Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) eviction guide
Quick answer
Serve a Landlord's Notice to Terminate Early (Cause) giving 10 days notice when rent is 15+ days overdue, then file an Application for Dispute Resolution with the Residential Tenancies Section (Service NL) for $20 CAD. A hearing is held within 20 km of the property and the local Sheriff's Office enforces any Order of Possession.
| Legal grounds | Nonpayment of rent (15+ days overdue), material breach of lease, illegal activity, significant property damage, interference with peaceful enjoyment of others |
|---|---|
| Minimum notice | 10 days (nonpayment 15+ days overdue); 4 to 14 days (interference with peaceful enjoyment); 1 rental period (material breach after written notice); 3 months (periodic tenancy, no cause) |
| Where to file | Residential Tenancies Section, Service NL (Department of Government Services) |
| Filing fee | $20 CAD |
| Typical timeframe | 4 to 10 weeks from notice to enforcement; Order of Possession itself issued within approximately 1 week of hearing |
Served when rent has been unpaid for 15 days or more; tenant receives 10 days notice to vacate before the landlord may apply for dispute resolution.
Served when a tenant interferes with the peaceful enjoyment of other occupants or causes a nuisance; the notice period ranges from 4 to 14 days.
Served after the landlord has given the tenant prior written notice of the breach and the tenant has failed to comply within the rental period.
Used to end a month-to-month or other periodic tenancy without cause; at least 3 months written notice is required.
| Step | Timeframe | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Serve Landlord's Notice to Terminate Early (Cause) | Day 1 (once rent is 15+ days overdue) | Deliver the prescribed notice form to the tenant at the rental unit, specifying the grounds, amount owed (if applicable), and the 10-day termination date. |
| 2. Wait for notice period to expire | 10 days (nonpayment); varies by other grounds | If the tenant pays all arrears or remedies the breach before the notice date, the landlord may not need to proceed further. |
| 3. File Application for Dispute Resolution with Service NL | After notice period expires and tenant remains | Complete the Application for Dispute Resolution form, pay the $20 fee (online or in-person), and submit to the Residential Tenancies Section. |
| 4. Attend hearing | Within weeks of filing | A hearing is held within 20 km of the rental property; both landlord and tenant present evidence and arguments to the adjudicator. |
| 5. Adjudicator issues Order of Possession | Up to approximately 1 week after hearing | If the eviction is upheld, the adjudicator issues a certified Order of Possession stating specific reasons; the tenant may appeal to the Director or Trial Division. |
| 6. Sheriff enforces Order of Possession | After certified order is delivered to Sheriff's Office | The landlord delivers the certified Order of Possession to the local Sheriff's Office, which escorts the landlord to the property and removes the tenant if necessary. |
The Application for Dispute Resolution fee is $20 CAD, payable online or in-person through Service NL. Separate sheriff enforcement fees may apply when the Sheriff's Office is engaged to carry out the Order of Possession.
The adjudicator's certified Order of Possession is delivered to the local Sheriff's Office, where a Sheriff's Officer escorts the landlord to the property, removes the tenant if necessary, and allows the landlord to change the locks. Self-help eviction (changing locks, removing belongings, or cutting utilities without an order) is illegal in Newfoundland and Labrador.
General information, not legal advice. Governing statute: Residential Tenancies Act, 2018, SNL 2018, c R-14.2. Self-help eviction is illegal everywhere; always follow the court process.
Newfoundland and Labrador eviction FAQ
Rent must be **15 days overdue** before a landlord can serve a Landlord's Notice to Terminate Early for nonpayment, which gives the tenant **10 days** notice.
The Application for Dispute Resolution fee is **$20 CAD**, payable to Service NL online or in-person.
The local **Sheriff's Office** enforces Orders of Possession; a Sheriff's Officer escorts the landlord to the property and removes the tenant if they refuse to leave.
The full process typically takes **4 to 10 weeks** from notice to sheriff enforcement; the Order of Possession itself is issued within approximately **1 week** of the hearing.
Yes. A tenant may apply to the Director of Residential Tenancies for reconsideration and, if unsuccessful, may further appeal to the **Trial Division of the Supreme Court**.
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