Procedure · Work and leaving a job

Ending your trial period as an employee in France: notice and letter

During your trial period, you can leave your job without a reason or compensation, on a permanent or a fixed-term contract. The only obligation: tell your employer 24 or 48 hours in advance, depending on how long you have been with the company. Here is how, with a letter template, and what it means for unemployment benefit.

At a glance

Who: Any employee on a trial period, on a permanent, fixed-term or temporary contract, provided the trial period is set out in the contract or offer letter.
When: During the trial period, up to its last day; after that, on a permanent contract, you have to resign.
Where: With your employer, by recorded-delivery letter, by email with acknowledgement of receipt or handed over in person against a signed receipt.
Cost: Free: no termination payment is owed, either by you or by the employer.
How long: 24 hours' notice if you have been with the company for less than 8 days, 48 hours from 8 days onwards.

Template letter for an employee ending a trial period (code.travail.gouv.fr)

Step by step

Check that you are still on your trial period. It only exists if your contract or offer letter provides for it, and it starts on your first day of work. On a permanent contract, it lasts at most 2 months for workers and employees, 3 months for supervisors and technicians, 4 months for managers. It can only be renewed once (4, 6 or 8 months in total), and only if an extended industry agreement provides for it, your contract mentions it and you accept it in writing during the initial period.
Work out your notice. You must tell the employer 24 hours before you leave if you have been there less than 8 days, 48 hours from 8 days onwards. The rule is the same on permanent, fixed-term and temporary contracts; the longer periods only apply to the employer when they end the trial.
Put your decision in writing. No form or procedure is required, and you do not have to justify yourself. But a dated letter avoids any dispute over your leaving date: one sentence is enough, and the template below does it for you.
Hand it over with proof of the date. Send it by recorded delivery, by email requesting an acknowledgement of receipt, or hand it over in person and have a copy signed. Do it during the trial period, without waiting for its last day.
Work until the notice ends. During the 24 or 48 hours' notice, you carry on working as normal. Your last day is the one you gave in your letter.
Collect your end-of-contract documents. When you leave, the employer must have your last payslip, employment certificate, final settlement receipt (pay for the days worked, unused paid leave) and France Travail certificate ready for you. Check the settlement before signing it: once signed, you only have 6 months to challenge the amounts on it.
Check your unemployment rights. Ending your trial has the effects of a resignation: in principle, no benefit. There are two useful exceptions. If your previous job ended through dismissal, a mutually agreed termination or the end of a fixed-term contract, you have not registered with France Travail since, and your new job has not lasted more than 65 days, your departure can be deemed legitimate. If you were already receiving benefit and have worked fewer than 88 days (or 610 hours) since your entitlement opened, payments are not suspended. Ask France Travail before you leave.

Documents to prepare

Your employment contract or offer letter (trial length, renewal)
The date you started at the company (to know whether it is 24 or 48 hours)
Your dated letter and proof that it was sent or handed over
If you were on benefit before: your France Travail entitlement notice

Pitfalls to avoid

Leaving it to the last minute: your decision must be notified during the trial period. After that, on a permanent contract, you have to resign and work a notice period.
On a fixed-term contract, once the trial is over, you can only leave early in limited cases (employer's agreement, a permanent job elsewhere, serious misconduct by the employer, force majeure, unfitness for work); otherwise you may owe the employer damages.
A renewal that does not meet its three conditions (extended industry agreement, contract clause, your written agreement) does not extend the trial: check before assuming you are still on it.
Counting on unemployment benefit: ending the trial yourself is treated as a resignation, with some exceptions.

Trial period termination letter (in French)

[Prénom Nom]
[Adresse]

[Nom de l'entreprise]
À l'attention de [Prénom Nom du destinataire], [fonction]
[Adresse de l'entreprise]

[Ville], le [date]

Lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception (ou remise en main propre contre décharge, ou courriel avec accusé de réception)

Objet : rupture de la période d'essai

Madame, Monsieur,

Embauché(e) le [date d'embauche] au poste de [intitulé du poste], je vous informe que je mets fin à ma période d'essai.

Conformément au Code du travail, je respecterai un délai de prévenance de [durée du délai de prévenance]. Mon dernier jour dans l'entreprise sera donc le [date de départ].

Je vous remercie de tenir à ma disposition, à cette date, mon dernier bulletin de salaire, mon certificat de travail, mon reçu pour solde de tout compte et mon attestation destinée à France Travail.

Je vous prie d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées.

[Signature]

Trial period termination letter (in French): replace each part in square brackets, proofread, date and sign. The letter is in French because it goes to a French employer or administration.

