What is Relieving Letter?
A relieving letter is a document your former employer issues confirming you have completed your notice period and are formally released from the company.
- Relieving certificate
Updated 2026-07-25 · one of 47 terms in the OnJob career glossary
Key takeaways
- A relieving letter is a document your former employer issues confirming you have completed your notice period and are formally released from the company.
- Also called Relieving certificate.
- In India, the relieving letter is an important record.
- Collect your relieving letter when you exit a role, alongside the experience letter and the full-and-final settlement statement.
What does Relieving Letter mean?
A relieving letter is an official document given when you leave a job, confirming that you served out your notice period and have been relieved of your duties with no pending obligations. It states your last working day.
How does Relieving Letter work in India?
In India, the relieving letter is an important record. New employers frequently ask for it as proof that you left your previous job properly, and it is often required during background verification and onboarding.
Why does Relieving Letter matter to a jobseeker?
Collect your relieving letter when you exit a role, alongside the experience letter and the full-and-final settlement statement. Most Indian employers ask for it during background verification, where a third-party agency matches the dates on it against what you declared. A missing or delayed relieving letter is one of the most common reasons a joining date slips, so raise it with HR before your last working day rather than after it.
Is Relieving Letter the same as Relieving certificate?
Yes — Relieving Letter is also commonly called Relieving certificate. A relieving letter is a document your former employer issues confirming you have completed your notice period and are formally released from the company.
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