Nova Scotia Form K: unpaid-rent no-hearing application
Learn when a landlord can use Form K after Form D, and when the tenant’s payment or dispute means Form K cannot be used.
Key eligibility checks
- The landlord already served a valid Form D for rental arrears.
- At least 10 days have passed from service of Form D.
- The tenant has not paid the arrears in time and has not filed Form J to set Form D aside.
- The landlord has the correct Form D records, arrears ledger and service evidence, and can complete the required sworn declaration.
Steps and service
The official Form K instructions require a sworn application, supporting Form D and payment. The applicant obtains the copies for service and then uses Form L1 Certificate of Service. The government instructs applicants to return the completed L1 within seven days of filing.
The published registration fee is $31.15. A decision is issued by the Director and does not authorize self-help eviction or changing locks. Enforcement may require court steps.
When Form J may be appropriate
If the tenant paid within the ten-day period, filed a valid application to dispute the notice or the landlord seeks other remedies, check the Form J process instead. Do not use a no-hearing process without confirming eligibility.
Example Form D to Form K sequence
If a properly completed Form D was served on May 5, do not assume a Form K application can be filed that same day. Nova Scotia's current service instructions say Form K can be submitted 10 days or more after Form D was served, and only if the tenant has not paid within the permitted period or applied with Form J to set the notice aside. Calculate the actual service and response dates under the province's rules.
Documents and filing steps
- Bring a copy of the completed Form D, proof that it was formally served, and a current arrears ledger with all payments credited.
- Complete Form K and sign the required declaration before a lawyer or commissioner for oaths as the provincial instructions require.
- Submit the package and current fee through Access Nova Scotia, obtain the copy to serve, and give it to the same tenant.
- Complete Form L1 Certificate of Service and return it within seven days of the Form K application, according to the government.
If payment, a Form J challenge, or service defects make the no-hearing route unavailable, check the regular dispute process before filing. A Director's order still needs lawful enforcement; a landlord cannot physically remove a tenant personally.