Landlord Registration and Licences in Ontario

Not at the provincial level, as far as this research found. The search covered the full text of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and Government of Ontario pages. The only reference to a registered professional in the Act is to a registered real estate broker or salesperson in section 27, which deals with showing a unit to a buyer. No page describing a province-wide landlord registry or licence turned up.

That does not mean you are free of every local rule. Cities and towns make their own by-laws, and some of those rules apply to landlords. They are municipal rules, and each applies only inside that municipality. The one this research confirmed is in Toronto.

So the honest answer has two parts: no provincial registration found, and a municipal check is your job.

Even without a registry, the Act places duties on every landlord. Most come up in the first weeks of a tenancy.

• A standard lease. For most private tenancies, the agreement must be on the standard form of lease, Form 2229E. See the guide to Ontario landlord forms.
• A copy of the signed lease. You must give the tenant a copy within 21 days after the tenant signs and returns it. Until you do, rent is suspended (section 12).
• A legal name and address. A written agreement must give the landlord's legal name and address for notices.
• Limited deposits. Only a rent deposit and a refundable key deposit are allowed.
• Proper entry notice. Written notice of 24 hours with reason, day and time.

These are duties of conduct, not registrations. If you are new to renting out a home, our guide on how to become a landlord in Ontario walks through the whole process, and the Ask page on becoming a landlord gives a short version.

The City of Toronto runs RentSafeTO, a City program. According to the City of Toronto Apartment Building Standards page, it applies to apartment buildings with three or more storeys and ten or more units. Building owners must register with the program and renew every year.

This is a municipal rule that applies only in Toronto. It is not an Ontario law, and it does not apply to a building in Ottawa, Hamilton or anywhere else. It also does not apply to a small building in Toronto that falls below the size threshold.

Toronto also has a licence for multi-tenant houses, often called rooming houses. The City's page for landlords and operators says that landlords who operate a multi-tenant house are required to have a City licence. The research did not define what counts as a multi-tenant house or give a start date, so read the City of Toronto page before you rely on the label. Use the City of Toronto website for the application, fees and current rules.

The research did not check other municipalities, so no list of them is given here. Do not assume a city has no rule just because Toronto is the only one named. Use these steps.

1. Find the municipal contact. Look for the by-law, licensing or property standards office on your city or town website.
2. Ask the exact question. Does the municipality register or license rental properties, rooming houses or multi-tenant houses, and does your building type fall under it?
3. Ask about fees and renewals. Yearly figures change, so get the current number from the municipality and not from an old page.
4. Get the answer in writing. An email reply or a link to the by-law is enough. Keep it with your lease records.

Condo owners should also check the condominium declaration and rules, which can bind tenants as well. See the tenant-side Ontario condo rental rules for more.

Some living arrangements are outside the Residential Tenancies Act altogether, which changes which rules apply. Section 5 lists the full set. Two examples that come up often:

• Vacation and seasonal stays. Living accommodation for the travelling or vacationing public, or occupied for a seasonal or temporary period, in places such as a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast or vacation home.
• Sharing with the owner. Accommodation where the occupant must share a bathroom or kitchen with the owner, or the owner's spouse, child or parent, and that person lives in the building.

If your rental sits in one of these groups, the Act's notice and tribunal rules may not apply. Municipal rules about short stays or shared housing are not covered by the research, so ask your municipality directly.

The only licensed professional named in the Act is a broker or salesperson registered under the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002. Section 27 lets them enter a unit with your written authorization to show it to a potential buyer, after 24 hours' written notice. That is a rule about entry, not about who may manage your rental.

The research did not find a provincial fee for owning or renting out a unit. Fees can exist at city level, as with Toronto's programs, so ask the municipality. If you hire a property manager, ask the manager which city programs apply to your building.

This guide explains the rules in general terms; for a specific case, ask the tribunal or a licensed legal professional.