How Much Notice Do You Have to Give to Move Out in Ontario?
The short answer is 60 days — but whenthose 60 days end matters just as much as the number, and fixed-term leases carry a trap that catches renters every year. Here's how to give notice that actually holds up.
The 60-Day Rule
For a month-to-month tenancy in Ontario, you must give your landlord at least 60 days' written notice to end the tenancy. If you pay rent weekly, the notice period drops to 28 days. You provide this notice on Form N9 — Tenant's Notice to End the Tenancy, a free form from the Landlord and Tenant Board.
A verbal "I'm leaving next month" is not proper notice. Put it in writing, sign it, deliver it, and keep a dated copy.
Timing: Your Date Must Land on the Right Day
This is where tenants slip up. It isn't enough to count 60 days forward — your termination date must be the last day of a rental period. If your rent is due on the 1st of the month, your rental period runs to the end of the month, so your termination date has to be the last day of a month, and at least 60 days out.
Example: to move out at the end of October, you generally need to serve your N9 by the start of September. Give notice on, say, September 15 for an October 31 date, and it's short — the landlord could treat it as effective November 30 instead. When in doubt, give yourself a buffer.
The Fixed-Term Trap
Here's the one that surprises people. If you're in a fixed-term lease (say a one-year lease), you generally cannot end it early just by giving 60 days' notice. The 60-day N9 lets you end a tenancy that is monthly, or set a move-out date for the end of your term — it does not let you walk away mid-term.
To leave before a fixed term ends, your realistic options are:
- Assign or sublet the unit (see our sublet and assignment guide).
- Agree to end early with your landlord using Form N11.
- Rely on the landlord's duty to mitigate — if you leave, they must make reasonable efforts to re-rent, and you're only liable until they do (or the term ends).
To end the tenancy at the end of a fixed term, serve your N9 at least 60 days before the last day of the term, dated for that last day.
If You Do Nothing at the End of a Fixed Term
You are never forced out simply because your lease term ends. If you give no notice, an Ontario fixed-term tenancy automatically becomes month-to-monthon the same terms. From there you can leave any time on 60 days' notice. For more on how that conversion works, see month-to-month vs fixed-term leases.
Before You Hand In Your Keys
Serving notice is step one. Protect your deposit and avoid damage disputes by documenting the unit and following a proper move-out process — our Ontario moving-out checklist walks through every step.