N4 Notice Changes 2026: Now 7 Days, Not 14 (Ontario)

By Jolanta Chrzaszcz, Licensed ParalegalLSO No. P20100 · Last reviewed October 24, 2026

For an N4 given on or after September 21, 2026, the termination date can be as early as the seventh day after the notice is given, down from 14 days for monthly tenancies. The tenant can still cancel the notice by paying all the arrears before that date, and the landlord still needs a Landlord and Tenant Board order to evict. Also from September 21: on rent arrears applications filed from that date, a tenant who wants to raise other issues at the hearing must first pay the landlord half of the arrears claimed.

7 daysNew N4 notice period

14 daysOld period (monthly rent)

Sept 21Notices given from 2026

50%Of arrears to raise issues

What changed on September 21, 2026

The Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 (Bill 60) amended section 59 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. The termination date on an N4 may now be no earlier than the seventh day after the notice is given, or deemed to be given. Before the change, that minimum was 14 days for monthly and yearly tenancies, and 7 days only for daily or weekly tenancies. The change came into force on September 21, 2026, together with several other changes to the Landlord and Tenant Board process, as set out in the LTB’s operational update.

Rule	Before September 21	From September 21
N4 notice period (monthly rent)	At least 14 days	At least 7 days
N4 notice period (daily or weekly rent)	At least 7 days	At least 7 days (no change)
Raising other issues at an L1 hearing	Advance notice of the issues	Also pay the landlord 50% of the arrears claimed, at least 7 days before the hearing
“Persistent late payment” (N8)	Not defined	Rent more than 7 days late, 3 times in 6 months
Delaying an eviction if the landlord objects	Broad Board discretion	Must be “compelling reasons” and not unfair to the landlord

Which N4s the 7-day rule applies to

The new period depends on the date the notice is given, not the date the rent was due:

Given on or after September 21, 2026: the termination date can be the seventh day after the notice is given.
Given before September 21, 2026: the old rule applies. An N4 served on September 20 with a 14-day termination date is still valid, and it does not need to be re-served.
Served by mail: the notice is deemed given on the fifth day after mailing, so the seven days start from then, not from the day it went in the mail.

Example: Rent of $2,400 was due November 1, 2026 and is unpaid. The landlord hands the tenant an N4 on Monday, November 2. The earliest termination date is now Monday, November 9 (under the old rule it would have been November 16). If the tenant has not paid everything owing by the end of November 9, the landlord can file an L1 application from November 10. Had the N4 been mailed on November 2, it would be deemed given on November 7 and the earliest termination date would be November 14.

The Board has also published an updated N4 form. Always download the current version from the Tribunals Ontario forms page before serving. For how to fill it in and serve it, see our guide to the N4 notice. A notice on an outdated form, or with a termination date that is even one day too early, can be found invalid at the hearing.

A 7-day N4 is not a 7-day eviction

The shorter notice brings the start of the process forward, but the process itself has not changed:

The tenant can still cancel the notice. If the tenant pays all the arrears, plus any rent that has come due since, before the termination date, the N4 becomes void and the tenancy continues.
The tenant does not have to move out on the termination date. Only an order from the Landlord and Tenant Board can end the tenancy.
The landlord must file an L1 application and attend a hearing (or obtain an order). Only the Sheriff can enforce an eviction order. Changing the locks or removing a tenant’s belongings without one is illegal.
A tenant can usually still save the tenancy by paying what the Board orders before the eviction is enforced. See how to fight an eviction at the LTB.

New rule at the arrears hearing: pay half first

For rent arrears applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants to raise other issues at the hearing, such as repairs or maintenance, must pay the landlord half of the rent arrears claimed in the application at least seven days before the hearing. The payment goes directly to the landlord. It cannot be paid to the Board in trust. The tenant must still give advance written notice of the issues they plan to raise, as before.

For tenants with genuine repair complaints, this makes timing important: keep records, raise problems in writing as they happen, and consider a separate T6 maintenance application rather than relying only on the arrears hearing. Our guide to the LTB hearing process explains what to expect on the day.

Other changes on the same day

Persistent late payment (N8)

Now defined: rent received more than 7 days after the due date, at least 3 times in any 6-month period
A payment is not late if it was late only because the landlord applied it to another amount owing
Late payment can still be persistent in other circumstances (see O. Reg. 516/06, s. 8.1)

Delaying or cancelling an eviction

If the landlord agrees, the Board may still delay an eviction
If not, the Board must find compelling reasons and that a delay would not be unfair to the landlord or other tenants
For eviction orders made without a hearing based on an agreement to terminate the tenancy or a tenant’s termination notice, the Board may grant a motion to set aside the order only if doing so would not be unfair. It cannot consider changes in the tenant’s circumstances occurring after the agreement or notice.

The Board also replaced the N5, N6, N8, N12, N13, L1, L2, L9, L10 and T5 forms. Earlier versions of those forms will not be accepted from November 30, 2026.

What landlords should do now

Download the updated N4 each time instead of reusing a saved copy.
Count the 7 days carefully, and add the 5 deemed days if you mail the notice.
Claim only rent. NSF fees, late fees, utilities not included in the rent, or damage do not belong on an N4. An overstated amount is one of the most common reasons an N4 fails.
Use the new L1 for applications. The old version will not be accepted after November 30.

What tenants should do now

Do not ignore an N4. You now have about a week, not two, to pay and cancel it.
Check the amount and the dates. If the notice claims more than the rent owed, or the termination date is too early, it may be defective.
If you have repair issues, be ready to pay half the arrears claimed at least 7 days before the hearing, or raise them through your own T6 application.

Facing an N4 or need one served correctly? Contact Jolanta or see our Landlord and Tenant Board services.

Frequently asked questions

Is the N4 notice period now 7 days in Ontario?

Yes. For N4 notices given on or after September 21, 2026, the termination date can be the seventh day after the notice is given or deemed to be given. Before that date, the minimum was 14 days for monthly and yearly tenancies.

Is my N4 from before September 21 still valid?

Yes, if it was valid under the rules at the time. An N4 given before September 21, 2026 with a 14-day termination date does not need to be re-served.

Can a landlord evict a tenant 7 days after an N4?

No. The N4 is only a notice. After the termination date, the landlord must apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board with an L1 application. Only a Board order, enforced by the Sheriff, can remove a tenant.

Can a tenant still stop an N4 by paying?

Yes. Paying all the arrears, and any rent that has come due since, before the termination date makes the notice void. After an L1 is filed, a tenant can usually still preserve the tenancy by paying the amounts the Board orders before the eviction is enforced.

Do I have to pay half the arrears to raise repair issues?

Only on rent arrears applications filed on or after September 21, 2026. In those cases, a tenant must pay the landlord 50% of the arrears claimed at least seven days before the hearing in order to raise other issues there.