The Difference Between an L1 and L2 Application, Explained

Both are landlord applications, but for different notices

An L1 and an L2 are both applications a landlord files with the Landlord and Tenant Board to end a tenancy and, where applicable, obtain an order for eviction. Beyond that shared purpose, they diverge significantly. An L1 is used specifically to apply for the termination of a tenancy for non-payment of rent (following an N4) and, in most cases, to also claim the rent arrears owed. An L2 is a broader application used to terminate a tenancy on most other grounds — N5 (interference, damage, overcrowding), N6 (illegal act), N7 (serious impairment or safety issues), N8 (various end-of-term grounds including persistent late payment), N12 (landlord's own use), and N13 (demolition, conversion, or extensive renovation), among others.

Put simply: if the underlying issue is money owed, the application is generally an L1. If the underlying issue is conduct, safety, occupancy, or the landlord's own stated plans for the unit, the application is generally an L2. This split mirrors the same money-versus-everything-else distinction that separates the N4 from most other termination notices.

What an L1 is specifically for

An L1 application generally follows an N4 notice that has expired without the full arrears being paid. It asks the LTB to terminate the tenancy and, where the landlord is seeking it, to order the tenant to pay the rent arrears owed as of the hearing date (and sometimes compensation for each day the tenant remains in the unit after the termination date). Because the facts at issue in a typical L1 are comparatively narrow — was rent owed, how much, and was it paid — many L1 hearings move through relatively quickly compared to more fact-heavy L2 matters, though scheduling can still vary.

A tenant facing an L1 generally still has the opportunity to pay the arrears before or even at the hearing in many cases, which can resolve the matter without an eviction order, since paying the amount owed addresses the underlying N4 ground directly. For the specific mechanics of what counts as a cure and by when, see our guide to the N4 notice for unpaid rent.

What an L2 is specifically for

An L2 is the application used for essentially every termination ground that isn't about a simple unpaid rent balance. This includes interference, damage, and overcrowding (N5); committing an illegal act or misrepresenting income to obtain subsidized housing (N6); seriously impairing safety (N7); persistent late payment, breach of a material term that wasn't fixed after notice, or other end-of-term grounds (N8); and the landlord's own use or renovation/demolition grounds (N12 and N13). Because the facts at issue in these matters are generally more varied and often more contested — was the conduct substantial, was the landlord's stated intention genuine, was the renovation actually extensive enough to require vacancy — L2 hearings tend to involve more detailed evidence and testimony than a typical arrears-focused L1.

Arrears math vs. factual grounds: different hearings

The practical experience of an L1 hearing and an L2 hearing can feel quite different, even though both happen before the same Board. An L1 hearing is, in most cases, largely an arithmetic exercise: confirming the rent amount, the arrears balance, any payments made, and whether the notice and application were handled correctly. An L2 hearing is generally more like a dispute about facts: what happened, when, how severe it was, whether it meets the legal threshold for the specific ground relied upon, and whether the landlord has brought enough credible evidence to support the claim. This is part of why L2 matters, overall, can sometimes take longer to resolve and often involve more extensive evidence from both sides.

How the timelines generally differ

The notice periods behind each application differ, which flows through to the overall timeline. An N4 behind an L1 generally requires only 14 days' notice (or 7 for daily/weekly tenancies) before an application can be filed, making the L1 pathway, from notice to filing, comparatively fast. The notices behind an L2 vary — an N5 or N7 can be as short as a specific number of days depending on the ground, while an N12 or N8 generally requires 60 days, and an N13 requires specific notice tied to the nature of the work and vacancy need. Once filed, actual hearing scheduling depends on the LTB's caseload at the time, which can vary, but the underlying notice-period differences mean an L1 can often, though not always, reach the application stage sooner than an L2 tied to a longer-notice ground.

Why some L1s can be decided without a full hearing

A distinguishing feature of certain straightforward L1 applications is that, where the facts are undisputed and narrow enough (essentially, an uncontested arrears amount with no other issues raised), some L1 matters can, in certain circumstances, be resolved through a more streamlined process than a full oral hearing, reflecting how narrow the factual dispute often is. This is not universal, and any complication — a disputed amount, a raised maintenance issue, or other counter-claims — generally moves the matter toward a more typical hearing process. L2 applications, by their nature involving more varied and often more disputed facts, generally proceed through a full hearing process.

What happens after either application is filed

Filing either an L1 or an L2 does not itself end a tenancy. Both are requests to the LTB, which will generally schedule a hearing (or, in limited L1 circumstances, a more streamlined review) where the tenant can respond. Only a Board order can actually terminate a tenancy, and even then, physical eviction can only be carried out by the Sheriff's office, not the landlord directly, after the order's deadlines have passed. Our LTB hearing guide and guide to LTB orders and enforcement cover what happens procedurally once an application reaches that stage.

How a landlord figures out which one to file

In practice, the question "L1 or L2?" is answered by looking back at the notice that was served. If the notice was an N4 and the underlying issue is purely unpaid rent, the application is an L1. If the notice was anything else — N5, N6, N7, N8, N12, or N13 — the application is an L2, regardless of how the landlord might informally describe the problem. Landlords occasionally combine unrelated issues and get the application type wrong as a result; keeping each notice and its corresponding application tied to one clear, correctly matched ground tends to produce a cleaner process than trying to bundle multiple issues into the wrong form.

A useful way to think about it: the application type is essentially downstream of the notice, not an independent choice. A landlord doesn't decide "I'll file an L1" or "I'll file an L2" in the abstract and then pick a notice to match — the correct notice for the actual problem comes first, and the application type follows automatically from that. This also means a landlord who is unsure which notice fits a given situation should resolve that question first, since getting the notice right is really the harder and more consequential decision; the application form itself is largely a formality once the right notice and timeline are in place.

What this distinction means from the tenant's side

For a tenant, recognizing which type of application has been filed helps clarify what's actually at stake at the hearing. An L1 hearing will generally focus narrowly on the rent ledger — what's owed, what's been paid, and whether the notice and filing were done correctly — so a tenant's strongest arguments usually relate to payment records, disputed amounts, or procedural defects in the notice itself. An L2 hearing invites a broader range of evidence and argument, since the underlying ground (conduct, safety, own-use, renovation) typically involves more contested facts. A tenant served with an L2 application benefits from thinking through the specific ground being relied on and preparing evidence that speaks directly to whether that ground is actually met, rather than treating it as a generic eviction hearing.

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Reviewed by Ryan J. Manilla, BA, JD

Legal Reviewer · Landlord Tenant Ontario