Do I have to use 14 days on an N4 served in October 2026?

No. For N4 notices given on or after September 21, 2026, the LTB says the notice period is 7 days. Remember to leave out the day you give the notice and add days if you mail or courier it.

Can I put late fees or NSF charges on the N4?

No. The N4 is for rent only. The LTB says not to include amounts like an NSF cheque charge or the last month's rent deposit. Unpaid NSF bank charges and the allowed administration charge can be claimed on the L1 instead.

Can I tape the N4 to the tenant's door?

No. The LTB instructions say you cannot give the notice by posting it on the door. Sliding it under the door or through the mail slot is allowed.

Does an N4 expire if I don't file right away?

Section 46 of the Act, which voids many termination notices 30 days after the termination date, does not apply to notices for non-payment of rent. However, the notice becomes void if the tenant pays the arrears and any additional rent owing before you apply.

If I accept a partial payment after serving an N4, is the notice cancelled?

Section 45 of the Act says that, unless you and the tenant agree otherwise, accepting arrears after giving a notice of termination does not waive the notice or create a new tenancy. The notice is only void if the full amount required is paid before you apply.

The Ontario N4 Notice: How to Fill It Out and Serve It

Checked against official Ontario sources on October 14, 2026. General information, not legal advice.

The N4 (Notice to End your Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent) is the Landlord and Tenant Board form an Ontario landlord gives a tenant who has not paid the full rent on the date it is due. For notices given on or after September 21, 2026, the termination date must be at least 7 days after the notice is given, not counting the day you give it, plus extra days if you mail or courier it. If the tenant pays what is owed before you file an L1 application, the notice is void.

What is an N4 notice and when can I use it?

The N4 is the first step in evicting a tenant for non-payment of rent. The LTB says you can use it when the tenant has not paid the full rent on the date it is due and arrears are outstanding. The tenant must still be living in the rental unit.

You cannot give the notice on the due date itself. The LTB's example: if rent is due on March 1 and is not paid in full, the earliest you can give an N4 is March 2.

Is the N4 notice period 14 days or 7 days?

It is now 7 days. Section 59 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 was amended by the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025. The LTB says the N4 notice period is shortened from 14 to 7 days for notices given on or after September 21, 2026.

Many older guides, including some older LTB brochures, still say 14 days.

Use the current N4 form. The LTB says an updated N4 is available on the Tribunals Ontario Portal and the LTB website.

How do I calculate the N4 termination date?

According to the current LTB instructions, the termination date must be at least 7 days after you give the notice to the tenant. Then adjust for how you deliver it:

Do not count the day you give the notice.
By hand, in the mailbox, or under the door: count from the day you deliver it.
By fax: the notice is deemed given on the date imprinted on the fax.
By courier: add one business day for delivery.
By mail or Xpresspost: add five days for delivery. The Act says mail is deemed given on the fifth day after mailing.

The LTB's own example: a landlord preparing the notice on March 3 who hands it to the tenant that day can put March 10 as the termination date. If she mails it on March 3 instead, the earliest termination date becomes March 15 (7 days plus 5 days for mailing).

How do I fill out the N4 form?

Complete the rent owing table on page three first. For each rental period, show the rent charged, the rent paid (if any) and the rent owing, then the total.
Copy that total onto page one as the amount the tenant owes. The LTB stresses that the amounts on page one and page three must match.
Fill in the termination date using the rules above.
Under To, name every tenant in the unit, including any subtenant or assignee. You do not need to name other occupants such as children or guests.
Under From, name every landlord.
Give the full rental unit address, including the unit number and postal code.
Sign and date the notice and check whether you are the landlord or the landlord's representative. A representative also fills in their contact details.

For more than three rental periods, you can combine periods in the first or second row, but the last row must show the most recent period for which rent is owed. Any attached breakdown page must be given to the tenant with the notice.

What counts as rent on an N4?

Only rent belongs on an N4. The LTB explains that rent includes the basic rent plus amounts the tenant pays you separately for services, such as parking or seasonal air conditioning fees.

Utilities the tenant pays to the utility company, or reimburses you for based on the bill, are not rent.
A flat monthly utility charge paid to you does count as rent.
Do not include a last month's rent deposit or an NSF cheque charge.

Unpaid NSF bank charges and your administration charge (capped at $20 per cheque) can be claimed on the L1 application instead.

How do I serve an N4 on my tenant?

The current N4 instructions say you can:

hand it to the tenant or to an adult in the rental unit
leave it in the tenant's mailbox or where mail is ordinarily delivered
slide it under the door of the unit or through a mail slot in the door
fax it to the tenant's home or business fax
send it by courier
send it by mail

You cannot serve an N4 by posting it on the tenant's door. The LTB's service brochure adds that email is only allowed if the tenant has agreed in writing to accept documents by email, for example in the standard lease or a signed Consent to Service by Email.

Keep a copy of the notice. If you apply to the LTB, you will file it with a Certificate of Service.

Can the tenant cancel the N4 by paying?

Yes. Under section 59 of the Act, the notice is void if, before you apply to the LTB, the tenant pays the arrears plus any additional rent that has come due by the date of payment. In that case you cannot apply to evict based on that notice.

What happens after the termination date?

If the tenant has not paid or moved out, the earliest you can file is the day after the termination date on the N4.
File an L1 (Application to Evict a Tenant for Non-payment of Rent and to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes) with a copy of the N4, the Certificate of Service and the application fee. The LTB says the application will be refused if any of these are missing.
On the L1, include all rent owing up to the date you file, not just the amount on the N4.

Even after you file, the Act says the application must be discontinued if, before the eviction order is issued, the tenant pays the arrears, any additional rent owing and your application fee.

How Propmo helps

For a nonpayment issue, Propmo assembles a case file from your derived rent ledger (rent expected versus rent confirmed each period), linked documents and tenant interactions, and drafts N4 and L1 forms from those records for you to review. They are unsigned drafts: Propmo does not give legal advice or file forms for you. Pricing is $35 CAD per unit per month, and the LTB case kit is $99 per case.

Try Propmo

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to use 14 days on an N4 served in October 2026?: No. For N4 notices given on or after September 21, 2026, the LTB says the notice period is 7 days. Remember to leave out the day you give the notice and add days if you mail or courier it.
Can I put late fees or NSF charges on the N4?: No. The N4 is for rent only. The LTB says not to include amounts like an NSF cheque charge or the last month's rent deposit. Unpaid NSF bank charges and the allowed administration charge can be claimed on the L1 instead.
Can I tape the N4 to the tenant's door?: No. The LTB instructions say you cannot give the notice by posting it on the door. Sliding it under the door or through the mail slot is allowed.
Does an N4 expire if I don't file right away?: Section 46 of the Act, which voids many termination notices 30 days after the termination date, does not apply to notices for non-payment of rent. However, the notice becomes void if the tenant pays the arrears and any additional rent owing before you apply.
If I accept a partial payment after serving an N4, is the notice cancelled?: Section 45 of the Act says that, unless you and the tenant agree otherwise, accepting arrears after giving a notice of termination does not waive the notice or create a new tenancy. The notice is only void if the full amount required is paid before you apply.