You have a new job, or just need out, and it is time to quit. In the Netherlands, ontslag nemen (resigning) is not just a chat with your boss: it is a written notice tied to a legal opzegtermijn (notice period). Get the date wrong and you could be stuck an extra month. Here is how to resign the right way, with a template.
Resign in writing
First rule: do it schriftelijk (in writing). A verbal “I quit” is risky, because everything hinges on the date you gave notice. A short, dated letter or email, a opzegbrief, creates proof and starts the clock cleanly. Keep a copy and, ideally, a confirmation of receipt.
The notice period (opzegtermijn)
This is the part to get right. As the government explains the employee’s notice period when resigning, on a permanent (onbepaalde tijd) contract the statutory notice for the employee is usually one calendar month, and it runs from the first of the next month.
The classic example, straight from the official guidance: to leave on 1 April, you must give written notice before 1 March, and you work through March. Miss the 1 March deadline and your leaving date slides a month.
A few more rules, per UWV’s notice-period guidance:
- You can agree a longer notice in your contract (maximum six months); if yours is longer than one month, the employer’s must be twice as long.
- In your proeftijd (probation), there is no notice period, you can leave immediately.
This all sits on top of the contract terms we cover in understanding your arbeidsovereenkomst.
A template ontslag letter
Keep it short, clear, dated, and polite. You do not have to give a reason.
Geachte [naam],
Hierbij zeg ik mijn arbeidsovereenkomst op per [laatste werkdag], met inachtneming van de geldende opzegtermijn. Ik dank u voor de samenwerking.
Met vriendelijke groet, [naam] · [datum]
(Roughly: “Hereby I terminate my employment contract as of [last working day], observing the applicable notice period. Thank you for the collaboration.”)
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| ontslag nemen | to resign (you quit) |
| opzeggen | to give notice / terminate |
| opzegtermijn | notice period |
| opzegbrief | resignation letter |
| laatste werkdag | last working day |
| met inachtneming van | observing / taking into account |
Where it connects
Resigning is the exit door of Dutch working life, the counterpart to signing your arbeidsovereenkomst on the way in. The same calm, written-and-dated approach you use to call in sick with a ziekmelding applies here, and quitting well is part of respecting the flat, direct Dutch workplace culture you are leaving.
The bottom line
Quitting a Dutch job means a written opzegging with the right opzegtermijn: on a permanent contract, usually one calendar month from the first of the next month, so to leave on 1 April, give notice before 1 March. You can leave immediately in your proeftijd, and you never owe a reason. Learn ontslag nemen, opzeggen, and opzegtermijn, send a short dated letter, and you exit cleanly and professionally, on the date you actually meant.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the work-exit Dutch a resignation needs, ontslag nemen, opzeggen, opzegtermijn, opzegbrief by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can quit your Dutch job correctly and professionally instead of guessing at the rules.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice do I give when I quit a Dutch job?
On a permanent (onbepaalde tijd) contract, the employee’s statutory notice period (opzegtermijn) is usually one calendar month. It runs from the first of the following month, so to leave on 1 April you must give notice before 1 March (and you work through March). A longer notice can be agreed in your contract (maximum six months), and during your proeftijd (probation) you can leave with no notice at all.
Do I have to resign in writing in the Netherlands?
Yes, you should resign in writing (schriftelijk opzeggen), by a clear letter or email, so there is proof of the date. A verbal ‘I quit’ is risky because the notice period depends on the date you gave notice. A short, dated written opzegging stating your last working day protects you and starts the clock cleanly. Keep a copy and, ideally, confirmation of receipt.
What should a Dutch resignation letter (ontslagbrief) include?
Keep it short and clear: the date, a statement that you are resigning (ik zeg mijn arbeidsovereenkomst op), your intended last working day (respecting the notice period), and a polite closing. You do not have to give a reason. A simple line like ‘Hierbij zeg ik mijn arbeidsovereenkomst op per [datum], met inachtneming van de opzegtermijn’ covers the essentials.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for resigning and work admin?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the work-exit Dutch a resignation needs, ontslag nemen, opzeggen, opzegtermijn, opzegbrief, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you can quit your Dutch job correctly and professionally instead of guessing at the rules.
