How to File an L1 Application with the LTB After Serving an N4 in Ontario
You've served the N4 notice, the deadline has passed, and the rent still isn't paid. The next step — the one most landlords either don't know or get wrong — is filing an L1 application with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).
The L1 is a two-in-one application: it asks the LTB to both evict the tenant for non-payment of rent and order them to repay the arrears they owe. Getting this step right matters enormously. A filing error can void your application, delay your hearing by months, or — in the worst case — require you to start the entire process over.
This guide walks through every step: when you can file, what documents you need, how to use the Tribunals Ontario Portal, the L1/L9 Update form, filing fees, and the mistakes that landlords most commonly make.
What the L1 Application Actually Does
Many landlords assume the N4 notice itself initiates some kind of legal process. It doesn't. The N4 is simply a formal warning — it tells the tenant the rent is overdue and gives them an opportunity to pay. The actual legal proceeding only begins when you file the L1 Application to Evict a Tenant for Non-payment of Rent and to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes with the LTB.
Once filed, the LTB will schedule a hearing, issue a Notice of Hearing to both you and your tenant, and eventually issue an order. That order is what gives you legal authority to enforce an eviction — and without it, you cannot lawfully remove a tenant.
Step 1: Make Sure You Can File
Before submitting an L1, confirm two things:
Your N4 was properly served. The N4 must have been delivered using a method permitted by the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA). Acceptable methods include: handing it directly to the tenant, sliding it under the door, sending it by courier, or using a regulated alternative if the tenant can't be reached. A casually texted photo of the N4 does not count.
The termination date on the N4 has passed (or is imminent). You can file the L1 as soon as the N4 has been served, but the LTB will not issue an eviction order until the termination date has passed. Most landlords wait until the day after the termination date to file, confirming the tenant has neither paid the arrears in full nor vacated.
One important limit: you must file the L1 within one year of the termination date stated on the N4, or the application becomes time-barred.
Step 2: Gather Your Documents
You will need the following before you sit down to file:
- Completed L1 form — available at ontario.ca/landlordtenant or through the Tribunals Ontario Portal
- Copy of the served N4 — the exact notice you gave the tenant, with no changes after serving
- Certificate of Service — this is your sworn declaration of how and when you served the N4. The LTB provides a standard certificate form; fill it out accurately because the adjudicator will rely on it
- Rent payment ledger — a chronological record of rent due and payments received; this doesn't need to be formal, but it does need to be accurate
- Copy of the lease agreement — confirms the rent amount, the tenancy start date, and any terms relevant to the arrears
If you don't have a certificate of service, you can still describe the service method in the L1 form itself, but having the standalone certificate makes your file cleaner and more defensible.
Step 3: File Through the Tribunals Ontario Portal
The fastest and most reliable way to file an L1 is through the Tribunals Ontario Portal at tribunalsontario.ca/ltb. Paper filing by mail or in-person is still available, but online filing gives you a file number the same day and reduces processing time.
Here's how to do it:
Create an account at the Tribunals Ontario Portal if you don't already have one. Use an email address you check regularly — all correspondence, including your Notice of Hearing, will arrive there.
Start a new application. Select "Landlord" as your role, then choose "L1 – Application to Evict for Non-payment of Rent."
Complete the application form online. You'll be prompted to enter the address of the rental unit, the tenant's name, the total rent arrears (broken down by month), and details of how the N4 was served.
Upload your supporting documents. Attach your N4, Certificate of Service, rent ledger, and lease. PDF is preferred. Make sure file sizes are reasonable — the portal has upload limits.
Review everything before submitting. Double-check the arrears amount, the termination date from the N4, and your tenant's full legal name (as it appears on the lease). Errors on these fields are the most common reason applications are returned.
Pay the filing fee. As of 2026, the L1 filing fee is $201 for online filing or $186 for in-person/mail submissions. Payment is made by credit card through the portal. You will receive a confirmation number — keep it.
Receive your file number. Once submitted and processed, you'll receive a file number and confirmation email. This is your proof the application is active.
The LTB will then send a Notice of Hearing to both you and your tenant, typically by mail. For non-payment applications (L1), current wait times in 2026 are averaging four to six months from the date of filing to the hearing date, depending on regional caseload.
Step 4: Use the L1/L9 Update Form Before the Hearing
Here's something many landlords miss: if your tenant continues not paying rent between the date you filed and the date of your hearing, the arrears total on your original L1 will be out of date by the time the adjudicator sees it.
