Property, Rentals & Care · 6 min read · Last updated
Toronto's Rental Renovation Licence exists to stop renovations from being used as evictions. Under the Rental Renovation Licence Bylaw, a landlord must obtain the licence before starting repairs or renovations that require tenants to move out under the provincial N13 process — and the licence sits on top of, not instead of, the building permits the work itself needs. Here is how the regime works and what landlords must line up before the first N13 is served.
The City of Toronto lists this under its “Licence” category: “The Rental Renovation Licence Bylaw requires landlords to obtain a licence before starting repairs or renovations that require tenants to move out of their rental units under the Provincial N13 process.”
Who needs this licence?
The licence is triggered by one specific situation: a landlord planning repairs or renovations extensive enough that tenants must vacate their rental units, using the provincial N13 notice process. If the work requires the unit to be empty and an N13 is the mechanism, the Rental Renovation Licence must be in place before the work proceeds.
Renovations that do not displace tenants sit outside the bylaw — a kitchen upgrade the tenant lives through needs permits, not this licence. The regime is aimed squarely at renovictions: it forces the landlord to demonstrate, before displacement, that the renovation is genuine and the tenants' rights through the process are being honoured.
What documents do you need?
The application asks the landlord to prove the renovation is real and the displacement is lawful:
- Identification and ownership or corporate documents for the landlord
- The building permit obtained for the renovation work — evidence the project is genuine and approved
- Documentation supporting that the work requires vacant possession of the unit
- Information about the affected units and tenants, and the arrangements addressing tenants' rights during displacement
- Items from the City's supporting-documents checklist for the licence
The sequencing matters: the building permit and the vacancy justification come first, because the licence application is built on them.
Zoning and premises requirements
The licence does not add a zoning test of its own — the units are already lawful rental housing, and the renovation's zoning and Building Code questions travel with the building permit application. What the licence adds is scrutiny of necessity: whether the scope of work genuinely requires the tenant to leave. Landlords should keep the permit drawings, the scope of work and the vacancy claim consistent with each other, because the City reads them together.
Inspections and approvals
Expect the City to verify rather than take on faith. Municipal Licensing & Standards administers the licence and can inspect and require records through the renovation, and the building permit brings its own inspections by Toronto Building as the work proceeds. The two tracks reinforce each other: a licensed renovation that stalls, or a permit that shows minor work behind a claim of major work, is exactly what the regime is designed to surface.
How much does it cost?
The licence carries its own fee, set in the City's fee schedule and confirmed during the application, separate from building permit fees. For a landlord the licence fee is a minor line in a renovation budget — the substantive costs are the tenant-protection obligations the process attaches to displacement.
How to apply
Apply to Municipal Licensing & Standards — through the City's online Business Licence & Permit portal, available since January 2026, or in person — before starting work that displaces tenants under an N13. Assemble the building permit, the vacancy justification and the tenant information first; an application without the permit in hand is an application waiting on its own foundation.
Permits2Go's workspace runs the building permit application and the Rental Renovation Licence as one coordinated file, which is exactly how the City expects to see them.
Renewals and staying compliant
This licence tracks a project rather than an annual cycle: it must be in place before the qualifying work starts and stay valid while the displacement it authorizes is in play. Keep the City informed as the project progresses, complete the work the permit describes, and honour the tenant arrangements through to the end — the licence's obligations do not finish until the process it authorized does.
Quick quiz: test what you learned
Three questions, all answered in this guide. Click an answer to check it.
1. When does a Toronto landlord need a Rental Renovation Licence?
The trigger is tenant displacement through the N13 process — renovations tenants live through need permits but not this licence.
2. How does the Rental Renovation Licence relate to a building permit?
The licence governs the displacement; the permit governs the construction — and the licence application relies on the permit to show the renovation is genuine.
3. What problem is the Rental Renovation Licence Bylaw designed to address?
The bylaw forces landlords to demonstrate, before displacement, that the renovation is real and tenants' rights through the process are honoured.
Skip the paperwork
Tell Permits2Go about your business and it assembles the licence application for you — document checklists, e-signatures and a guided workspace for Toronto, with more cities on the way.
This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice. Licensing requirements, by-laws and fees change and vary by municipality — always confirm the current rules with the City before you apply.