LTB L Forms Ontario: Which Application to File After a Notice

L-forms are the applications Ontario landlords file with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) after serving a notice (like an N4 or N12) and the tenant hasn’t resolved the issue. Where a notice is served directly on a tenant, an L-form goes to the Board itself and asks for a hearing. L1 covers non-payment of rent, L2 covers most other eviction grounds, and L3 through L10 handle everything from broken settlements to above-guideline rent increases to collecting money from a former tenant.

If you’ve served an N4, N8, or N12 and the tenant still hasn’t moved out or paid what’s owed, the notice itself doesn’t do anything more. The next legal step is filing the right application with the Landlord and Tenant Board — and that’s where the L-forms come in.

Unlike the N-series, which most tenants recognize because they’ve received one, the L-series tends to confuse people precisely because there’s no single obvious form to reach for. This guide walks through what each one does, which notice it follows, and how to avoid the filing mistakes that delay a case by months.

What Are L-Forms, and How Do They Differ from N-Notices?

An N-notice is something one party serves directly on the other — it’s a private legal document that starts a clock running. An L-form is different: it’s an application filed with the LTB itself, asking the Board to actually resolve the matter and issue a binding order. Here’s the distinction laid out clearly:

	N-Notice	L-Form
Who prepares it	The landlord (or tenant, for N9/N11)	The landlord (or tenant, for T-series equivalents)
Who receives it	The other party, directly	The Landlord and Tenant Board
What it does	Starts the clock — gives formal warning and a timeline	Asks the Board to actually decide the matter and issue an order
Can it end a tenancy on its own?	No	No — only an LTB order following a hearing can

In short: the notice is the warning. The L-form is what actually brings the matter in front of an adjudicator. Skipping straight to an L-form without a valid, properly served notice first is one of the fastest ways an application gets dismissed.

The Complete L1–L10 Reference Table

Here’s every landlord application the LTB accepts, in order:

Form	Purpose	Usually Follows
L1	Evict a tenant for non-payment of rent and collect the rent owed	N4
L2	End a tenancy and evict a tenant for any reason other than non-payment, or collect money owed	N5, N6, N7, N8, N12, N13
L3	End a tenancy when the tenant gave notice or agreed to terminate but didn’t move out	N9, N11
L4	End a tenancy and evict when a tenant broke the terms of a mediated settlement or LTB order	Settlement/order breach
L5	Apply for a rent increase above the guideline for capital expenditures, security services, or utility costs	Alternative to an N10 agreement
L6	Ask the Board to review a municipal or provincial maintenance work order	—
L7	Care home operator applies to transfer a tenant out of a care home	—
L8	Apply where a tenant changed the locks without the landlord’s consent	—
L9	Collect rent arrears from a current tenant, without ending the tenancy	—
L10	Collect money owed by a former tenant after they’ve moved out	—

If you’ve already served a notice and aren’t sure which application comes next, our Landlord and Tenant Board services team can confirm the right form before you file.

L1: Application to Evict for Non-Payment of Rent

The L1 is the most commonly filed landlord application at the LTB, and it exists for one purpose: recovering possession of a unit and the rent owed when a tenant hasn’t paid.

• Filed after: an N4 notice has expired without the tenant paying the arrears in full.
• What it requires: a copy of the N4, a Certificate of Service proving it was properly delivered, and an accurate rent ledger showing what’s owed.
• What it can order: an eviction order and a money order for the arrears, provided the tenant hasn’t paid in full by the hearing.
• Filing tip: landlords using the standalone e-file option for a single L1 application can access a discounted filing fee — but filing an L1 and L9 together means paying the fee twice.

L2: Application to End a Tenancy for Other Reasons

The L2 is the catch-all application for ending a tenancy for any reason other than non-payment of rent. If you’ve served an N5, N6, N7, N8, N12, or N13, this is the form that follows.

