Ontario LTB Forms and Process, Explained
Verified 12 August 2026 · Sourced from Tribunals Ontario
The Landlord and Tenant Board runs on forms, and picking the wrong one is the most common reason an application is refused or dismissed. This page lists every notice and application in plain language with the current filing fee, explains how a notice becomes a hearing, and covers what changed in July 2026.
General information, not legal advice. The Residential Tenancies Act and the LTB's own rules govern every situation described here, and outcomes turn on facts specific to your tenancy. For advice, speak to a lawyer or licensed paralegal. Tenants can contact the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario; landlords can contact the Landlord's Self-Help Centre.
What changed on 1 July 2026
The Residential Tenancies Act was amended through the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act (Bill 60) and the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 (Bill 97). Most guidance still circulating online predates these changes.
Review deadline cut from 30 days to 15
The window to request a review of an LTB order is now 15 days. This is the change most likely to catch people out — a party working from older guidance can miss the deadline entirely.
Maximum RTA fines doubled
Maximum fines for offences under s.236 rose from $50,000 to $100,000 for individuals, and from $250,000 to $500,000 for corporations. These are prosecution fines through the Rental Housing Enforcement Unit, separate from anything the LTB itself orders.
Tighter above-guideline increase timelines
Where a landlord is directed to serve an AGI order, the deadline dropped from 14 days to 7 days from issuance, and the certificate of service must now reach the LTB within 5 days of service.
Payment agreements must use the LTB form
The LTB's Payment Agreement form is now mandatory whenever parties enter a repayment plan under s.206 of the RTA. Informal arrangements no longer satisfy the requirement.
New air conditioner rules
Tenants may install a window or portable air conditioner where the stated conditions are met. Landlords may charge a seasonal rent increase for its use if electricity is included in the rent.
Narrower grounds for reviewing a final order
The circumstances in which a final LTB order can be reviewed have changed. See Rule 26 of the LTB's Rules of Procedure.
More is coming. Tribunals Ontario has confirmed that further amendments under Bills 60 and 97 take effect in September 2026. Details had not been published as of 12 August 2026 — this page will be updated when they are.
How a notice becomes an eviction
The single most misunderstood point at the LTB: a notice is not an eviction. Four distinct steps sit between the two, and a tenancy can end at any of them.
- 1
Notice
One party serves an N-form. It states a reason and a termination date. Nothing is decided yet, and the tenant does not have to move out because a notice arrived.
- 2
Application
If the issue is not resolved, the landlord files an L-form with the LTB and pays the fee. Tenants file T-forms to bring their own claims. This is what actually opens a case.
- 3
Hearing
The LTB hears both sides. Evidence must be filed in advance through the Tribunals Ontario Portal — see the LTB's Practice Direction on Evidence for how and when.
- 4
Order, then enforcement
The LTB issues an order. Only the Sheriff can enforce an eviction — a landlord cannot change the locks or remove a tenant themselves. Since 1 July 2026 a party has just 15 days to request a review of an order.
Every LTB form, in plain language
Landlord notices (N-forms)
Served on a tenant. None of these ends a tenancy on its own.
| Form | What it's for |
|---|---|
| N1Notice of Rent Increase | Standard annual rent increase, at or below the provincial guideline. |
| N2Notice of Rent Increase (Unit Partially Exempt) | Rent increase where the unit is partially exempt from the guideline. |
| N3Notice to Increase the Rent and/or Charges for Care Services and Meals | Care homes — increases to rent, care services or meal charges. |
| N4Notice to End your Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent | The tenant is behind on rent. The most-used notice in Ontario. |
| N5Notice to End your Tenancy for Interfering with Others, Damage or Overcrowding | Disturbance, damage, or too many occupants. |
| N6Notice to End your Tenancy for Illegal Acts or Misrepresenting Income | Illegal activity, or misstated income in rent-geared-to-income housing. |
| N7Notice to End your Tenancy for Causing Serious Problems | Serious damage or safety issues — carries a shorter notice period. |
| N8Notice to End your Tenancy at the End of the Term | Persistent late payment, or the unit is no longer the tenant's principal residence. |
| N10Agreement to Increase the Rent Above the Guideline | Agreed above-guideline increase tied to a new service or improvement. |
| N11Agreement to End the Tenancy | Landlord and tenant mutually agree to end the tenancy. Signed by both — nobody can be forced to sign it. |
| N12Notice to End your Tenancy Because the Landlord, a Purchaser or a Family Member Requires the Rental Unit | "Own use" — the landlord, a purchaser, an immediate family member or a caregiver intends to move in. |
| N13Notice to End your Tenancy Because the Landlord Wants to Demolish, Repair or Convert the Unit | Demolition, conversion, or repairs extensive enough to require a vacant unit. |
| N14Landlord's Notice to the Spouse of the Tenant who Vacated | Used where a tenant has left and their spouse remains in the unit. |
Landlord applications (L-forms)
Filed with the LTB to open a case. Filing through the Tribunals Ontario Portal is cheaper than paper.
