Filling Out the Ontario Standard Lease: A Lease Agreement Example

This Ontario lease agreement example walks through the Ontario Standard Lease in order. Fill in the parties, unit, term, rent, services and deposits first. Leave sections 12, 13 and 14 as written, because they cannot be changed. Put anything extra in section 15, in plain language. Most private residential landlords must use this government form, and a private template does not replace it.

What the Ontario Standard Lease is, and whether it is mandatory

The Ontario Standard Lease is the Government of Ontario's form for residential tenancy agreements. Ontario's guide says it is required for most residential tenancy agreements signed on or after April 30, 2018, and that once complete it creates the contract between landlord and tenant. Ontario's page on renting also says landlords of most private residential rental units, from individuals to property management companies, must use it for new leases.

It does not apply to care homes, sites in mobile home parks and land lease communities, most social and supportive housing, certain other special tenancies and co-operative housing. If your tenancy might be one of those, check with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) or a lawyer or licensed paralegal.

The LTB does not issue the lease. It resolves disputes between landlords and tenants. Download the current form and guide from Ontario.ca each time, rather than reusing an old copy from a previous tenancy.

What if the landlord never used it? The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 says a tenancy agreement in the prescribed form is required for the prescribed classes, and it also says the agreement is not void just because it does not comply. A tenant can demand a compliant agreement in writing, and if 21 days pass without one, the tenant may withhold rent, up to a total of one month's rent. Treat this as a fixable error and fix it early.

Ontario standard lease vs Form 400

Form 400 is a residential tenancy agreement template from the Ontario Real Estate Association. It is not the government form. Where the standard lease is required, a Form 400 or a homemade lease does not replace it.

If you have an older lease built on a private template, do not copy it across clause by clause. Use the standard lease, then check each old clause against two rules:

• Sections 12, 13 and 14 of the standard lease already cover changes to the unit, maintenance and repairs, and assignment and subletting. You cannot rewrite them.
• Anything that tries to take away a right or responsibility under the Act is void and cannot be enforced, even if the tenant signed it.

What survives goes in section 15, in plain language. Our guide to what to include in a lease addendum covers the usual candidates.

Parties, unit and contact details (sections 1 to 3)

Section 1, parties. Use full legal names for every landlord and every tenant. Everyone listed here must sign in section 17, so list only the people who will be on the lease.

Section 2, rental unit. Give the full address with the unit number, and the number and location of any parking spaces. If the unit is in a condominium, say so. The tenant then agrees to follow the declaration, bylaws and rules that you provide, so hand them over at signing.

Section 3, contact information. Enter the landlord's address for formal notices. The Act requires a written agreement to set out the landlord's legal name and address for notices and other documents. You and the tenant can also agree to give formal notices by email, but only where the LTB's rules allow it. Add emergency or day-to-day contacts in the space provided.

Common slip: using a nickname, a trade name or the property manager's details where the legal landlord should be. Another is leaving the email section blank and later assuming you can serve notices that way.

Ontario lease agreement example: term, rent and services (sections 4 to 7)

Section 4, term. Enter the date the tenant may move in and the length of the term. A fixed term ending does not mean the tenant must leave or sign a renewal. Unless the tenancy ends another way, the tenant stays as a monthly tenant under the same rules.

Section 5, rent. The total rent is the base rent plus any separate charges, such as parking or a storage locker. Any future rent increase is based on that total, so make the arithmetic right. Also state when rent is due, to whom, by what method, and any administrative charge for returned cheques.

Section 6, services and utilities. List what is included in the rent and what is charged separately, and say who pays electricity, heat and water. Do not leave this blank, because a gap leads to arguments in the first winter.

Section 7, rent discounts. If you offer one, say so here. When it ends, the tenant pays the total rent from section 5 plus any lawful increases.

Here is a short example. The names and figures are placeholders, not recommendations.

Deposits, smoking and tenant insurance (sections 8 to 11)

Section 8, rent deposit. A landlord may collect a rent deposit of no more than one month's rent, to be used for the last month of the tenancy, and must pay interest on it each year. The guide says a rent deposit cannot be used as a damage deposit, and damage deposits are not allowed. Our rent deposit rules explain the details.

