L9 Form: How to Complete Ontario's Application to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes

The L9 is the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) application a landlord files to get an order for unpaid rent from a tenant who still lives in the unit, without ending the tenancy. No N4 notice is needed. The trade-off is permanent: an L9 order can be collected as a debt, but it can never be used to evict the tenant.

At a glance

What the L9 is for

RTA s. 87(1) lets a landlord apply for an order requiring a tenant to pay arrears of rent lawfully required under the tenancy agreement. The application may be made while the tenant is in possession (s. 87(1.1)). The landlord may add the bank's NSF cheque charges, plus an administration charge of up to $20 per NSF cheque (s. 87(5); O. Reg. 516/06, s. 17).

Interpretation Guideline 11 explains what the order looks like. If granted, the tenant is ordered to pay the arrears owing as of the hearing date; the LTB may include rent up to the end of the month in which the hearing is held. The LTB cannot order rent that has not yet come due. Because the tenancy is not being terminated, any last month's rent deposit is usually not deducted.

What the L9 cannot do:

• It cannot end the tenancy or lead to an eviction, even if the tenant never pays the order.
• It cannot claim money that is not rent, such as utilities paid to a utility company, damage or interference expenses. Those go on an L2.
• It cannot award more than $50,000. If you claim at the LTB, any amount above that is extinguished once the order issues (s. 207(3)).

When to use it (and when not to)

The L9 suits a landlord who wants to keep a tenant, for example one who is otherwise reliable but has fallen behind, while getting an enforceable order for the arrears. It is also used when a tenant has paid off part of an N4 and the landlord prefers not to pursue eviction.

Choose a different form when:

• You may want to evict: serve an N4 and file an L1. You cannot later convert an L9 order into an eviction.
• The tenant has moved out: file an L10 within one year of move-out. Interpretation Guideline 11 says a landlord should not file an L9 for a tenant who has left.
• The tenant pays chronically late: persistent late payment is an eviction ground on an N8 and an L2. The L9 only collects what is owed.

Deadlines and limitation periods

• Filing: no notice period and no waiting period. The only timing condition is that the tenant must be in possession on the day you file.
• If the tenant leaves: once a tenant is out of possession, a claim for arrears must be made within one year of the date they left (s. 87(1.1)(b)), on an L10.
• Before the hearing: serve the L1/L9 Information Update on each tenant and file it with the LTB at least 5 days before the hearing (Rule 10.2). Disclose your evidence 7 days before the hearing (Rule 19.1). If the tenant raises issues, your reply evidence is due 5 days before (Rule 19.6.1).
• After the order: you have 15 days to request a review of an order issued on or after July 1, 2026.

How to fill out the L9, section by section

The current form is version 2026/09: a checklist and information sheet (not filed), a seven-page application and a Payment Information Form. It mirrors the L1, minus the eviction parts.

Language preference and accommodation. Choose English or French. Send any Accommodation Request separately.

Part 1: Address of the rental unit. Give the full address, including the unit number, municipality and postal code.

Part 2: Total Amount the Tenant Owes. Complete this last. Copy the Total from Part 6 and enter the date you are filing.

Part 3: General Information. - Landlord: name, or the company name in "Company Name". Add a Schedule of Parties if there is more than one landlord. - Communication: Mail or Email. Checking Email consents to email for all applicants. - Tenants: every tenant in possession, with a Schedule of Parties if there are more than two. Give a mailing address only if it differs from the unit.

Part 4: Reasons for your Application. - Shade the box for rent, and the NSF box if you are claiming NSF charges. - Confirm the tenant is still in possession. If the answer is No, you cannot file an L9. - Say how often rent is paid: monthly, weekly or other. - Unlike the L1, the L9 has no rent-deposit fields.

Part 5, Section 1: Rent Owing. Fill in one row per rental period: From, To, Rent Charged, Rent Paid and Rent Owing. You may combine earlier periods in the first or second row, but the last row must show the most recent period by itself. - "Rent" includes separately paid services such as parking, a flat monthly utility charge paid to you, and a correctly calculated seasonal air-conditioner charge where electricity is included. - "Rent" excludes utilities the tenant pays directly, and fluctuating shares of a utility bill.

Part 5, Section 2: NSF Cheque Charges. One row per returned cheque: amount, cheque date, date the bank charged you, the bank's charge, and your administration charge (maximum $20). Total Charge is the bank charge plus the administration charge only.

Part 6: Total Amount Owing. Rent plus NSF charges plus the application fee you actually pay. The instructions show $201; the fee is $186 if you file on the Portal. Copy the total to Part 2.

Part 7: Signature. The landlord or a legal representative signs and dates. A representative adds their Law Society number and contact details. An unsigned application is not accepted.

Payment Information Form. Choose money order or certified cheque (payable to the "Minister of Finance") or credit card. Use the Credit Card Payment Form for card payments by mail or courier. Never put card details in an upload or email.

On the Portal. The Portal asks for the same information on screen and takes card payment. Check the rent table before the "Ready to Submit" page, because you cannot edit the draft after that. Tribunals Ontario does not publish the Portal's screens step by step, so follow its on-screen prompts.

Filing it

To file, you need only the completed L9 and the fee, or an approved Fee Waiver Request (L9 Instructions, Section C). There is no notice and no Certificate of Service to attach, because no notice is required.

