N13 Form: How to Complete Ontario's Notice to End a Tenancy for Demolition, Renovation or Conversion

The N13 is the Landlord and Tenant Board form a landlord in Ontario uses to end a tenancy because the landlord intends to demolish the rental unit, convert it to a non-residential use, or do repairs or renovations so extensive that they need a building permit and an empty unit. It requires 120 days' notice and usually compensation. If the tenant chooses to move back after a renovation, the landlord has written-notice duties that tightened on September 21, 2026.

At a glance

What the N13 is for

Under RTA s. 50(1), a landlord may give notice if it needs possession of the unit to:

1. demolish it (Reason 1);
2. do repairs or renovations so extensive that they require a building permit and vacant possession (Reason 2); or
3. convert it to a use other than residential premises (Reason 3).

Unlike the N12, an N13 can be given by a corporation. The landlord still must intend the work in good faith. Interpretation Guideline 12 notes that the courts require an ongoing, genuine intention, judged at the time of service and afterwards.

The ground you choose matters. A renovated unit still exists, so the tenant has a right of first refusal to move back (RTA s. 53). A demolished unit does not. According to Guideline 12, the Divisional Court has treated combining two separately rented units into one as demolition, and the LTB has held that converting a unit to short-term rentals is not conversion to a non-residential use.

When to use it (and when not to)

Use the N13 only where:

• Reason 2: the work truly needs a building permit and the unit must be empty. The form's checklist says it plainly: for renovations and repairs, "this Notice cannot be used unless a building permit is required". Painting, flooring, a kitchen refresh or work you can do around the tenant does not qualify.
• Reason 1 or 3: the demolition or conversion will actually happen. Under RTA s. 73(1), the LTB must be satisfied the activity will be carried out in good faith.

Do not use it:

• to move yourself or family in (use the N12);
• to reset the rent with a new tenant; or
• where a municipal renovation licence is required and you have no plan to get one. Guideline 12 notes some municipalities require one before an N13 for renovations, and treats it as an "other authority" under s. 73.

Deadlines and limitation periods

• Notice period: at least 120 days (RTA s. 50(2)), with a termination date on the last day of a rental period or the last day of a fixed term. For a tenant who owns their mobile home or land lease home, the period is at least one year.
• Counting: do not count the day the notice is given. Add five days if mailed (it is deemed given on the fifth day, s. 191(3)) or one business day by courier (deemed given the day after it went to the courier, or the next business day if that day is a Saturday, Sunday or holiday (Rule 3.9; Rule 1.1 defines "holiday" to include weekends)). The instructions' example: for an August 31 termination date, hand-deliver by May 3 or mail by April 28.
• No extensions: the LTB cannot extend or shorten the notice period (O. Reg. 516/06, s. 56). A wrong date makes the notice defective, and it cannot be amended (Guideline 12).
• Compensation: pay by the termination date (s. 55.1).
• L2 deadline: file any time after serving, but no later than 30 days after the termination date (s. 69(2)).
• Tenant's early exit: the tenant may leave earlier on 10 days' written notice (N9).
• Right of first refusal: the tenant must give written notice before moving out (s. 53(2)). Your duties then run until the tenant has had 60 days after the unit is ready to move back in (s. 53(2.2)).
• T5 limitation periods:
• Bad faith (s. 57): within one year after the tenant moved out.
• Right of first refusal not honoured (s. 57.1): by the later of two years after move-out or six months after the work is completed.

How to fill out the N13, section by section

The current form is marked N13 (2026/09). Pages 1–2 are a checklist that you should remove before serving. The notice is four pages.

Page 1: parties, address and termination date

1. To: (Tenant's name) include all tenant names. Name every tenant in possession, including any subtenant or assignee, but not children or guests.
2. From: (Landlord's name). All landlords. A corporate landlord uses its legal name.
3. Address of Rental Unit. Street number, street name, unit/apt./suite, municipality and postal code.
4. Termination date (dd/mm/yyyy). At least 120 days out and on the last day of a period or term.

