What is the N12 form in Ontario?

The N12 form (officially 'Notice to End your Tenancy Because the Landlord, a Purchaser or a Family Member Requires the Rental Unit') is the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board form used when a landlord, the landlord's immediate family member, a caregiver, or a buyer of the property needs to move into the rental unit. It is issued under sections 48 and 49 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006.

How much notice does an N12 form require?

The N12 must give the tenant at least 60 days of notice, and the termination date must be the last day of a rental period (typically the last day of a month). For example, if you serve the N12 on May 15 for a monthly tenancy, the earliest valid termination date is July 31.

Do I have to pay the tenant when serving an N12?

Yes. As of September 1, 2017, landlords serving an N12 must pay the tenant the equivalent of one month's rent in compensation, OR offer the tenant another acceptable rental unit. This compensation must be paid on or before the termination date specified in the notice.

Can a landlord serve an N12 then re-rent the unit?

No. The person named on the N12 (landlord, family member, caregiver, or purchaser) must occupy the unit for at least 12 months. Re-renting the unit within one year is considered a bad faith eviction under section 57 of the RTA, and the tenant can apply to the LTB for up to 12 months of rent in compensation plus moving costs.

What is the difference between N12 and N4?

The N12 is for ending a tenancy because the landlord or a family member needs the unit — it has nothing to do with the tenant's behaviour. The N4 is for non-payment of rent. N12 requires 60 days notice and compensation; N4 requires 14 days notice and no compensation (7 days for monthly and yearly N4s served on or after September 21, 2026 under Bill 60).

Who counts as a 'family member' for an N12?

Under the RTA, an eligible family member includes the landlord's spouse, the landlord's child or parent, the spouse's child or parent, or a person who provides or will provide care services to the landlord, spouse, child, or parent (if that caregiver lives in the same building or complex).

N12 Form Ontario: Landlord's Own Use Notice (Complete 2026 Guide)

Everything Ontario landlords need to know about the N12 form — when you can use it, the 60-day notice rule, the mandatory one-month compensation, and the costly bad-faith eviction penalties to avoid.

Need an N4 instead? If your tenant has unpaid rent, you need the N4 form, not the N12. EasyServe generates fully validated N4 PDFs in under 10 minutes for $9.

What Is the N12 Form?

The N12 form — officially titled "Notice to End your Tenancy Because the Landlord, a Purchaser or a Family Member Requires the Rental Unit" — is the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) document used to terminate a tenancy when the unit is needed for personal occupation. It is issued under sections 48 and 49 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006.

Unlike the N4 form, which is based on tenant non-payment, the N12 is a no-fault termination — the tenant has done nothing wrong. Because of this, the law imposes strict procedural requirements and mandatory compensation to protect tenants from bad-faith evictions.

When You Can Serve an N12

An N12 may only be served if the unit will be occupied by one of the following:

The landlord
The landlord's spouse
A child or parent of the landlord or spouse
A caregiver for any of the above (living in the same building or complex)
A purchaser of the property (or their qualifying family/caregiver) — for buildings with three or fewer units

N12 Notice Period

The N12 requires at least 60 days of notice, and the termination date must fall on the last day of a rental period. For most monthly tenants this means the last day of a calendar month.

Notice served on	Earliest valid termination date
January 10	March 31
May 1	July 31
August 20	October 31

Service by mail adds 5 days; courier adds 1. Get the termination date wrong and the entire eviction application fails.

Mandatory One-Month Compensation

Since September 1, 2017, every landlord serving an N12 must pay the tenant the equivalent of one month's rent on or before the termination date, OR offer the tenant another acceptable rental unit. Failure to pay before the L2 application is filed is automatic grounds for dismissal at the LTB.

Bad-Faith Eviction Penalties

The person named on the N12 must move in and occupy the unit for at least 12 months. If you re-rent within a year, list the property for sale, or never move in, the former tenant may apply under section 57 of the RTA for:

Up to 12 months of rent in compensation
Moving and storage costs
Increased rent at the new unit for 12 months
Administrative fines payable to the Crown

Common N12 Mistakes

Termination date not on the last day of a rental period. Automatic dismissal.
Less than 60 days notice. Notice is invalid and must be re-served.
Compensation not paid before L2 filing. Section 48.1 violation — dismissed.
Sworn affidavit missing at the hearing. The intended occupant must swear they will live in the unit for at least one year.

N12 vs N4: Which Form Do I Need?

Quick decision guide

• Tenant hasn't paid rent → N4 form (14 days notice, no compensation; 7-day notice for monthly/yearly N4s served on/after Sept 21, 2026 under Bill 60)
• You or family need to move in → N12 (60 days notice, 1 month compensation)
• Tenant damaged the unit or disturbed others → N5 form
• Tenant has overstayed an N12/N5/N4 termination date → L1/L2 application

N12 Form FAQs

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