Ontario lease guide

    Ontario Lease Agreement

    In Ontario, most private residential tenancies must use the government's Standard Form of Lease. Here is what that means, what the lease covers, and where to get the official form.

    Standard form
    Required (since Apr 30, 2018)
    Form number
    2229E
    Governing law
    Residential Tenancies Act, 2006
    Rent deposit
    Last month's rent, max one month

    The official form

    Standard Form of Lease (Form 2229E)

    This is the form the law requires. It is published by the government for free.

    Get the official Ontario form

    The official form is free. Avoid paid third-party copies, and confirm any template reflects the current legislation before you sign.

    Is a standard lease required in Ontario?

    For most private residential tenancies entered into on or after April 30, 2018, the landlord must use the province's Standard Form of Lease, also called Form 2229E. It is mandatory, and its sections cannot be changed. A few tenancy types are exempt, including care homes, mobile home parks and land lease communities, most social housing, and co-operative housing.

    What the standard lease covers

    The form sets out the essentials in a consistent format: the legal names of the landlord and tenant, the rental address, the rent amount and due date, what is and is not included in the rent, and the rules for the tenancy. It also includes a plain-language appendix that explains the rights and responsibilities both sides have under the Residential Tenancies Act.

    If your landlord won't provide it

    A tenant who did not get a standard lease can ask for one in writing. If the landlord does not provide it within 21 days, the tenant can withhold one month's rent. If the landlord still does not provide it within 30 days after the tenant first started withholding, the tenant does not have to repay that month. This is a real and specific right, so the written request is worth keeping a copy of.

    What you can and can't add

    The landlord and tenant can add their own reasonable terms in the additional-terms section, but nothing added can take away a right or contradict a responsibility under the Residential Tenancies Act. A clause that tries to do so is simply unenforceable, even if both sides signed it. In Ontario the only permitted deposit is a last month's rent deposit, capped at one month, and it earns interest each year.

    Once a lease is signed, keeping it, the rent record, and the key dates in one place is what turns a later question into a lookup. See how Habyn handles lease management and rent tracking.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is the Ontario standard lease mandatory?

    Yes, for most private residential tenancies entered into on or after April 30, 2018. The landlord must use Form 2229E, and its standard sections cannot be altered. A few tenancy types, such as care homes and co-ops, are exempt.

    Where do I get the official Ontario lease form?

    From the Ontario government's central forms repository, where Form 2229E (Residential Tenancy Agreement, Standard Form of Lease) is published for free. This page links to it directly. Avoid paid third-party copies; the official form is free.

    What if my landlord uses their own lease instead?

    You can request the standard lease in writing. If the landlord does not provide it within 21 days, you may withhold one month's rent, and if it is still not provided within 30 days of when you began withholding, you do not have to repay that month.

    How much deposit can a landlord collect in Ontario?

    Only a last month's rent deposit, capped at one month's rent. Damage or security deposits are not permitted. The deposit must be applied to the last month of the tenancy, and the landlord owes interest on it each year at the rent increase guideline.

    Lease rules in other provinces

    Every province sets its own rules. Compare another, or see the full lease agreement guide:

    British ColumbiaRTB-1 form carries the standard terms required of every tenancy.AlbertaNo mandatory form, but the RTA applies to every tenancy.QuebecThe TAL lease form is mandatory; deposits are prohibited.ManitobaThe Standard Residential Tenancy Agreement (Form 1) is required.SaskatchewanStandard conditions (Schedule 1) apply to every agreement.Nova ScotiaThe Standard Form of Lease (Form P) is the only recognized lease.New BrunswickStandard Residential Lease; deposits held by the Rentalsman.Prince Edward IslandStandard form of tenancy agreement; its provisions apply regardless.Newfoundland and LabradorRT-1 agreement encouraged; deposit capped at three-quarters of a month.

    General information only, not legal advice. Tenancy law differs by province and changes over time, so confirm the rules and forms with the official provincial source above. For the numbers, see all free Habyn tools.