AT A GLANCE
- The N11 is a written agreement, signed by the landlord and the tenant, to end a tenancy on a set date [1].
- It can be signed at any time, even in the middle of a lease. There is no minimum notice period and no reason is needed [1].
- A landlord cannot require a tenant to sign one, or to sign one in advance as a condition of renting. Student housing and care homes have limited exemptions [1].
- If the tenant does not leave, the landlord files an L3 no later than 30 days after the termination date. An order is usually issued without a hearing [1].
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.
WHAT IT IS
The N11, Agreement to End the Tenancy, records a deal. Both sides want the tenancy to end, and they pick the date. An oral agreement is possible, but the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) says a written one is best, and it should be signed by all the tenants [1].
WHEN IT IS USED
Use it when the tenant is genuinely willing to go: a tenant who wants out of a lease early, a negotiated buyout, or a move between units. Any payment to the tenant is a matter of negotiation. The form itself does not set one.
DO NOT CONFUSE IT WITH
The N12. This is the mix-up I see most. An N12 is a notice the landlord gives because a specific person is moving in, and it comes with strict rules. An N11 is voluntary on both sides. Presenting an N11 as something the tenant "has to" sign is not an agreement at all.
Investor takeaway: a purchaser cannot use an N12 in a building with more than three units [2]. So when a buyer of an apartment building needs a particular unit empty, the lawful route is usually a negotiated N11. The rules also firmed up on September 21, 2026. The LTB will cancel a no-hearing eviction order based on an agreement only if that would not be unfair, and it cannot consider changes in the tenant's circumstances after the agreement was signed [3].
QUICK ANSWERS
What is the difference between an N11 and an N12 in Ontario?
An N11 is a mutual agreement to end a tenancy. An N12 is a landlord's notice that the landlord, a purchaser or a family member requires the unit [1].
Does a tenant have to sign an N11?
No. A landlord cannot require a tenant to agree to end a tenancy [1].
Disclaimer: This post is for information only and is not legal advice. Confirm current forms and rules with the Landlord and Tenant Board or a licensed paralegal or lawyer before you serve or file.
This post is part of a series on Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board forms. See the full guide to the N series and L series.
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
- 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
- Landlord and Tenant Board. N12 Notice Instructions (updated September 21, 2026). https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N12_Instructions.html
- 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/
- Tribunals Ontario. N11 form. https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Other%20Forms/N11.pdf
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