Every letter template

What Nego does for you

Write your trial period termination letter with the right leaving date
Check whether you are still on your trial period (maximum length, renewal)
Tell you whether you can keep your unemployment benefit after leaving

Nego follows the checked steps on this page, does the calculations with the site's tools and drafts your letters. It does not replace the administration: the procedure is completed on the official service.

Going further

Untaken holiday pay Probation period Fixed-term or permanent Checking your contract Final pay settlement

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to give a reason for ending my trial period?

No. During the trial, you can end your contract freely, with no reason or special procedure. A dated letter is still advisable to prove the date.

How much notice do I have to give?

24 hours if you have been with the company for less than 8 days, 48 hours from 8 days onwards. The 2-week or 1-month periods only apply to the employer when they end the trial.

Is it different on a fixed-term contract?

Ending it yourself follows the same rules as on a permanent contract. The trial on a fixed-term contract is shorter: 1 day per week of contract, up to 2 weeks for a contract of 6 months or less and 1 month beyond, and it cannot be renewed. No end-of-contract payment is due if the contract ends during the trial.

Am I entitled to unemployment benefit if I end my trial period?

In principle no, because it has the effects of a resignation. It can be deemed legitimate, for example if you leave a job that has not lasted more than 65 days, taken after a dismissal, a mutually agreed termination or the end of a fixed-term contract, without registering with France Travail in between. If you were already receiving benefit, payments continue in particular if you have worked fewer than 88 days or 610 hours since your entitlement opened.

What if it is my employer who ends my trial?

If the trial lasts at least 1 week, they must give you 24 hours' notice before 8 days of presence, 48 hours from 8 days to 1 month, 2 weeks from 1 to 3 months, and 1 month beyond. If they do not respect this, they owe you compensation, and the trial cannot be extended to make up for it.

Official sources

Rules checked on 27 October 2026 against the sources above. This page explains the procedure; it replaces neither the administration nor legal advice.

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Ending your trial period as an employee in France: notice and letter

At a glance

Who

Any employee on a trial period, on a permanent, fixed-term or temporary contract, provided the trial period is set out in the contract or offer letter.

When

During the trial period, up to its last day; after that, on a permanent contract, you have to resign.

Where

With your employer, by recorded-delivery letter, by email with acknowledgement of receipt or handed over in person against a signed receipt.

Cost

Free: no termination payment is owed, either by you or by the employer.

How long

24 hours' notice if you have been with the company for less than 8 days, 48 hours from 8 days onwards.

Step by step

Check that you are still on your trial period. It only exists if your contract or offer letter provides for it, and it starts on your first day of work. On a permanent contract, it lasts at most 2 months for workers and employees, 3 months for supervisors and technicians, 4 months for managers. It can only be renewed once (4, 6 or 8 months in total), and only if an extended industry agreement provides for it, your contract mentions it and you accept it in writing during the initial period.

Work out your notice. You must tell the employer 24 hours before you leave if you have been there less than 8 days, 48 hours from 8 days onwards. The rule is the same on permanent, fixed-term and temporary contracts; the longer periods only apply to the employer when they end the trial.

Put your decision in writing. No form or procedure is required, and you do not have to justify yourself. But a dated letter avoids any dispute over your leaving date: one sentence is enough, and the template below does it for you.

Hand it over with proof of the date. Send it by recorded delivery, by email requesting an acknowledgement of receipt, or hand it over in person and have a copy signed. Do it during the trial period, without waiting for its last day.

Work until the notice ends. During the 24 or 48 hours' notice, you carry on working as normal. Your last day is the one you gave in your letter.

Collect your end-of-contract documents. When you leave, the employer must have your last payslip, employment certificate, final settlement receipt (pay for the days worked, unused paid leave) and France Travail certificate ready for you. Check the settlement before signing it: once signed, you only have 6 months to challenge the amounts on it.

Check your unemployment rights. Ending your trial has the effects of a resignation: in principle, no benefit. There are two useful exceptions. If your previous job ended through dismissal, a mutually agreed termination or the end of a fixed-term contract, you have not registered with France Travail since, and your new job has not lasted more than 65 days, your departure can be deemed legitimate. If you were already receiving benefit and have worked fewer than 88 days (or 610 hours) since your entitlement opened, payments are not suspended. Ask France Travail before you leave.

Pitfalls to avoid

Leaving it to the last minute: your decision must be notified during the trial period. After that, on a permanent contract, you have to resign and work a notice period.

On a fixed-term contract, once the trial is over, you can only leave early in limited cases (employer's agreement, a permanent job elsewhere, serious misconduct by the employer, force majeure, unfitness for work); otherwise you may owe the employer damages.

A renewal that does not meet its three conditions (extended industry agreement, contract clause, your written agreement) does not extend the trial: check before assuming you are still on it.

Counting on unemployment benefit: ending the trial yourself is treated as a resignation, with some exceptions.