N4 Notice Ontario

When a tenant stops paying rent, the clock starts ticking — and so does the paperwork. The N4 Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-Payment of Rent is the first and most important legal document Ontario landlords must file before they can pursue an eviction through the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). Get it right, and you're on your way. Get it wrong, and you may spend weeks restarting the process.

This guide covers everything you need to know: what the N4 is, how to complete and serve it correctly, what changed under Bill 60, the most common mistakes that sink L1 applications, and what to do once the notice period expires.

Ontario eviction notice non-payment

What Is the Ontario N4 Form?

The N4 is a standardized form issued by the Landlord and Tenant Board. Its full title is "Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-Payment of Rent." It is the mandatory first step when a tenant owes rent — and it must be served before a landlord can file an L1 Application (Application to Evict a Tenant for Non-payment of Rent and to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes) with the LTB.

Serving an N4 formally notifies the tenant that they must either:

• Pay all outstanding rent in full by the termination date listed on the notice, or
• Vacate the rental unit by that date.

If neither happens, the landlord can file the L1 the day after the termination date passes.

LTB N4 form

When Can You Serve an N4?

You can serve an N4 as soon as rent is overdue — in most cases, the day after the rent was due. There is no mandatory waiting period between the due date and serving the notice.

Important: The N4 can only include unpaid rent. Late fees, NSF charges, utilities, damage deposits, and any other costs cannot appear on the N4. Including them is one of the most common grounds for a tenant to challenge the notice at the LTB.

Bill 60

What Changed Under Bill 60?

Bill 60 — the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 — introduced amendments to Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act that significantly affect the N4 process. The most important change for landlords is the notice period:

• Before Bill 60: Landlords had to give tenants 14 days to pay or vacate (for monthly tenancies).
• Under Bill 60: The notice period was reduced to 7 days for all payment frequencies.

This change meaningfully speeds up the process for landlords dealing with non-paying tenants. However, it also means the termination date calculation must be done with precision — an error of even one day can invalidate the entire N4.

Note: Bill 60 passed in November 2025. Confirm with Tribunals Ontario (tribunalsontario.ca) that the amendments are in force at the time you file, as implementation dates can vary by provision.

how to fill out the n4

How to Fill Out the N4 Form: Step by Step

The current N4 form is available for download from the Tribunals Ontario website. Here is how to complete each section correctly.

Section 1: Tenant Information Enter the full legal name of every tenant listed on the lease. If there are two or more tenants, all names must appear on the N4. Omitting a tenant who is party to the lease is a common mistake that can complicate your LTB case. Use the name exactly as it appears on the lease agreement — not a nickname, shortened form, or preferred name.

Section 2: Rental Unit Address Enter the complete address of the rental unit, including the unit or apartment number. This should match the address on the lease exactly. Do not substitute a mailing address unless the unit has no separate civic address.

Section 3: Rent Arrears List each rental period for which rent is outstanding and the exact amount owed for each period. Break it down period by period — do not enter a single lump total without the breakdown.
Example:
• April 2026: $1,850 • May 2026: $1,850
• Total owing: $3,700
Do not include NSF fees, utilities, parking (unless explicitly part of the rent in the lease), or any charges other than rent. Even one dollar of ineligible charges gives a tenant grounds to challenge the notice.

Section 4: The Termination Date — Getting It Right This is where most N4 errors occur. Under Bill 60, the termination date must be at least 7 days after the date the tenant receives the notice — not the date you served it. The method of service determines when receipt is deemed to have occurred.
Refer to the table below:

Method of Service	Deemed Receipt	Add to 7 Day Count
Hand delivery (given directly to tenant)	Same day	None
Slipping under door of unit	Same day	None
Mail to rental unit address	+5 days	5 days
Courier to rental unit address	+1 day	1 day
Email (written consent required)	+1 day	1 day

Worked example — hand delivery: You deliver the N4 directly to your tenant on May 1. Receipt is deemed the same day. The 7-day period starts May 2. The earliest valid termination date is May 8.
Worked example — mail: You mail the N4 on May 1. Deemed receipt is May 6. The 7-day period starts May 7. The earliest valid termination date is May 13.

Do not count the day of service in the 7-day period. Start counting the following day.

Section 5: Landlord Signature Sign and date the N4 before serving it. An unsigned notice is not a valid notice. If you are signing on behalf of a corporation or property management company, include the authorized signatory's name and title.

SERVING THE N4 FORM

How to Serve the N4 in Ontario

Completing the N4 correctly is only half the task — it must also be served using a method permitted under the Residential Tenancies Act. If you serve the notice improperly, it is as if the notice was never delivered.