Section 9, key deposit. A refundable key deposit is allowed. Enter the amount if you take one, and keep it separate from the rent deposit in your records.

Section 10, smoking. Provincial law bans smoking in indoor common areas outside the rental unit. Inside the unit, you and the tenant can agree on a rule. See smoke-free and cannabis lease clauses for wording ideas.

Section 11, tenant insurance. You can agree that the tenant must carry liability insurance, and if you ask for proof, the tenant must give it. Contents insurance is the tenant's choice. See tenant insurance requirements in Ontario before you decide what to ask for.

Sections you cannot change, and what goes in additional terms

Sections 12 (changes to the rental unit), 13 (maintenance and repairs) and 14 (assignment and subletting) are fixed. If you want to add detail, write it in section 15, additional terms.

Section 15 rules of thumb:

• Write in plain language and say what the landlord or tenant must or must not do.
• If typed, use a font size of at least 10 points, and attach the terms to the lease.
• Keep terms specific to the unit or property, such as shared laundry hours or use of a common yard.
• Do not include terms that take away rights under the Act. Ontario's guide gives examples of void terms: no pets, no guests or roommates, deposits or penalties the Act does not allow, and making the tenant pay for repairs that are the landlord's responsibility.
• Do not copy notice periods, deadlines or form versions into your terms. The Residential Tenancies Act and several LTB forms changed on September 21, 2026, and a clause that repeats an old rule can go wrong. Point to the Act and the LTB's current forms instead.

Section 16 says changes to the agreement must be agreed in writing. Keep every signed change with the lease.

Signing, copies and common filling-in mistakes

Section 17, signatures. All landlords and tenants listed in section 1 must sign. You can sign electronically if both sides agree. If there are several tenants, each is responsible for all tenant obligations, including the full rent. The landlord must give the tenant a copy within 21 days after the tenant signs it, and the Act suspends the tenant's obligation to pay rent until the landlord has complied with the copy and address rules. Do not leave this for later.

Before you hand over the keys, check for these mistakes:

• Names that do not match the ID or the application.
• A total rent figure that does not match the advertised rent or the first rent notice.
• Services or utilities left blank.
• A deposit above one month's rent, or any damage deposit.
• Additional terms that contradict the Act.
• A missing signature, or a signed lease with no copy given.

Keeping the lease, signed changes and renewal dates in one file is a large part of what D&D's lease management service covers, from preparing the Ontario Standard Lease to tracking dates and timing rent increase notices.

Ontario standard lease questions

Is the Ontario standard lease mandatory?

For most residential tenancies, yes. Ontario's guide says the standard lease is required for most residential tenancy agreements signed on or after April 30, 2018. It does not apply to care homes, mobile home park sites, most social and supportive housing, co-operative housing and certain other special tenancies. If you are unsure, ask the LTB or a lawyer or paralegal.

What is the difference between the Ontario standard lease and Form 400?

The standard lease is the Government of Ontario's form. Form 400 is a template from the Ontario Real Estate Association. Where the standard lease is required, a private template does not replace it. Move any extra terms from an older lease into section 15 of the standard lease, and drop anything that conflicts with the Act.

Does the Landlord and Tenant Board provide the lease?

No. The LTB resolves disputes between landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act. The standard lease is published on Ontario.ca, with a guide in several languages. If a lease dispute reaches the LTB, the signed lease and any additional terms are among the first documents it will want to see.

Can I add my own rules to the Ontario standard lease?

Yes, in section 15, additional terms, written in plain language and attached to the lease. You cannot change sections 12, 13 or 14. Any extra term that takes away a right or responsibility under the Act is void, such as a ban on pets or guests, or a damage deposit.

What if my landlord never gave me a standard lease?

Ontario's page on renting says a tenant entitled to one can ask the landlord in writing, and the landlord must provide it within 21 calendar days. If not, the tenant can withhold one month's rent. The Act also says the agreement is not void just because it does not comply. For your situation, ask the LTB or a legal professional.

Devon Moore, Operations Lead Co-Founder & Operations Lead — D&D Property Management

Devon Moore is the co-founder and Operations Lead at D&D Property Management, managing rental properties across Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph and Waterloo Region.