| Form | What it's for | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| L1Evict a tenant for non-payment of rent and collect rent owed | Filed after an N4 notice, when the arrears have not been paid. | $201 ($186 via Portal) |
| L2End a Tenancy and Evict a Tenant or Collect Money | The application that follows an N5, N6, N7, N8, N12 or N13 notice. | $201 ($186 via Portal) |
| L3End a Tenancy – Tenant Gave Notice or Agreed to Terminate | Follows an N9 or N11 where the tenant then did not move out. | $201 ($186 via Portal) |
| L4End a Tenancy – Tenant Failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement or Order | The tenant breached an agreed payment plan or LTB order. | No charge via Portal |
| L5Application for a Rent Increase Above the Guideline | Above-guideline increase for capital expenditures or security services. | $233 for first 10 units + $10 each additional (max $1,000) |
| L9Application to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes | Money only — used when the landlord is not seeking eviction. | $201 ($186 via Portal) |
| L10Application to Collect Money a Former Tenant Owes | Arrears or damage costs after the tenant has already left. | $201 ($186 via Portal) |
Tenant notices (N-forms)
| Form | What it's for |
|---|---|
| N9Tenant's Notice to End the Tenancy | The tenant chooses to move out, giving the required notice. |
| N11Agreement to End the Tenancy | Mutual agreement to end the tenancy — the same form the landlord uses. |
| N15Tenant's Notice to End my Tenancy Because of Fear of Sexual or Domestic Violence and Abuse | Allows a tenant experiencing violence or abuse to end a tenancy on 28 days' notice. |
Tenant applications (T-forms)
How a tenant raises a claim — maintenance, illegal entry, a bad-faith eviction or money owed.
| Form | What it's for | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| T1Tenant Application for a Rebate | Recover money the landlord collected but was not entitled to. | $53 ($48 via Portal) |
| T2Application about Tenant Rights | Illegal entry, harassment, interference with reasonable enjoyment, or an illegal lockout. | $53 ($48 via Portal) |
| T3Tenant Application for a Rent Reduction | Rent reduction after a drop in services or a municipal tax decrease. | $53 |
| T5Landlord Gave a Notice of Termination in Bad Faith | The route for a tenant evicted on an N12 or N13 where the stated reason turned out to be untrue. | $53 ($48 via Portal) |
| T6Tenant Application about Maintenance | The landlord has not met maintenance, health or safety obligations. | $53 ($48 via Portal) |
| T7Tenant Application about Suite Meters | Disputes over suite metering and electricity costs. | $53 |
Fees are non-refundable. Requesting a review of an order costs $58. Download the current version of any form directly from Tribunals Ontario — using an out-of-date form is a common reason applications get refused.
Why this matters if you're buying or selling
Tenanted property is where LTB rules collide with a transaction. A buyer who intends to move into an occupied unit needs a valid N12 served by the seller, and vacant possession on closing is not something either side can simply promise — the tenant has the right to contest, and the LTB decides.
The July 2026 fine increase sharpens that considerably. A bad-faith "own use" eviction now carries maximum prosecution fines of up to $100,000 for an individual, on top of anything the LTB itself orders through a tenant's T5 application. Anyone advising on a tenanted purchase should be treating the N12 as a legal step with real exposure, not paperwork.
The N12 has strict requirements — a 60-day minimum, a termination date that must land on the last day of a rental period, and compensation paid before that date. We cover them in full in the N12 notice, explained. Rents feed the same decision from the other side — current figures are in the Toronto & GTA housing market report.
Common questions
What changed at the Landlord and Tenant Board in July 2026?
Several things, effective 1 July 2026. The deadline to request a review of an LTB order dropped from 30 days to 15. Maximum fines for offences under the Residential Tenancies Act doubled — to $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations. Above-guideline increase service deadlines tightened, the LTB's Payment Agreement form became mandatory for repayment plans, and new rules now govern window and portable air conditioners. Further changes from Bills 60 and 97 are expected in September 2026.
What is the difference between a notice and an application?
A notice (an N-form) is what one party serves on the other. It does not end a tenancy on its own and it is not an eviction order. If the issue is not resolved, the landlord then files an application (an L-form) with the LTB, which is what triggers a hearing. Tenants file T-forms to raise their own claims. Only the LTB can order an eviction, and only the Sheriff can enforce one.
How much does it cost to file with the LTB?
Most landlord eviction applications (L1, L2, L3, L9, L10) cost $201, or $186 if filed through the Tribunals Ontario Portal. Most tenant applications (T1, T2, T5, T6) cost $53, or $48 through the Portal. An above-guideline increase application (L5) starts at $233. Requesting a review of an order costs $58. LTB fees are non-refundable.
What is an N12 and what does a landlord have to do?
An N12 ends a tenancy because the landlord, a purchaser, an immediate family member or a caregiver intends to move into the unit — commonly called an "own use" eviction. Receiving one does not mean a tenant must move out; it is the first step of a legal process, and the landlord must then file an L2 application for the LTB to decide. If the stated reason proves untrue, a tenant can apply using a T5 for a bad-faith notice.
What form does a tenant use to dispute a bad-faith eviction?
The T5 — "Landlord Gave a Notice of Termination in Bad Faith". It applies where a tenant moved out after an N12 or N13 and the stated reason turned out to be untrue, for example the unit was re-listed at a higher rent rather than occupied. It costs $53, or $48 through the Portal.
Can I file with the LTB online?
Yes, for most applications. L1, L2, L3, L4, L9, L10, T1, T2, T5 and T6 can be filed through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, which is also cheaper than filing on paper. Some applications — L5, L6, L7, L8, T3, T4, T7, A1, A2 and A4 — must be filed by mail, courier, email or at a ServiceOntario centre.
Sources
- Tribunals Ontario — Forms, filing and fees
- Tribunals Ontario — Operational Update: Legislative Changes at the LTB (30 June 2026)
- Government of Ontario — Residential Tenancies Act, 2006
Forms and fees verified 12 August 2026. The LTB updates both, and further RTA amendments take effect in September 2026 — always confirm against Tribunals Ontario before filing.