Page 1: My Reason for Ending your Tenancy

Shade one circle: Reason 1 (demolish), Reason 2 (repairs or renovations requiring a building permit and vacant possession) or Reason 3 (convert to non-residential use). Do not alter the Reason 2 note telling the tenant about their right to move back. RTA s. 50(3) requires the notice to tell them.

Page 2: Details About the Work I Plan to do

This is where most N13s are won or lost. Describe:

• what will be done (scope, systems affected, structural work);
• where (the unit, or the whole building);
• how (contractor, phases);
• when (start date and expected duration); and
• why the tenant cannot remain during the work.

Attach extra pages if needed. The checklist asks whether you included "enough detail", and vague text such as "major renovations" invites dismissal.

Page 2: Necessary permits

Shade one circle:

• I have obtained the necessary building permits or other authorization;
• I will obtain them; or
• No permits or other authorization are necessary. This option is only for conversion or demolition. A Reason 2 renovation by definition needs a building permit.

Pages 2–3: Important Information and compensation summary

Leave this as printed. It explains the termination date rules, the tenant's 10-day early exit, and the compensation table.

Page 4: Signature and representative information

• Shade Landlord or Representative.
• Give first name, last name and phone, then sign and date.
• A representative also completes the representative block: LSO number if licensed, company, mailing address, email and phone.

Serving it

Serve each tenant by a method in RTA s. 191 or Rule 3.1: hand delivery to the tenant or an adult in the unit, mailbox, under the door or mail slot, courier, mail or Xpresspost, or email with the tenant's prior written consent. Do not post it on the door. Record the date and method for the Certificate of Service.

Compensation (RTA ss. 52, 54, 55 and 55.1). Pay by the termination date:

Exceptions and special cases:

• No compensation is owed if the demolition or repair was ordered under an Act.
• Severance: if the complex was created by severing a building of 5 or more units into one with fewer than 5, and you give the N13 within two years of the severance, three months' rent is owed (s. 55).
• Tenant-owned mobile or land lease home: the lesser of one year's rent or $3,000.
• Care home: you must make reasonable efforts to find appropriate alternative accommodation (s. 146).
• Social housing: most social housing units are exempt from compensation (RTA s. 7).

Mistakes that get it refused, voided or dismissed

1. Using Reason 2 for work that does not need a building permit or does not need the unit empty. Section 50(1)(c) requires both. The LTB dismisses applications where no permit was required (Guideline 12).
2. No permits, licence or reasonable steps by the hearing. Under RTA s. 73(1)(b), the LTB cannot order eviction unless you have obtained every necessary permit or authority. The alternative is to prove you took all reasonable steps where the permit cannot issue until the unit is vacant. A municipal renovation licence counts as an "other authority".
3. Too little detail about the work. If the tenant cannot understand what is planned and why they must leave, the notice may be found defective (Guideline 10).
4. A termination date under 120 days, not on the last day of a period or term, or without the mailing days. The notice is void and cannot be fixed.
5. Wrong compensation, or none paid by the termination date. Under s. 83(4) and (5) no eviction order issues until it is paid. If the date has passed, Guideline 12 says the application will be dismissed unless there are exceptional circumstances. Count the units in the residential complex correctly, since it decides one month or three.
6. Mislabelling the ground. Calling a demolition a renovation, or the reverse, changes the tenant's rights and can undermine good faith. Short-term rental use is not "non-residential".
7. Not disclosing every N12 or N13 you gave in the past two years, for any unit. The LTB must refuse the application (s. 71.1(3)–(4)), and Guideline 12 says an undisclosed notice found at the hearing leads to dismissal.
8. Filing the L2 more than 30 days after the termination date. It is barred by s. 69(2).
9. Missing a tenant, posting on the door, or emailing without written consent. Service is defective unless you can prove the notice actually reached the tenant in time (s. 191(2)).
10. Breaking the right of first refusal after the move-out. This includes not telling the tenant the estimated completion date, any change to it, and when the unit is ready; not giving 60 days to move back in; or charging more than the lawful rent. Under s. 57.1(1.1) you are deemed to have failed to honour the right, which exposes you to a T5 award.
11. Using an outdated N13. Previous versions are not accepted as of November 30, 2026.