The LTB forms page lists the Tribunals Ontario Portal as the filing route. The instructions also describe filing by mail or courier to an LTB office, or in person at a participating ServiceOntario Centre. Lawyers and paralegals licensed by the Law Society of Ontario must file on the Portal.

The LTB gives the tenant the application and the Notice of Hearing. If you owe the LTB unpaid fees, fines or costs, a rent application is not treated as urgent and can be discontinued until you pay (Rules 6.1–6.3).

Mistakes that get it refused, voided or dismissed

1. Filing after the tenant has moved out. The L9 requires possession on the filing date. If the LTB finds at the hearing that the tenant had already left, you may be allowed to amend to an L10, but only if the former tenant knows about the hearing and the claim (Interpretation Guideline 11; Rule 15.4).
2. Filing an L9 when you will want to evict. The L9 order cannot be used to evict, even if the tenant never pays. To evict, you will need a new N4 and an L1.
3. Claiming non-rent amounts. The LTB will not include unpaid utilities, damage, deposits or late fees as rent arrears. Claim them on the correct application.
4. NSF overclaims. An administration charge above $20 per cheque, or including the cheque amount in the NSF table, overstates the claim. The cheque's unpaid rent belongs in the rent table.
5. Arithmetic that does not reconcile. Part 2 must match Part 6, and each row of the rent table must add across. The official checklist warns that errors can lead to dismissal.
6. Not naming every tenant in possession. Only named tenants are bound by the order.
7. Skipping the L1/L9 Information Update. Without it, the LTB may make you complete it at the hearing and may decline to award your filing fee (Rule 10.3).
8. Using an old L9 on or after November 30, 2026. The L9 was replaced on September 21, 2026. Versions dated before 2026/09 will not be accepted as of November 30, 2026.

What happens next

The LTB serves the tenant and schedules a hearing. If you and the tenant agree on a repayment plan, use the LTB's Payment Agreement form, which has been mandatory since July 1, 2026. Filed before the hearing, it can produce a consent order without a hearing (s. 206).

Tenant issues: the half-arrears rule. RTA s. 87(2) applies the s. 82 tenant-issues rules to an L9. Under Interpretation Guideline 11 and the updated L9 form, a tenant who wants to raise other issues at the hearing, such as maintenance or harassment, must meet two conditions if the application was filed on or after September 21, 2026. At least 7 days before the hearing, the tenant must:

• pay you half the arrears claimed in the application, and
• give you and the LTB a written description of each issue.

The payment cannot be made into the LTB (Rule 19.4; O. Reg. 516/06, s. 8.3). If the LTB finds for the tenant on those issues, any abatement is deducted from the arrears.

At the hearing. Bring the Information Update, the rent ledger and the bank NSF records. The order states what the tenant owes. It is collected as a debt and does not affect the tenancy. Read the order when it arrives. If it contains an error, you can ask for an amendment, or request a review within 15 days (orders issued on or after July 1, 2026).

Recent changes

• September 21, 2026:
• The L9 and the L1/L9 Information Update were updated; L9 versions dated before 2026/09 will not be accepted as of November 30, 2026.
• For rent applications filed on or after that date, a tenant must pay half the claimed arrears to the landlord at least 7 days before the hearing to raise other issues (RTA s. 82 as applied by s. 87(2); Interpretation Guideline 11).
• July 1, 2026:
• The Payment Agreement form became mandatory for s. 206 repayment plans.
• The deadline to request a review fell from 30 days to 15 for orders issued on or after that date.
• Seasonal air-conditioner charges can now form part of rent.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to serve an N4 before filing an L9?

No. An L9 does not end the tenancy, so no notice of termination is required. The tenant must be living in the unit when you file.

Can I evict the tenant if they ignore an L9 order?

No. An L9 order can be collected as a debt but can never be used to evict. To evict for unpaid rent, you need an N4 and an L1.

Is the last month's rent deposit deducted on an L9?

Usually not. Interpretation Guideline 11 explains that the deposit applies to the last rental period, and an L9 does not end the tenancy. It is deducted only if the LTB finds the tenancy has already ended.

Does the half-arrears rule apply to L9 applications?

Yes, for L9s filed on or after September 21, 2026. RTA s. 87(2) applies the s. 82 rules to rent applications, and the updated L9 form and Guideline 11 say the tenant must pay half the claimed arrears to the landlord at least 7 days before the hearing to raise other issues.

How much rent can the L9 order cover?

Arrears as of the hearing date, which may include rent up to the end of the month in which the hearing is held, but not rent that has not yet come due. The total cannot exceed $50,000.

Official sources

• Form L9 (2026/09) and L9 Instructions
• L1/L9 – Information Update
• Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, ss. 82, 87, 206, 207
• O. Reg. 516/06, ss. 8.3, 17
• LTB Rules of Procedure, Rules 6.1–6.3, 10.2, 10.3, 15.4, 19.1, 19.4, 19.6.1
• Interpretation Guideline 11: Rent Arrears
• LTB Operational Update, September 21, 2026
• LTB Forms, filing and fees

Last reviewed October 31, 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice for your situation. Always use the current version of the form from the LTB.