• Filed after: the relevant notice’s termination date has passed and the tenant hasn’t vacated or corrected the issue.
• What it requires: a copy of the underlying notice, proof of service, and supporting evidence specific to the reason — incident logs for an N5, permits for an N13, and so on.
• What it can order: an eviction order, and in some cases compensation owed to the landlord.

Because the L2 covers so many different underlying notices, the evidence bar shifts depending on the reason. Our landlord paralegal services in Toronto help landlords assemble the right documentation before filing, whether the case started with an N8 notice for persistent late rent or an N12 notice for landlord’s own use.

L1 vs. L2: What’s the Real Difference?

These two get confused constantly because both end in eviction. The distinction comes down entirely to the reason:

Feature	L1	L2
Grounds	Non-payment of rent only	Any other reason — damage, illegal acts, own use, demolition, and more
Underlying notice	N4	N5, N6, N7, N8, N12, or N13
What it can order	Eviction and repayment of rent owed	Eviction, and money owed in some cases
Filing method	Tribunals Ontario Portal (e-file discount available) or by mail	Tribunals Ontario Portal or by mail
Can be combined?	Filing both L1 and L9 for the same tenant means paying the fee twice	Filed alone; cannot be combined with L1 in a single e-file submission

A helpful way to remember it: if the issue is purely about money owed on unpaid rent, it’s L1. If it’s about anything else — conduct, safety, demolition, personal use — it’s L2, even if money happens to be part of the claim.

L3: When a Tenant Gave Notice but Didn’t Leave

The L3 is a narrower, often faster-moving application, used specifically when a tenant already agreed to end the tenancy — through their own N9 notice or a mutual N11 agreement — but then didn’t move out by the date they committed to.

• Filed after: the termination date in the tenant’s own N9 or the signed N11 agreement has passed.
• What it requires: a copy of the N9 or N11, generally filed within 30 days of the termination date named in it.
• Why it moves differently: because the tenant already agreed to leave, there’s typically less dispute over the underlying reason — the main question is simply whether they moved out.

If you’re on the receiving end of an L3 after signing an N11 agreement or serving your own N9 notice, our eviction and LTB matters team in Mississauga can help move the application along quickly.

L4 Through L10: The Rest of the L-Series

These applications come up less often, but each solves a specific problem the L1, L2, and L3 don’t cover:

• L4 — Broken settlements: used when a tenant agreed to a settlement or was subject to an LTB order and then didn’t follow through on its conditions.
• L5 — Above-guideline increases: the formal application route for a rent increase beyond the annual guideline, covering capital expenditures, security services, or utility costs — an alternative to reaching a voluntary N10 agreement with the tenant.
• L6 — Work order reviews: lets a landlord ask the Board to review a municipal or provincial maintenance work order they’ve been issued.
• L7 — Care home transfers: used by care home operators seeking to transfer a resident to a different care setting.
• L8 — Unauthorized lock changes: filed when a tenant has changed the locks on a rental unit without the landlord’s consent.
• L9 — Collecting arrears without ending the tenancy: for landlords who want to recover unpaid rent but aren’t seeking to evict a tenant who’s still in the unit.
• L10 — Collecting from a former tenant: used once a tenant has already moved out, to recover rent or other money still owed.

For arrears that have gone on long enough that recovery becomes the main goal, our rent and debt collection services work alongside L9 and L10 applications to pursue what’s owed.

How to File an L-Form With the LTB

• Confirm the underlying notice was valid and properly served — this is the single most common reason applications get rejected or delayed at the intake stage.
• Choose the right filing method. L1, L2, L3, L4, L9, and L10 can be filed through the Tribunals Ontario Portal. L6, L7, and L8 must be filed by email, with payment made first through the LTB’s online payment page.
• Include the Certificate of Service for the underlying N-notice — this proves the tenant was properly given notice before the application was filed.
• Attach accurate supporting evidence: rent ledgers for L1/L9/L10, incident documentation for L2, permits and contractor letters for an L2 following an N13, and so on.
• Pay the correct filing fee — landlord (L-series) applications currently cost $201 to file, though discounted e-file rates apply to standalone L1 and L2 applications.

