Can a landlord or tenant change the locks in Ontario?
Short answer: Yes, but only with a key for the other side. A landlord who changes the locks while the tenant lives there must give the tenant replacement keys (Residential Tenancies Act, s. 24). A tenant can't change the locks without the landlord's consent (s. 35). Locking a tenant out over rent or anything else is illegal: you get the unit back only when the tenant moves out or abandons it, or with an LTB eviction order (s. 39).
The rules in one table
| Situation | Allowed? | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord changes the locks and hands the tenant new keys | Yes | RTA s. 24 |
| Landlord changes the locks and keeps the tenant out | No. It is a lockout | RTA s. 24, s. 39 |
| Tenant changes the locks with the landlord's consent | Yes | RTA s. 35(1) |
| Tenant changes the locks without consent | No. The landlord can file an L8 | RTA s. 35(1), (2) |
| Landlord changes the locks after the tenant has moved out or abandoned the unit | Yes, the tenancy is over | RTA s. 39(a) |
The rules cover the lock on any door that gives entry to the rental unit or to the building, not just the unit's front door (ss. 24 and 35).
If you, the landlord, want to change the locks
- Give every tenant a new key at the same time. Section 24 says you can't change the locking system during the tenant's occupancy without giving the tenant replacement keys. Plan the work so the keys are in the tenant's hands when the new lock goes in.
- Getting into the unit to do it. Changing the unit's own lock is work in the unit, so give the tenant written notice at least 24 hours ahead unless they agree at the time. See the 24-hour entry notice rules.
- Don't charge for the new keys. O. Reg. 516/06 s. 17 lets you charge only the direct cost of extra keys the tenant asks for, or of replacement keys, and not when the replacement is needed because you chose to change the locks.
- Between tenants is the easy time. Once the old tenant has moved out and handed back the keys, nobody is in occupancy, so you can change the locks before the next tenant moves in and give them their keys at move-in.
Never change the locks to get a tenant out
A landlord can't recover possession of a rental unit unless the tenant has vacated or abandoned it, or an LTB order evicting the tenant has authorized it (s. 39). Even with an eviction order, it is enforced the same way as a writ of possession (s. 85), by the sheriff, not by you. If a tenant stops paying, the lawful route is the N4 notice and then an L1 application. If you think the tenant has left for good, read what counts as an abandoned unit before you touch the lock.
What a lockout can cost you:
- A T2 application. A tenant or former tenant can apply within one year for an order that the landlord changed the locks without giving replacement keys (s. 29(1) para. 5, s. 29(2)).
- LTB orders. The LTB can order the landlord to stop, pay the tenant's costs to repair or replace damaged or disposed property and other reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, reduce the rent, pay an administrative fine of up to the greater of $10,000 and the Small Claims Court limit, or make another order (s. 31(1)). If the conduct pushed the tenant to move, it can add up to a year of higher rent and moving and storage costs (s. 31(2)).
- Getting the unit back. If the unit is still vacant, the LTB can order that the tenant be let back in and that the landlord not rent it to anyone else (s. 31(3)).
- An offence. Knowingly changing a lock contrary to section 24 is an offence (s. 233(b)). On conviction, the fine can be up to $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation (s. 238).
If your tenant changed the locks
- Ask for a key in writing first. Name the door, ask for a working key by a set date, and keep a copy of the message and any reply.
- If no key comes, file Form L8. The L8, Application Because the Tenant Changed the Locks, asks the LTB to order the tenant to give you a key to the new lock or to pay your costs to change the locking system (s. 35(3); L8 instructions). Describe what happened and include the date the lock was changed if you know it, and which locks were changed.
- The fee is $201. The L8 isn't on the Tribunals Ontario Portal, so there's no $186 portal price. You file by email after paying online, by mail or courier, or at ServiceOntario (LTB forms, filing and fees page). Fees are non-refundable.
- The L8 isn't an eviction application. It asks only for a key or your costs to change the lock.
- It can also be an offence by the tenant. Section 233(b) covers anyone who knowingly changes a lock in a way that breaks section 35, not just landlords. In practice the L8 is the faster way to get a key.
- Don't break in or swap the lock back. The tenant still lives there. Use the LTB, and in an emergency follow the entry rules.
Key deposits and key charges
Under O. Reg. 516/06 s. 17 you may collect:
- a refundable key, fob or card deposit, no more than the expected direct cost to replace it,
- the direct cost of extra keys the tenant asks for,
- the direct cost of replacement keys, unless they're needed because you chose to change the locks.
Anything above that is a fee or "other like amount" that section 134 bans. A key deposit is separate from the last month's rent deposit. See also which other charges are allowed.
Worked example
Your tenant rents the upper unit of a duplex. On Monday, November 2, 2026, you find a new lock on the shared side door and your key no longer works.
- That day you send a written message asking for a working key by Friday, November 6, 2026. You keep a copy.
- No key arrives. On Monday, November 9, 2026, you pay the $201 fee online and email your L8 with the receipt, describing the side door lock and the date you noticed it.
- At the hearing you ask for an order that the tenant give you a key. If you'd rather put in your own lock, you ask for the reasonable cost of changing it instead.
- Throughout, you don't remove the tenant's lock yourself and you give 24 hours' written notice for any entry that isn't an emergency.
Mistakes to avoid
- Changing the locks on a tenant who is behind on rent. It is a lockout under s. 39, open to a T2 and an offence under s. 233(b).
- Treating a tenant who is away as gone. Check the abandoned unit rules first.
- Charging the tenant for keys after you chose to rekey. O. Reg. 516/06 s. 17 doesn't allow it.
- Writing a lease clause that lets you change locks without notice or keys. A term that conflicts with the Act is void (s. 4(1)).
Official sources
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (ontario.ca/laws)
- LTB: Instructions for the L8 application (tenant changed the locks)
- LTB: Instructions for the T2 application about tenant rights
- O. Reg. 516/06 (General regulation under the RTA), s. 17 (key charges and deposits exempt from s. 134) (ontario.ca/laws)
- LTB: Forms, filing and fees
Not legal advice. This site is general information written by a small Ontario landlord, based on official Ontario and Tribunals Ontario sources as of October 24, 2026. Laws and LTB forms change; check the linked official source before you act, and talk to a lawyer or licensed paralegal (or call the LTB at 1-888-332-3234) about your situation. Not affiliated with the Government of Ontario, Tribunals Ontario or the Landlord and Tenant Board. Full disclaimer.