N4 Form Ontario — How to Fill It Out Correctly (2026 Guide)

The N4 Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent is the most commonly filed eviction notice in Ontario — and the one landlords get wrong most often. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA), the N4 is the mandatory first step before you can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) for an eviction order based on unpaid rent. A single error on this form can result in your entire eviction application being dismissed, sending you back to square one and costing you 8 to 12 months of additional waiting.

This guide covers every section of the N4 form, explains the rules for voiding, details what you can and cannot include, and maps the complete timeline from serving the N4 to obtaining an enforceable eviction order.

What Is the N4 Form and When Can You Use It?

The N4 is an official LTB form authorized under section 59 of the RTA. It notifies the tenant that they owe rent and gives them 14 days to either pay the full amount owing or vacate the rental unit. If neither happens within the notice period, the landlord can file an L1 Application with the LTB to request an eviction order and collect the arrears.

You can serve an N4 the day after rent is due and unpaid. There is no mandatory grace period under the RTA. If rent is due on the 1st of the month and the tenant has not paid by end of day, you can legally serve the N4 on the 2nd. Acting quickly is important — every day of delay extends your overall eviction timeline.

The N4 can only be used for non-payment of rent. If your issue is tenant behaviour, damage, illegal activity, or any other ground, you need a different notice form. See our complete eviction guide for the correct form for each situation.

What to Include vs. What NOT to Include on the N4

This is where most landlords make fatal errors. The N4 has very specific rules about what can and cannot appear on the form:

Critical rule: If you include any non-rent charges on the N4, the LTB adjudicator can dismiss your L1 application at the hearing. This does not mean you cannot recover those costs — you simply cannot include them on the N4 form. Damage, utilities, and other charges must be pursued through separate LTB applications or Small Claims Court.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Filling Out the N4

Part 1: Rental Unit Address and Tenant Information

Enter the complete address of the rental unit, including unit or apartment number. List the full legal names of all tenants on the lease. If you have multiple tenants, every person named on the tenancy agreement must appear on the N4. Missing a tenant's name can create procedural issues at the hearing.

Also enter your name as the landlord (or the name of your authorized representative). If a property management company manages the unit, the company name and contact information should be listed.

Part 2: Calculating the Termination Date

This is the most error-prone section of the N4. The termination date must satisfy two requirements simultaneously:

1. It must be at least 14 days after the date you serve the notice
2. For monthly tenancies, it must fall on the last day of a rental period

Example 1: Rent is due on the 1st. You serve the N4 on May 5th. Fourteen days from May 5th is May 19th, but that is not the last day of a rental period. The earliest valid termination date is May 31st.

Example 2: Rent is due on the 15th (rental period runs 15th to 14th). You serve the N4 on June 1st. Fourteen days from June 1st is June 15th, but the last day of the current rental period is June 14th (which is less than 14 days away). The earliest valid termination date is July 14th.

Exception: For daily or weekly tenancies, the termination date does not need to be the last day of a rental period — it simply needs to be at least 14 days after service.

If you serve the notice by mail, add 5 additional days for deemed receipt under section 191(3) of the RTA. So for a mailed N4, the notice period is effectively 19 days.

Part 3: Itemizing the Rent Arrears

You must list each rental period the tenant owes rent for, showing:

• The rental period (e.g., "May 1-31, 2026")
• The amount of rent charged for that period
• The amount paid by the tenant (if any partial payment was made)
• The amount still owing for that period

Use the lawful rent amount only. If you have increased rent, ensure the increase was done legally — with an N1 notice providing at least 90 days' notice, and not exceeding the guideline amount (2.5% for 2026) unless the unit is exempt from rent control. If the rent increase was illegal, the LTB will use the lower lawful rent amount and may dismiss your application.

Part 4: Signature and Date

Sign the N4 and date it with the date of service. If a representative is completing and signing the form, their name and contact information must be provided. An unsigned N4 is invalid.

How to Properly Serve the N4 Notice

Under section 191 of the RTA, you can serve the N4 by:

• Personal service: Hand it directly to the tenant (the most reliable and recommended method)
• Mailbox or under the door: Leave it in the tenant's mailbox or slide it under the door of the rental unit
• Regular mail: Send by Canada Post regular mail — add 5 days to the notice period
• Email or fax: Only permitted if the tenant has previously agreed in writing to receive notices this way

After serving the N4, immediately complete a Certificate of Service. This form records the method and date of service and is mandatory when filing your L1 application. Without it, the LTB may refuse to process your application.

