AT A GLANCE
- N forms are notices that pass between a landlord and a tenant. L forms are applications a landlord files with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). A notice starts the clock. An application gets you an order [1].
- An N4 for non-payment of rent now needs 7 days' notice instead of 14, for notices given on or after September 21, 2026 [2].
- An N12 for a landlord's own use carries no compensation if the landlord gives at least 120 days' notice. Shorter notice still costs one month's rent [2].
- Most eviction applications must be filed within 30 days after the termination date on the notice. The L1 has no filing deadline [3].
- The L1, L2, L3, L9 and L10 cost $186 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, or $201 filed any other way. The L4 is free through the portal [1].
- The LTB received 87,993 applications in 2024-25, the most in its history [4].
Note: Sources are cited with [x] and listed with hyperlinks at the bottom of this post. Many of the charts are interactive, so you can use them to answer questions about your own building.
INTRODUCTION
Every Ontario landlord eventually has to pick an LTB form, and picking the wrong one is the most common way to lose months. The LTB is clear on this point: a landlord must use the correct notice and complete it accurately, or the notice may be void and the application dismissed [3].
This guide sorts the forms into two families. The N series covers notices: rent increases, ending a tenancy, and agreements. The L series covers the applications a landlord files once a notice has run its course. Each form below links to its own short post.
THE N SERIES: NOTICES
Notice periods are from the LTB's forms and its guide to ending a tenancy [1][3][5].
THE L SERIES: LANDLORD APPLICATIONS
Fees and filing methods are from the LTB's fee schedule. LTB fees are non-refundable [1].
WHAT CHANGED IN 2026
Two rounds of changes took effect this year, flowing from Bill 60 and Bill 97 [2][6]:
- N4 notice period: 14 days down to 7, for notices given on or after September 21, 2026 [2].
- Arrears hearings: a tenant who wants to raise other issues must first pay the landlord half of the arrears claimed, at least seven days before the hearing [2].
- N12: no compensation with 120 days' notice for a landlord's own use, and the landlord must normally move in within 60 days [2].
- N13: new written updates to tenants who plan to return, and 60 days' notice to reoccupy [2].
- Persistent late payment: now defined as rent received more than seven days late, at least three times in six months [2].
- Reviews: the window to request a review of an LTB order dropped from 30 days to 15 on July 1, 2026 [6].
- Fines: maximum fines for offences doubled to $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations [6].
Old versions of the updated forms stop being accepted on November 30, 2026 [2]. Download a fresh copy every time.
HOW A FILE MOVES THROUGH THE LTB
The pattern is the same for most files: serve the notice, wait out the notice period, file the application, attend the hearing, receive the order. Only the Sheriff can enforce an eviction order. A landlord can never change the locks personally [3].
The LTB aims to schedule L1 and L9 hearings within 50 days and other applications within 55 days. It met that target for 81% of hearings in the third quarter of 2025-26 [7]. Volume is the pressure point. Applications rose from 61,705 in 2021-22 to 87,993 in 2024-25 [4].
THE FORMS LANDLORDS MIX UP
- N11 and N12. The N11 is a mutual agreement to end a tenancy. The N12 is a landlord's notice that someone is moving in. They are not interchangeable.
- N4 and N8. The N4 is for rent that is owed. The N8 is for rent that keeps arriving late, even if nothing is owed today.
- N5 and N7. The N5 gives the tenant seven days to fix the problem. The N7 does not, and requires proof of something more serious.
- L1, L9 and L10. L1 evicts and collects. L9 collects and the tenant stays. L10 collects after the tenant has moved out.
- N1 and N2. The N1 is for rent-controlled units. The N2 is for units exempt from the guideline.
Investor takeaway: in a sale, the paper trail is part of the asset. A buyer pays for the rent roll, and the rent roll is only as good as the N1s, N4s and LTB orders behind it. I review this file with every owner before a building goes to market.
QUICK ANSWERS
What is the difference between an N form and an L form in Ontario?
An N form is a notice given by a landlord or tenant. An L form is an application a landlord files with the Landlord and Tenant Board to get an order [1].
How much notice does an N4 require in Ontario in 2026?
Seven days, for notices given on or after September 21, 2026 [2].
How much does it cost to file an L1 or L2?
$186 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, or $201 by any other method [1].
Disclaimer: This post is for information only and is not legal advice. LTB forms and rules change. Confirm the current version with the Landlord and Tenant Board, or speak with a licensed paralegal or lawyer, before you serve or file.
About the Author: Terry Riddoch, Ontario Multi-Family and Commercial Real Estate Broker
Terry Riddoch is a licensed Ontario real estate broker with Re/Max Real Estate Centre, based in Waterloo Region and specializing in multi-family and apartment building sales across Ontario. With 19 years of experience and over $90 million in closed transactions, he advises independent landlords, private investors, and national investment groups on buying, selling, and valuing apartment buildings, investments and development land across the Province of Ontario including Waterloo Region (Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge), Guelph, Brantford, Hamilton, London, Milton, Windsor, Kingston, Belleville, Brockville and Sudbury.
Clients know Terry for candid advice, data-driven analysis, and doing the work well ahead of the deal. He writes regularly on Ontario landlord rules, rent control, the Landlord and Tenant Board, and housing policy to help property owners make informed decisions.
Thinking about selling an apartment building, or looking for your next investment property? Call Terry at (519) 591-1725, email [email protected], or visit terryriddoch.ca for a confidential, no-obligation conversation about your property.
SOURCES
- Tribunals Ontario. Landlord and Tenant Board: Forms, filing and fees. https://tribunalsontario.ca/ltb/forms-filing-and-fees/
- Tribunals Ontario. LTB Operational Update: Legislative Changes at the Landlord and Tenant Board, Effective September 21, 2026. https://tribunalsontario.ca/2026/09/21/ltb-operational-update-legislative-changes-at-the-landlord-and-tenant-board-effective-september-21-2026/
- Landlord and Tenant Board. How a Landlord Can End a Tenancy (updated September 21, 2026). https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Brochures/How%20a%20Landlord%20Can%20End%20a%20Tenancy.html
- Tribunals Ontario. 2024-25 Annual Report. https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/TO/Tribunals_Ontario_2024-2025_Annual_Report.html
- Government of Ontario. Residential rent increases (updated June 23, 2026). https://www.ontario.ca/page/residential-rent-increases
- Tribunals Ontario. LTB Operational Update: Legislative Changes at the Landlord and Tenant Board (June 30, 2026). https://tribunalsontario.ca/2026/06/30/ltb-operational-update-legislative-changes-at-the-ltb/
- Tribunals Ontario. Landlord and Tenant Board Key Performance Indicators, 2025-2026. https://tribunalsontario.ca/en/about/key-performance-indicators/ltb-key-performance-indicators/
- Tribunals Ontario. Tribunals Ontario Portal. https://tribunalsontario.ca/ltb/tribunals-ontario-portal/
- Tribunals Ontario. Navigate Tribunals Ontario, the LTB's guided tool. https://tribunalsontario.ca/ltb/navigate-tribunals-ontario/
- Landlord and Tenant Board. LTB contact centre: 1-888-332-3234.
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