What Happens After You File?

• LTB staff review the application and supporting documents to confirm it was filed correctly and on time.
• If there are errors, the application may be refused or the landlord contacted to fix them — which can add weeks to the timeline.
• Once accepted, the Board schedules a hearing and issues a Notice of Hearing to both parties.
• At the hearing, both sides present evidence, and the adjudicator issues a binding decision.
• If the landlord’s application is granted, an eviction order is issued; if the tenant doesn’t comply, enforcement is carried out by the Court Enforcement Office (sheriff), not the landlord directly.

Common Mistakes Landlords Make With L-Forms

• Filing an L2 when the situation actually calls for an L1 (or vice versa), based on the underlying notice
• Missing the Certificate of Service, which proves the notice was properly delivered
• Filing before the notice’s termination date has actually passed
• Incomplete or inconsistent rent ledgers that don’t match the amount claimed on the original notice
• Attempting to combine applications that need to be filed and paid for separately
• Missing the 30-day filing window after a notice’s termination date, which can void the underlying notice entirely

Each of these mistakes can add months to a case that should otherwise move quickly. Our landlord paralegal services in Richmond Hill are built to catch these errors before an application ever reaches the LTB’s intake desk.

Why Work With a Paralegal for Your LTB Application?

Because so much of an L-form’s success depends on what happened before it was ever filed — the notice, the service, the documentation — a licensed paralegal’s value often shows up long before the hearing itself. Support typically includes:

• Confirming which L-form actually matches your situation
• Reviewing the underlying notice and service for validity before filing
• Assembling and organizing the evidence package required for your specific case
• Filing correctly through the Tribunals Ontario Portal or by email
• Representing you at the hearing and responding to adjudicator questions

Legal Edge supports landlords across the GTA with L-form filings and LTB representation, including through our Toronto landlord-tenant paralegal services and our eviction and LTB matters team in Mississauga.

Frequently Asked Questions About LTB L-Forms

What’s the difference between an L1 and an L2 application?

L1 is used only for non-payment of rent, following an N4 notice. L2 covers every other eviction reason — damage, illegal activity, landlord’s own use, demolition, and more.

Do I need to serve a notice before filing an L-form?

Yes, for L1, L2, L3, and L4. These applications all depend on a valid, properly served notice or agreement that the tenant didn’t resolve. Other L-forms, like L6 through L8, don’t require a preceding N-notice.

How much does it cost to file an L-form?

Landlord (L-series) applications generally cost $201 to file, though a discounted fee applies when filing a standalone L1 or L2 through the e-file service.

What happens if I file the wrong L-form?

The application can be refused, dismissed, or delayed while the error is corrected, which can add weeks or months to the process. Confirming the correct form before filing avoids this entirely.

Can I file an L1 and L9 together?

You can pursue both, but filing them together through the e-file service means paying the application fee twice — they aren’t combined into a single discounted filing.

How long does it take for the LTB to schedule a hearing after I file?

Timelines vary by application type and region, with straightforward non-payment cases (L1) often moving faster than more evidence-heavy applications like L2. Current backlogs mean it’s worth confirming expected timelines for your local LTB office.

Do I need a paralegal to file an L-form?

It isn’t required, but because so many applications are delayed by avoidable filing errors, working with a paralegal familiar with LTB procedures significantly improves the odds of a smooth process.

Get Help With Your L-Form or LTB Application Today

Whether you’re not sure which application follows your notice, or you’ve already been delayed by a filing error, getting an L-form right the first time saves real time and money.

Legal Edge’s licensed paralegal team works with landlords throughout Toronto, Mississauga, and Richmond Hill on L1 through L10 applications and the full range of LTB proceedings. Book a consultation today and let’s get your application filed correctly from the start.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For guidance specific to your situation, please consult a licensed paralegal or legal professional.