The N4 notice in Ontario
How to work out the termination date, how service is counted, what belongs in the arrears table, and the errors that make a notice invalid.
1 · Confirm what actually counts as rent arrears
Only rent belongs on an N4. Charges such as NSF fees, damages and utilities do not, unless the lease defines them as rent. Partial payments reduce the oldest period first, and an inaccurate arrears table is the most common reason an L1 application is dismissed.
2 · Pick a valid termination date
At least 14 days after the tenant is deemed served, or 7 days for weekly and daily tenancies. Mail adds 5 days of deemed service; a courier is deemed served the next business day. Mailed today, the earliest valid termination date is 19 days away.
3 · Serve it properly and keep proof
Hand delivery, mail, courier or the mailbox are all valid. Keep the certificate of service, which the Board expects at the L1 hearing.
4 · Wait out the deadline
If the tenant pays everything owing before the termination date, the notice is void and the tenancy continues. Most N4 notices end in payment rather than eviction.
5 · File the L1 if unpaid
The day after the termination date you can file an L1 with the Board, at $186 online or $201 by mail. The Board checks the notice before granting an eviction order, so every figure must be correct.
Download the official form from the Landlord and Tenant Board. This guide is general information about the Residential Tenancies Act, not legal advice. For a live case, speak to a licensed paralegal or lawyer.
N4 FAQ
What is an N4 notice in Ontario?
The N4 (Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent) is the official LTB form a landlord serves when a tenant has fallen behind on rent. It gives the tenant a deadline to pay the arrears in full; if they pay, the notice is void and the tenancy continues.
How many days' notice does an N4 require?
The termination date must be at least 14 days after the notice is served for monthly or yearly tenancies, or 7 days for daily or weekly tenancies. If you serve it by mail, add 5 days of deemed service before counting; a courier is deemed served the next business day.
What are the most common mistakes that void an N4?
A termination date counted from the wrong day or without the deemed-service days, an arrears figure that includes charges other than rent, incorrect legal names or address, and an unsigned or undated form. Any of these can have the later L1 application dismissed.
What happens after the N4 termination date passes?
If the tenant has not paid in full, the notice does not evict them by itself. You file an L1, the Application to Evict a Tenant for Non-payment of Rent, with the Board at $186 online, and attend a hearing. Only the Board can order an eviction.
Can the tenant cancel an N4 by paying?
Yes. The N4 is void if the tenant pays all rent owing before the termination date (or before an eviction order becomes enforceable). Track every partial payment — the arrears table on the form must be accurate on the day you serve it.