What is the difference between an N4 form and an N4 notice?

There is no difference — they refer to the same document. The Landlord and Tenant Board calls it the 'N4 form' or 'N4 notice' interchangeably. Some landlords say 'N4 notice' because the document is a notice to end a tenancy.

How do I serve an N4 notice in Ontario?

The LTB permits five service methods: handing it directly to the tenant, leaving it with an adult in the unit, placing it in the tenant's mailbox at the unit, sliding it under the door, or sending by mail/courier. Each method has different effective-service rules and adds different numbers of days to the termination date.

Can I email an N4 notice to my tenant?

Email service is only valid in Ontario if the tenant has consented in writing to receive notices by email at a specific email address. Without that written consent, an emailed N4 will be ruled invalid at the LTB hearing.

How long does the tenant have after I serve the N4 notice?

After receiving a valid N4, monthly and yearly tenants have 14 days to pay all arrears in full or vacate — or 7 days for N4s served on or after September 21, 2026 under Bill 60. Weekly and daily tenants have 7 days. If they pay in full within the period, the notice is voided and the tenancy continues.

What happens after the N4 notice expires?

If the tenant has neither paid nor moved out by the termination date, the landlord can file an L1 application with the LTB to request an eviction order. The N4 must be attached to the L1, along with a Certificate of Service.

Can the same N4 notice be used twice?

No. Each N4 notice covers a specific period of arrears. If the tenant pays then falls behind again, you must issue a fresh N4 with the new amount and dates.

Eviction Notice in Ontario for Unpaid Rent: How to Serve It Correctly

When a tenant stops paying rent, the notice to end the tenancy is the N4 — and filling it out is only half the battle. Improper service is one of the leading reasons LTB applications are dismissed. This guide covers every legal service method, the deadlines, what the tenant can still do, and the Certificate of Service.

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Which Notice Ends a Tenancy for Unpaid Rent?

In Ontario there is only one: the N4, officially the Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent. It is the Landlord and Tenant Board form a landlord serves on a tenant who has not paid, and it is the legal warning that the tenancy will end on a specific date unless the tenant pays all rent owed in full. "N4 notice", "N4 form", and "eviction notice for unpaid rent" all refer to the same document. Notices for other grounds — damage, own use, persistent lateness — are different forms with different notice periods; the LTB forms reference maps each ground to its form.

Five Legal Service Methods

1. Hand Delivery to Tenant

Effective immediately. +0 days to termination date. Best method when feasible.

2. Adult in the Unit

Hand to any adult who appears to live there. Effective immediately. +0 days.

3. Mailbox or Under Door

Place in mailbox/slot at the unit, or slide under the door. +0 days.

4. Courier

Deemed served the day after delivery. +1 day added to termination date.

5. Regular Mail (Canada Post)

Deemed served on the 5th day after mailing. +5 days added to termination date.

Email is not a valid service method by default

Unless the tenant has consented in writing to receive legal notices at a specific email address, an emailed N4 will likely be ruled invalid by the LTB.

Termination Date Timeline

The N4 notice termination date is calculated as: notice date + minimum notice period + service method adjustment. For monthly tenancies served by mail, that's 14 + 5 = 19 days minimum from the date of mailing. For monthly and yearly N4s served on or after September 21, 2026, the minimum notice period drops to 7 days instead of 14 under Bill 60.

Example

You mail an N4 notice on April 1 for unpaid March rent (monthly tenancy). The earliest valid termination date is April 20 (April 1 + 14 days minimum + 5 days mail = April 20).

The Certificate of Service

When you later file the L1 eviction application, the LTB requires a Certificate of Service proving exactly how and when the N4 notice was served. Missing or incomplete certificates are a top reason for dismissal. EasyServe generates a fully-formatted Certificate of Service together with the N4 itself.

If you are serving by mail and want documented proof rather than your own word, Print & Ship mails the notice by Canada Post Xpresspost and returns a tracking number alongside the completed certificate.

What the Tenant Can Do After Being Served

An N4 is not an eviction. It is a deadline, and the tenant has real options inside it — knowing them tells you what to expect next.

Pay everything listed. Paying the full amount on the notice before the termination date voids it automatically. The tenancy continues and you cannot file on that notice.
Pay part of it. A partial payment does not void the notice, but it changes the balance. Keep the notice as served and be ready to present an updated rent calculation at the hearing.
Move out by the termination date. The tenancy ends. You can still pursue the arrears as a debt.
Dispute the notice. Tenants commonly challenge the figures, the dates, or whether service was valid. This is why the certificate and a clean ledger matter more than anything you say in the hearing room.
Do nothing. The day after the termination date you may file the L1 application.

Notices, Evictions, and the Difference

Serving an N4 does not end a tenancy on its own and it does not give you the right to change locks, remove belongings, or shut off services — that is an illegal eviction in Ontario. The notice starts a clock; only the Landlord and Tenant Board can order an eviction, and only the Sheriff can enforce one. If your grounds are something other than unpaid rent, a different notice applies entirely — see how to evict a tenant in Ontario for the full sequence, or the LTB forms reference to match grounds to forms.

N4 Notice FAQs

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