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Ontario lease agreement
Ontario does not let landlords and tenants of most private residential units write their lease from scratch. There is a standard form of lease the province publishes, and most new tenancies have to use it. This guide explains what that lease covers, which tenancies it applies to, how to work through each part, and what your options are if a landlord hands you something else. It is general information, not legal advice. Download the current form from the Ontario government and read it before you sign.
What the Ontario standard lease is
The Ontario standard lease is a residential tenancy agreement published by the Government of Ontario that most private residential landlords in the province must use for new tenancies. It puts the tenancy in a fixed layout, in plain language, so both sides can see the same terms in the same order.
It is a government form, it is updated from time to time, and it is available free along with a guide that explains each section. Always download the current version from the Ontario government rather than reusing a copy a friend sent you, because an old version can be missing sections that now matter.
The standard lease does not replace Ontario's tenancy law. The law sits behind it, and any term in a lease that conflicts with the law is not enforceable no matter what the paper says.
Which tenancies have to use it
Most private residential tenancies in Ontario have to use the standard lease, and some do not. Rather than guessing, check the exemption list in the government's own guide to the form, because it is short and specific.
| Situation | Usually |
|---|---|
| A private apartment, house, condo unit or basement unit rented to a tenant | Standard lease required for new agreements |
| Care homes, sites in mobile home parks and land lease communities | Different rules, check the guide |
| Most co-operative housing, and some social or supportive housing | Often exempt, check the guide |
| A room in a home where you share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner | Often outside Ontario's tenancy law entirely |
| Commercial space | Not covered, this is a residential form |
If your situation is in the second half of that table, do not assume you have no protection or that you have full protection. Read the guide, and get advice from a community legal clinic if the answer matters to your decision.
What the standard lease asks for, part by part
The form works through the tenancy in the order you would explain it to someone. Each part asks for facts, not for negotiation, which is what makes it quick to complete once you have the details.
- The parties and the unit. The legal names of the landlord and every tenant, the address of the rental unit, and an address where the tenant can serve documents on the landlord.
- The term. Whether the tenancy is for a fixed term or month to month, and the start date.
- Rent. How much, when it is due, who it is paid to, and which payment methods are accepted.
- Services and utilities. Which utilities and services are included in the rent and which the tenant pays separately.
- Parking and other services. What is provided and at what price, listed separately from rent.
- Deposits and keys. What has been collected, including a rent deposit and a key deposit where one applies.
- Smoking, insurance, tenant's changes and maintenance. Short sections that set expectations for both sides.
- Additional terms. A space where extra terms can be attached, subject to the limits below.
- Signatures. Every tenant named on the lease and the landlord sign and date it.
Fill it in on screen rather than by hand. You can open the official PDF in the free fill a PDF tool, type into it, and add signatures with sign PDF, so everyone gets a clean copy. There is also a fillable Ontario standard lease helper on this site that walks through the fields.
What a landlord cannot put in the additional terms
Additional terms are allowed, but they cannot take away a right the law gives the tenant or add an obligation the law does not allow. A term that tries to do that is void, which means it has no effect even after both sides have signed.
Terms that commonly cause trouble include blanket no-guest rules, automatic charges for ordinary wear, clauses that try to make a tenant give up the right to dispute something at the Landlord and Tenant Board, and clauses that try to end the tenancy automatically at the end of a fixed term. If you see something like that, ask about it before signing, and check it with a legal clinic. Do not rely on a term simply because it is printed.
Fixed term or month to month
Both are normal. The difference shows up at the end of the term, not during it.
| Fixed term | Month to month | |
|---|---|---|
| Certainty for the tenant | Rent and the right to stay are set for the term | Continues until notice is given |
| Leaving early | You cannot simply give notice partway through | Notice ends it, following the required period |
| What happens at the end | In Ontario the tenancy usually continues month to month unless both sides agree otherwise | Nothing changes |
A fixed term does not mean you must move out on the last day. When you do decide to leave, you give written notice on the Landlord and Tenant Board's tenant notice form. Our walkthrough is in how to fill out an N9 form, and the fillable form is at Ontario LTB Form N9. If you are comparing the two arrangements generally, see month to month lease agreements.
What to do if you are not given a standard lease
If the standard lease was required and the landlord did not use one, ask for it in writing and keep a copy of the request. Ontario's guide to the form sets out what a tenant can do next, and the steps and time limits are specific, so read that guide before you act on it. A community legal clinic can tell you how it applies to your tenancy.
Two practical points in the meantime. Keep paying rent, because a missing standard lease does not cancel the tenancy or the rent. And keep every message, because a written request and the landlord's reply are what the process turns on.
Before you sign: a short checklist
- You have the current form, downloaded from the Ontario government, not a copy of a copy.
- Every tenant's legal name is spelled correctly, and every tenant signs.
- The rent, the due date and the payment method match what you agreed out loud.
- Utilities and services are ticked accurately, with nothing left ambiguous.
- Parking and any other paid service is priced separately from rent.
- Any additional terms are ones you understand and are willing to be held to.
- You have taken dated photos of the unit's condition.
- You have a signed copy for your own records, not just a promise of one.
Keep the rest of the paperwork straight
A tenancy generates documents all the way through. Ask for a receipt every time you pay in cash or by cheque, using the Ontario rent receipt or a plain rent receipt template. If you are paying by cheque and someone asks for your banking details, do not hand over a signed cheque: see how to get a void cheque instead. If you plan to sublet, read Ontario sublease agreements first, because subletting without consent causes most of the disputes.
Next step
Download the current standard lease from the Ontario government, then open it in the free fill a PDF tool and complete it on screen. You can also start from the fillable Ontario standard lease on this site, add signatures with sign PDF, and download a copy for every person who signed. Your file stays in your browser on your own device. This article is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, contact the Landlord and Tenant Board or a community legal clinic.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ontario standard lease mandatory?
Most new private residential tenancies in Ontario must use the province's standard lease. Some housing types are exempt. Check the exemption list in the Ontario government's guide to the form before you assume either way.
Where do I get the Ontario lease agreement form?
Download the current version free from the Government of Ontario. Do not reuse an old copy, because the form is updated from time to time.
Can a landlord add extra terms to the standard lease?
Yes, in the additional terms section, but a term that takes away a right the law gives the tenant has no effect even after both sides sign. Ask about anything unusual before signing.
What happens when a fixed term lease ends in Ontario?
The tenancy usually continues month to month on the same terms unless the parties agree to something else. You do not have to move out on the last day of the term.
What if my landlord will not give me a standard lease?
Ask for it in writing and keep a copy of the request. The Ontario government's guide to the standard lease sets out what a tenant can do next. The steps and time limits are specific, so read that guide or speak to a community legal clinic before you act.
Can I fill out the Ontario lease agreement online?
Yes. Open the official PDF in the free fill a PDF tool, type into the fields, add signatures, and download a copy for each person who signed. The file stays on your device.