
Before your last working day, please complete the clearance procedure with [Department or person], including the return of company property, documents, devices and access cards.
Your final settlement, including your wages up to your last working day, the value of your unused annual leave and your end-of-service award under the Labour Law, will be paid within the period the Labour Law sets. An experience certificate will be issued to you on request.
We thank you for your work with [Company name] and wish you every success.
[Name of the authorised signatory]
[Job title]
[Signature and company stamp]
Received by the employee
Name: [Employee full name]
Signature: [Signature]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
When to use it
Send it as soon as you decide to accept a resignation, so both sides have the last working day in writing. It starts the handover, the clearance and the final settlement.
The rules that apply
- Open-ended contract. The employee’s written notice under Article 75, at least 30 days, ends the contract when it runs out. Your letter confirms the last working day; you may agree with the employee in writing to release them earlier.
- Fixed-term contract (Article 79 bis, added in 2025). The resignation is deemed accepted if 30 days pass without a reply. You may postpone acceptance by up to 60 days if the work requires it, but only with a written reasoned explanation given to the employee before the 30 days end; the postponement runs from the date of that explanation. The contract ends on the date you accept, when the 30 days pass with no reply, or when the postponement ends.
- Withdrawal. The employee may withdraw a fixed-term resignation within 7 days of submitting it, unless you have already accepted. Accepting quickly in writing removes that uncertainty.
How to fill it in
- Record both dates: the date on the resignation and the date you received it.
- Work out the last working day: the end of the notice period for an open-ended contract, or the acceptance date for a fixed-term contract, because Article 79 bis ends the contract on acceptance.
- Name the person who receives the handover and the department that runs clearance.
- Calculate the settlement early: wages to the last day, unused leave (Article 111) and the end-of-service share under Article 85. Use the final settlement template.
Common mistakes
- Letting 30 days pass on a fixed-term resignation and then trying to refuse it.
- Holding the final settlement until clearance is finished. Article 88 gives two weeks from the end of the relationship when the worker ends the contract, so start clearance early.
- Not giving the employee a copy signed as received.
In RafiqHR, an accepted resignation starts the offboarding plan, with clearance and a final settlement that includes the end-of-service award by reason for leaving.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
How long does the employer have to accept a resignation?
For a resignation from a fixed-term contract, 30 days. If the employer does not reply within 30 days, the resignation is deemed accepted (Article 79 bis). Within those 30 days, the employer may instead postpone acceptance by up to 60 days, with a written reasoned explanation.
Can the employer refuse a resignation?
On an open-ended contract, the employee’s written notice under Article 75 ends the contract when the notice period runs out, so there is nothing to refuse. On a fixed-term contract, the employer can accept, postpone acceptance for up to 60 days with written reasons, or reply otherwise within 30 days; silence counts as acceptance.
When must the final settlement be paid after a resignation?
When the worker ends the contract, the employer must pay wages and settle all entitlements within two weeks of the end of the employment relationship (Article 88).
This is general information to help you understand the topic. It is not legal advice. Rules and rates change: always check the official text on the relevant authority’s platform and consult a qualified adviser before acting.
