Your notice period is a real reason, and most employers expect it. Fill in the boxes and the email writes itself.
Filled in with an example. Type in the boxes to make it yours.
Subject: Start date for the Senior Business Analyst role
Hi Rachel,
Thank you again for the offer. My current agreement has a notice period of four weeks, and I want to leave my team with a proper handover.
Would a start date of Monday 9 November 2026 work for you?
Before then, I am happy to meet the team or read anything that would help.
Kind regards,
Sam Hollis
Ask before you sign, while the start date is still being agreed. Give one date, not a range, and a reason they can accept: your notice period and a proper handover are both.
If they push back, ask your current manager whether you could finish a little early, and come back with that.
More on this: Negotiating your start date with a new employer
Keep every letter with the job it belongs to: jobtracker.co.nz is free while you're between jobs. See all the letter templates.