Accepted methods of service:
• Hand delivery — given directly to the tenant, or to an apparently adult person in the unit
• Slipping under the door — acceptable at the rental unit's door
• Mail — sent to the tenant's rental unit address (add 5 days for deemed receipt) • Email — only if the tenant has previously provided written consent to receive notices by email; keep a copy of that written consent
• Courier — delivered to the rental unit address (add 1 day for deemed receipt)

What does not count as service: texting a photo of the N4, sending it via WhatsApp or other messaging apps, verbal notice, posting it to social media, or affixing it to the outside of the door (as opposed to slipping it under the door).

certificate of service

The Certificate of Service

Immediately after serving the N4, fill out a Certificate of Service (COS). This is a separate onepage document that records:
• The date and time of service
• The method used
• The name of the person served (if hand-delivered)

You do not submit the Certificate of Service to the LTB at this stage. You hold it and include it when you file the L1 application. Completing it promptly matters — you need the details to be accurate, and memories fade.

n4 form and the ltb

Common Mistakes That Get N4s Dismissed at the LTB

Ontario landlords lose LTB hearings over preventable N4 errors every single day. The table below summarizes the most common mistakes and what they cost you:

Mistake	What Goes Wrong	Consequences at LTB
Wrong termination date	Date is too early, or day-count starts from date of service instead of day after	None
Non-rent charges on N4	Including NSF fees, utilities, parking, or damages	None
Missing or incorrect tenant name	Omitting a tenant, using a nickname, or wrong legal name	5 days
Invalid service method	Texting a photo, Whatsapp, posting note on door	1 day
Filing L1 too early	Submitting L1 application before termination date has passed	1 day
No certificate of service	Failing to complete COS at time of service	Unable to prove proper service at hearing

The single most consequential error is a wrong termination date. If the date does not provide the legally required notice period, the N4 is invalid and the L1 will be dismissed. You would then have to serve a new N4 and restart the entire timeline.

SERVING THE N4 FORM

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I serve the N4 the same day rent is late? Yes. You can serve the N4 as soon as rent is overdue — in most cases, the day after the rent was due. There is no required waiting period before serving.

What if I made an error on the N4 after serving it? If the error is material — wrong termination date, wrong amount, wrong tenant name — you generally need to serve a new, corrected N4. You cannot amend an N4 after it has been served. A new N4 restarts the termination date clock.

Can a tenant void the N4 by paying part of what they owe? No. To void the N4, the tenant must pay the full amount of rent owing as stated on the notice. A partial payment does not void the notice. The landlord may choose to accept a partial payment, but this does not prevent them from proceeding with the L1 unless they have agreed otherwise in writing.

Do I need to give the tenant a warning before serving an N4? No. Ontario law does not require landlords to provide informal notice or a grace period before serving an N4. You can serve it immediately when rent is overdue. However, many landlords choose to send a reminder first — this is a business decision, not a legal requirement.

What if the tenant disputes the amount of arrears on the N4? The tenant can raise a dispute at the LTB hearing. This is exactly why it is important to have accurate records of payments received and amounts owed. Keep receipts, bank records, and any written communication about rent.

Can I include multiple months of missed rent on one N4? Yes. You can list all outstanding rental periods on a single N4. Each period and the amount owed for that period should be listed separately.

What if the tenant moves out before the termination date? If the tenant vacates the unit before the termination date, the tenancy ends on the date they move out. You can still file an L1 (or in some cases an L9) to collect any remaining arrears, even if the tenant has already left.

N4 Form

Summary of the N4 Form

The N4 form is a straightforward document, but it carries real legal weight. A technically correct N4 — right tenant names, accurate arrears calculation, valid termination date, proper service method, and a completed Certificate of Service — is the foundation of a successful LTB application. A preventable error means restarting the clock, sometimes by weeks.

Key takeaways:
• Serve the N4 as soon as rent is overdue — no waiting period required • Under Bill 60, the termination date is 7 days after deemed receipt (not the day of service)
• Service method determines deemed receipt — mail adds 5 days, email and courier add 1
• Include only unpaid rent on the N4 — no fees, no utilities, no other charges
• Complete the Certificate of Service immediately after delivering the notice
• File the L1 the day after the termination date — not before For additional guidance, the Tribunals Ontario website and the Landlord's Self Help Centre are excellent free resources. And if you want to generate a compliant N4 quickly without the risk of manual errors, EasyServe is worth a look.