Ontario N4 Notice for Unpaid Rent: Dates and Steps
In Ontario you can't evict a tenant yourself, and there's no "eviction notice" you can write in your own words. When rent is unpaid, the first step is the Landlord and Tenant Board's form N4, the Notice to End your Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent. Only the LTB can order an eviction. (Source)
What changed on September 21, 2026
- The notice period is now 7 days, down from 14, for an N4 given on or after September 21, 2026. (Source)
- There's an updated N4 form. The LTB also replaced the L1 and several other forms, and it won't accept previous versions after November 30, 2026. Download the form fresh from the LTB each time. (Source)
Step 1: Fill in the N4
The N4 asks for the rent owing for each rental period, and the total. What may and may not be counted as arrears (for example utilities or NSF charges) is set out in the LTB's guideline on rent arrears.
Step 2: Pick the termination date
The termination date must be at least 7 days after you give the notice. Don't count the day you give it. (Source)
Then add time for how you deliver it:
| How you give the N4 | Add |
|---|---|
| By hand, in the mailbox, or under the door | Nothing |
| By courier | 1 business day |
| By mail or Xpresspost | 5 days |
| By email, if the tenant agreed in writing to service by email | Nothing |
(Source)
The LTB's own example: hand it over on March 3 and the earliest termination date is March 10. Mail it on March 3 and the earliest is March 15. A date that's too early can make the notice invalid, so when in doubt, give yourself an extra day.
Our free N4 calculator counts the termination date for each way of giving the notice, and works out the rent owing for each row of the N4's table.
Step 3: Give it to the tenant
You can hand it to the tenant or an adult in the unit, leave it in their mailbox or where mail is normally delivered, slide it under the door or through the mail slot, or send it by fax, courier or mail. You can also email it if the tenant has agreed in writing to receive documents by email. (Source) You can't just post it on the tenant's door. (Source)
Keep a record of how and when you gave it. You'll need it later.
Step 4: Wait for the termination date
If the tenant pays all the rent owing by the termination date, the notice is void and you can't apply to evict based on it. (Source) The Ontario government also encourages landlords to try a payment agreement first. (Source)
Step 5: File an L1 if rent is still unpaid
The earliest you can file the L1 application is the day after the termination date on your N4. (Source) The fee is $186 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, or $201 otherwise. (Source)
For applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants to raise other issues at the hearing must first pay you half of the arrears claimed, at least seven days before the hearing. (Source)
Before you rely on this
Other rules can apply to your case, such as weekly or daily tenancies, or a tenant who paid part of the rent. If the case is contested, talk to a paralegal or lawyer.
Rentingwell's rent ledger keeps the record of what was due and what was paid, and fills in the Board's own N4 from it, with the arrears table and the termination date worked out. Your first N4 is free with an account: start free.