N13 Form Ontario: Ending a Tenancy for Demolition, Conversion, or Major Repairs

This article is general information, not legal advice. Use the current official form from the Landlord and Tenant Board, and confirm the rules for your situation with the Board or a qualified legal professional.

When a unit cannot stay occupied because the building is being demolished, converted to another use, or repaired so extensively that it needs to be vacant, the landlord's notice is the N13. It carries the longest notice period of the common N-notices and real compensation, because it ends a tenancy through no fault of the tenant and for reasons that change the building itself. Here is how it works.

What the N13 is

The N13 is the official Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) form used when a landlord needs the unit vacant for one of three reasons. Its full official title is the "Notice to End your Tenancy Because the Landlord Wants to Demolish the Rental Unit, Repair it or Convert it to Another Use." The three grounds:

• Demolition of the rental unit or the building.
• Conversion to a non-residential use.
• Repairs or renovations so extensive that they require a building permit and vacant possession of the unit.

That last ground is the important one to get right: ordinary repairs do not qualify. The work must be substantial enough to require both a permit and an empty unit.

Who serves it, and against whom

The landlord serves the N13 on the tenant. Because the ground is the building itself rather than the tenant's conduct, the tenant has done nothing wrong — which is why the notice period is long and compensation is required.

The notice period

An N13 requires at least 120 days' notice, and the termination date must be the last day of a rental period (or the end of a fixed term). That is double the 60 days an N12 requires, reflecting how disruptive demolition, conversion, or major renovation is for a tenant. Our notice date calculator finds the earliest valid date from the day the notice is served.

The compensation requirement — and how it varies by building size

For demolition or conversion, the compensation depends on the size of the residential complex:

• Five or more residential units — compensation equal to three months' rent (or an acceptable alternative unit).
• Fewer than five residential units — compensation equal to one month's rent (or an acceptable alternative unit).

For the major-repairs/renovation ground, compensation rules also apply, and a renovating landlord must additionally give the tenant a right of first refusal — the right to move back into the renovated unit at a lawful rent if they tell the landlord in writing they want to. Getting the compensation amount and the right of first refusal correct is essential; mistakes here are a common reason these applications fail.

What happens next: the N13 leads to an L2

The N13 is a notice, not an eviction. If the tenant has not moved out by the termination date, the landlord must apply to the Board using the L2 — Application to End a Tenancy and Evict a Tenant or Collect Money. Only after a hearing and an order, and then enforcement by the Court Enforcement Office (the Sheriff), can the tenant be removed. For the full sequence, see how eviction works in Ontario.

Using the form well

• Use the current official N13 from the Landlord and Tenant Board, not a third-party copy.
• Confirm the ground genuinely qualifies — especially that renovations need a building permit and vacant possession.
• Set the termination date at least 120 days out and on the last day of a rental period.
• Pay the correct compensation (one or three months by building size) and honour any right of first refusal.
• Keep clean records of the notice, the permits, the compensation, and how and when you served the notice. Lease management and rent tracking in Habyn keep them together.

For how the N13 fits with every other Board form, see our index of Ontario LTB forms, and for the body behind them, what the LTB is.

Where to get the official N13 form

The N13 is published free by the Landlord and Tenant Board on the Tribunals Ontario website: the official N13 form (PDF) and the LTB's forms, filing and fees page. Always use the current official version. Habyn does not host or reproduce LTB forms.

Frequently asked questions

What is an N13 form in Ontario?

It is the notice a landlord serves to end a tenancy because they want to demolish the unit, convert it to a non-residential use, or carry out repairs so extensive they require a building permit and a vacant unit.

How much notice does an N13 require?

At least 120 days, with the termination date on the last day of a rental period or the end of a fixed term.

How much compensation does an N13 require?

For demolition or conversion, three months' rent if the building has five or more residential units, or one month's rent if it has fewer than five (or an acceptable alternative unit). For major repairs, compensation also applies and the tenant has a right of first refusal to return.

Can a tenant move back in after an N13 renovation?

For the major-repairs ground, yes — the tenant has a right of first refusal to return to the renovated unit at a lawful rent, if they notify the landlord in writing that they want to.

Where do I get the official N13 form?

From the Landlord and Tenant Board on the Tribunals Ontario website, which publishes it for free. Always use the current official version rather than a third-party copy.