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The solution is the L1/L9 Update form. You submit this to the LTB before the hearing (at minimum seven days before, or as early as possible) to update the total amount of rent owing. Without it, the adjudicator can only order the amount stated in the original application — which could leave months of additional arrears unrecovered.
Updating your arrears is not optional if you want full recovery. Make it a habit to track rent payments (or missed payments) monthly after filing and submit the update form as you get closer to the hearing date.
Step 5: Upload Evidence Before Your Hearing
The Tribunals Ontario Portal allows you to upload evidence directly to your file. You should do this at least seven days before your scheduled hearing. Evidence submitted after the deadline may not be accepted.
What to upload:
- Your rent ledger updated to the hearing date
- Screenshots or records of any communication with the tenant about arrears
- Bank statements showing missed deposits (if available)
- Your L1/L9 Update form confirming the current arrears total
- Any repayment agreement that was breached (if applicable)
You are also required to serve a copy of your evidence on the tenant before the hearing and upload a certificate of service confirming you did so. This is a procedural requirement — failing to do it can result in your evidence being excluded.
Common Mistakes That Void or Delay L1 Applications
Wrong arrears amount. Even a minor discrepancy between the N4 and the L1 can raise credibility issues at the hearing. Use a ledger and calculate carefully.
Using the wrong N4. If you issued the N4 but made an error on it (wrong rent amount, wrong dates), you likely need to serve a corrected N4 and restart the notice period before filing the L1.
Not serving the N4 properly. If your method of service doesn't meet the RTA's requirements, the N4 is invalid — and so is any L1 built on top of it. Review the N4 notice rules before you file.
Filing past the one-year limit. Landlords sometimes wait too long, especially in difficult situations with long-term tenants. Once the one-year window closes, you cannot file on that N4 — you must serve a new one.
Skipping the L1/L9 Update. As described above, failing to update your arrears total before the hearing leaves money on the table — or worse, creates a discrepancy the adjudicator notices.
What Happens at the Hearing
Most L1 hearings are conducted via video conference through the Tribunals Ontario system. You'll present your case, your tenant has the opportunity to respond, and the adjudicator will ask questions.
If the tenant does not appear and you have your documents in order, the hearing is usually brief and the order granted by default. If the tenant does appear, be prepared to walk through your ledger, explain your service of the N4, and answer questions clearly.
For a complete walkthrough of how to prepare for an LTB hearing — what to bring, what to say, and how the order works — see our LTB hearing preparation guide.
If an order is granted, a separate process — involving the Court Enforcement Office and the Sheriff — is required to physically enforce an eviction. The LTB order alone does not mean you can remove the tenant. Review our complete eviction process guide for the full picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file the L1 before the N4 termination date passes? You can submit the L1 application before the termination date, but the LTB will not issue an eviction order until that date has come and gone. Most landlords file on or just after the termination date to avoid procedural complications.
What if the tenant pays some — but not all — of the arrears? Partial payment does not cancel your L1. You're entitled to recover the full amount owing. Update your arrears total on the L1/L9 Update form to reflect any payments received before the hearing.
Can my tenant stop the eviction by paying at the hearing? Yes. Under the RTA, if a tenant pays the full amount of arrears plus the LTB filing fee before or at the hearing, the eviction order is typically voided. The adjudicator may also issue a conditional order — giving the tenant a short window to pay — before eviction takes effect.
What if I made an error on the L1 form? Contact the LTB as soon as possible. Minor errors (typos, small calculation discrepancies) can sometimes be corrected by filing an amendment. Substantive errors may require withdrawing and refiling. Do not try to correct the form after submission without LTB confirmation.
How long until I get a hearing date? For L1 (non-payment) applications, current LTB wait times in London and southwestern Ontario are averaging four to six months from the filing date to the hearing. This is a significant delay — landlords should factor it into their cash flow planning and consider whether a repayment agreement with the tenant might be faster to resolve. See our LTB wait times and eviction timeline guide for more detail.
Managing This Process Without the Stress
Filing an L1 correctly isn't complicated once you've done it — but the first time, the procedural requirements, the portal, the forms, and the timelines can feel overwhelming, especially when you're already dealing with the stress of unpaid rent.
At Prospera Properties, we manage this process on behalf of our London, St. Thomas, and Strathroy landlords — from issuing the N4 to filing the L1, updating arrears, preparing for the hearing, and enforcing the order. We know the steps, the forms, and the common mistakes because we've been through the process many times.
If you'd rather not navigate the LTB alone, contact us today or visit our landlord services page to learn how we can protect your rental income and handle the hard conversations for you.