Ontario's N4 Drops to 7 Days on September 21, 2026 (Bill 60)

This article is general information, not legal advice. Verify against the Residential Tenancies Act and the Landlord and Tenant Board's current guidance, or consult qualified counsel.

One of the most-discussed Ontario tenancy changes of 2026 is a short one, literally. As of September 21, 2026, the N4 notice period for non-payment of rent drops from 14 days to 7 for monthly and yearly tenancies. The change comes from Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, and the effective date is set by Ontario Order in Council 618/2026. Here is what it does, what it does not, and how to prepare.

What is changing

• For monthly and yearly tenancies, the minimum N4 termination period falls from 14 days to 7 days.
• Daily and weekly tenancies were already at 7 days, so they are unaffected.
• The new period applies to N4 notices served on or after September 21, 2026. An N4 served before that date uses the 14-day period.

That is the entire change: the length of the notice window, for one notice type.

What is not changing

It is easy to over-read this. Almost everything else about non-payment stays exactly the same:

• The process is unchanged. You still serve an N4, and if the tenant does not pay or void it, you still apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board on an L1. The 7 days is only the notice period before you can file.
• You still cannot charge late fees or interest. Ontario does not permit them; the only allowed charge is a returned-payment (NSF) fee capped at $20.
• The tenant can still void by paying. Paying the rent owing before you file the L1 still cancels the N4.
• Self-help eviction is still illegal. You cannot change locks or shut off services; eviction runs through the LTB and the Sheriff. We cover the full process in what a landlord can and cannot do about late rent.

And to be clear about a common point of confusion: this is not part of the July 1, 2026 Bill 97 batch (fines, air conditioning, review windows). It is a separate law with a separate date. Our Bill 97 explainer covers that set.

The honest caveat: shorter notice is not a faster eviction

This is the part worth being realistic about. Cutting the N4 to 7 days shortens the notice stage by a week. It does not shorten the stage that actually drives timelines: getting an LTB hearing and an order. If the Board's scheduling is the bottleneck, and it often is, a 7-day notice gets you to the application a week sooner but not to the finish line a week sooner. Treat the change as a modest acceleration of the first step, not a fast-track through the whole system.

How landlords should prepare

• Update your templates and reminders so that, from September 21, your N4s reflect the 7-day period. Serving a stale 14-day notice is not fatal, but serving one with the wrong period can be.
• Get the arrears figure right. Do not include NSF or admin charges in the rent owing; that can invalidate the notice.
• Move promptly but correctly. A shorter notice rewards landlords who already keep clean rent records and can act quickly and accurately.

How tenants should prepare

• You have less time to catch up. From September 21, a monthly tenant served an N4 has 7 days, not 14, before the landlord can apply to the Board.
• Paying still works. Paying the full rent owing before the landlord files the L1 voids the notice. If you are behind, act quickly, and ask about a repayment plan (which uses the LTB's official form).

Frequently asked questions

When exactly does the 7-day N4 start? For N4 notices served on or after September 21, 2026. The date is set by Ontario Order in Council 618/2026.

Does this apply to all tenancies? The change is for monthly and yearly tenancies (14 to 7 days). Daily and weekly tenancies were already at 7 days.

Does a shorter notice mean I can evict faster overall? Only marginally. It shortens the notice step by a week; the overall timeline still depends on the LTB hearing schedule.

Can the tenant still stop it by paying? Yes. Paying the rent owing before the landlord files the L1 application voids the N4, just as before.

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Rules change, and the landlords who stay compliant are the ones whose records and notices are already in order. Habyn helps small landlords keep clean rent records and act on the right timelines. See how Habyn helps landlords.