How Does a Tenant Void an N4 Notice?

Under section 59(3) of the RTA, the tenant can void the N4 by paying all rent arrears plus any additional rent that becomes due before the termination date. This is an important detail — if the tenant pays the arrears listed on the N4 but another month's rent comes due before the termination date, they must pay that too.

Voiding example: You serve an N4 on May 5th listing $4,000 in arrears (April and May rent at $2,000/month). The termination date is May 31st. On May 28th, the tenant pays $4,000. However, June rent ($2,000) is not yet due, so the N4 is voided with the $4,000 payment. But if the termination date were June 15th, the tenant would need to pay $6,000 (April, May, and June) to void the notice.

Key voiding rules:

• Partial payment does not void the notice — the full amount must be paid
• Payment must be received before the termination date, not on the date itself
• Once voided, you cannot file an L1 application based on that N4
• You must serve a new N4 if the tenant falls behind again
• A tenant can void N4 notices repeatedly — but persistent late payment may justify an N8 notice under section 58

Timeline: From N4 to Eviction in 2026

What Happens After You File the L1 Application?

Once the termination date on the N4 has passed and the tenant has not paid or vacated, file the L1 Application with the Landlord and Tenant Board. The L1 requests both an eviction order and an order to pay the rent arrears.

You must include with your L1 filing:

• A copy of the N4 notice you served
• A completed Certificate of Service
• An updated rent arrears calculation (arrears may have grown since the N4 was served)
• The $208.00 filing fee

Important: you can update your arrears calculation right up to the hearing date. If additional months of rent have gone unpaid since you filed the L1, you can present the current total at the hearing. The LTB can order the tenant to pay the full updated amount.

Even if the tenant makes partial payments after the L1 is filed, you can proceed with the application for the remaining balance. The L1 can also be filed even after the tenant has moved out, to collect unpaid arrears.

Common N4 Mistakes That Get Applications Dismissed

1. Wrong termination date: Not meeting both the 14-day minimum and the last-day-of-rental-period requirement. This is the number one reason for N4 dismissals.
2. Including non-rent charges: Late fees, utility costs, parking, storage, or damage — any of these on the N4 can be grounds for dismissal.
3. Wrong rent amount: Listing rent that includes an illegal increase or a rent amount different from the lawful rent.
4. Using an outdated form: The LTB updates its forms periodically. Always download the current version from the LTB website (tribunalsontario.ca).
5. Missing tenant names: Every tenant named on the lease or tenancy agreement must be listed on the N4.
6. No Certificate of Service: Failing to complete and retain the Certificate of Service proving how and when the N4 was served.
7. Serving by email without prior agreement: Email service is only valid if the tenant previously agreed in writing to receive notices electronically.
8. Filing the L1 too early: The L1 cannot be filed before the termination date on the N4 has passed.

What If the Tenant Keeps Voiding N4 Notices?

Some tenants develop a pattern: they stop paying rent, receive the N4, then pay just before the termination date — only to stop paying again the following month. This is frustrating, but the N4 voiding mechanism is a right under the RTA.

However, landlords have a remedy for persistent late payers. Under section 58 of the RTA, you can serve an N8 Notice to End your Tenancy at the End of the Term if the tenant has been persistently late with rent payments. Unlike the N4, the N8 cannot be voided by paying arrears. You will need to demonstrate at the L2 hearing that the tenant has a pattern of late payments — keep a detailed rent ledger showing payment dates for every month.

When Should You Get Professional Help With the N4?

If this is your first eviction, if you are unsure about the termination date calculation, or if the tenant has a history of contesting notices, professional help can save you months. Our team prepares and serves N4 notices daily across Ottawa, Toronto, Mississauga, and all of Ontario. We ensure every detail is correct so your L1 application is not dismissed on a technicality.

For a comprehensive overview of the full eviction process, including what happens after the N4, see our complete guide to evicting a tenant in Ontario. For information about eviction costs or how long the process takes, visit those dedicated guides.