What happens next

1. If the tenant stays, file an L2 with: - the N13; - the Certificate of Service; - the N13 schedule showing the compensation paid or to be paid; - the disclosure of prior N12/N13 notices; - evidence of permits or the steps you have taken; and - the fee.

The LTB holds a hearing and must consider refusing or delaying eviction (RTA s. 83). For N13s, the LTB can delay enforcement over your objection only if the delay would not be unfair to you or other tenants (O. Reg. 516/06, s. 8.4). 2. If the application is dismissed after you paid compensation, the LTB may order the tenant to repay it (s. 73.1). 3. After the move-out, carry out the work within a reasonable time. A former tenant can claim bad faith on a T5 within one year. 4. If the tenant gave written notice to return, you must: - without delay, tell them in writing the estimated date the unit will be ready; - without delay, tell them in writing of any change to that date; - without delay, tell them in writing when the unit is ready; - give them at least 60 days after it is ready to move back in; and - charge no more than the rent you could lawfully have charged had the tenancy continued (s. 53(3)).

The tenant must keep you informed in writing of address changes (s. 53(4)), so send your notices to the latest address they gave you.

Recent changes

These took effect September 21, 2026:

• New written-notice duties. When a tenant gives written notice on or after September 21, 2026 that they want to move back, the landlord must send the three written notices described above (RTA s. 53(2.1)).
• 60-day window. For units ready for occupancy on or after September 21, 2026, the tenant gets at least 60 days to move back in (s. 53(2.2)).
• Deemed failure. Failing either duty means the landlord is deemed to have denied the right of first refusal (s. 57.1(1.1); Guideline 12).
• New T5 deadline. The deadline for a right-of-first-refusal T5 is now the later of two years after move-out or six months after the work is completed (s. 57.1(2)).
• Delaying eviction. In N13 cases, only the "not unfair" test applies (O. Reg. 516/06, s. 8.4).
• New form. The N13 was updated (2026/09). Previous versions are not accepted as of November 30, 2026.

Not yet in force: a 2023 amendment that would require a qualified person's report with renovation N13s (RTA s. 50(3)(b)). e-Laws lists it as "not in force" as of its October 28, 2026 currency date.

Frequently asked questions

How much notice does an N13 require?

At least 120 days, ending on the last day of a rental period or the last day of a fixed term. If the tenant owns a mobile home or land lease home on the site, the minimum is one year.

How much compensation do I owe on an N13?

It depends on the ground, the number of units in the complex and whether the tenant elects to return. In general it is three months' rent in complexes of five or more units and one month's rent in smaller ones, or an acceptable alternative unit. If the tenant elects to return after a renovation, it is the rent for the shorter of that period and the renovation period. Nothing is owed if the work was ordered under an Act.

Can I renovate and then rent the unit to someone else at a higher rent?

Not if the tenant gave written notice before moving out that they want to return. They have a right of first refusal at the rent you could lawfully have charged without the interruption. If they did not give that notice, you still must not have used the N13 in bad faith.

Do I need the building permit before I serve the N13?

Not necessarily before serving. By the hearing, though, you must have every necessary permit or authority, or prove you took all reasonable steps where the permit cannot be issued until the unit is vacant (RTA s. 73).

Official sources

• N13 form (PDF, 2026/09)
• N13 Instructions
• L2 Instructions
• Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, ss. 7, 50, 52–55.1, 57, 57.1, 69, 71.1, 73, 73.1, 83, 146 and 191
• O. Reg. 516/06 (General), ss. 8.4 and 56
• Interpretation Guideline 12
• Interpretation Guideline 10
• LTB Rules of Procedure, Rules 1.1, 3.1 and 3.9
• LTB Operational Update, September 21, 2026

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.