When you can give it
The day after rent was due and not paid in full. If rent is due on March 1 and doesn't arrive, March 2 is the earliest you can serve an N4. The tenant has to still be living in the unit.
Two neighbouring forms are worth knowing. If you only want an order to collect what's owed and don't want to end the tenancy, that's Form L9, though an L9 order can't later be used to evict. If the tenant has already moved out, it's Form L10.
What counts as rent
Base rent, plus anything the tenant pays you separately for services, such as parking or a flat monthly charge for a utility. A hydro bill the tenant pays to the utility isn't rent.
Keep the N4 to rent, and only rent. The last month's rent deposit doesn't belong on it, and neither do charges for bounced (NSF) cheques or late payment. The Board says putting NSF charges on an N4 will likely invalidate the notice. You can claim those charges on the L1 application instead.
The dates
| How you give the N4 | Earliest termination date | Example: served March 3 |
|---|---|---|
| In person, mailbox or under the door | 7 days after, not counting the day you give it | March 10 |
| Courier | 7 days, plus one business day | March 11, if that's a business day |
| 7 days, plus five days | March 15 |
Page three of the form holds a table of each rental period, the rent charged, what was paid and what's owing. Its total must match the amount on page one exactly. A mismatch is the quickest way to an invalid notice.
Giving the notice
Download the current N4 from Tribunals Ontario rather than reusing an old copy. The Board replaced several of its forms on September 21, 2026, and earlier versions stop being accepted on November 30, 2026. Hand it to the tenant or an adult in the unit, leave it in the mailbox, slide it under the door, or send it by mail or courier. Not taped to the door. Keep a copy.
After the termination date
If the tenant pays the arrears, plus any rent that has come due since, before you file, the N4 is void and you can't apply on it. That's the point of the form. Most late rent is a bad month, not a bad tenant.
If the rent is still owing and the tenant is still there, you can file Form L1 from the day after the termination date, with a copy of the N4 and a certificate of service. Even after the Board orders an eviction, the order becomes void if the tenant pays everything the order lists before it can be enforced.
What changed at the hearing
For L1 applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants to raise other problems at the hearing, such as repairs, must first pay you half of the arrears you've claimed, at least 7 days before the hearing. The payment goes to you directly, not to the Board, so give a receipt. They still have to describe those issues to you and the Board at least 7 days ahead.
The same update defined persistent late payment: rent arriving more than 7 days after the due date at least three times within six months. That's a separate notice, the N8, not the N4.
Quick answers
How many days does an N4 give the tenant now?
Seven, for notices given on or after September 21, 2026. It used to be 14. Add five days if you mail it.
Can a tenant cancel an N4 by paying?
Yes. If they pay the arrears and any rent that has come due before you file the L1, the notice is void.
Can I add late charges or NSF charges to an N4?
No. The N4 is for rent only. Claim NSF charges on the L1 application.
When can I file the L1?
From the day after the termination date on the N4, with a copy of the notice and a certificate of service.
What counts as persistent late payment?
Rent received more than 7 days after the due date at least three times within six months. That uses the N8 notice.
Want the next tenancy to start on firm ground?
Tell us about your unit. We screen every applicant within the Human Rights Code, with income, credit and rental history checked and references called, and we set the lease up on the standard form from day one.
Sources: Tribunals Ontario: N4 and L1 instructions (updated September 21, 2026), Interpretation Guideline 11: Rent Arrears, and the LTB operational update of September 21, 2026. Current forms are on Tribunals Ontario, and the Landlord and Tenant Board answers questions at 416-645-8080. This guide is general information, not legal advice. nestabode · HouseSigma Inc. Brokerage.