To get a copy of the audio from a hearing at Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB), you file a Request for Hearing Recording. For a landlord, the recording is usually wanted for one of three reasons: to support a Request to Review an Order, to confirm precisely what was said or agreed, or to have a transcript made. The fee is $16.15, and the Board makes no promise that a recording was made.
At a glance
| Who may ask | Any party (Rule 7.10); the form also has an "Other" box for non-parties |
| Timing | Any time after the hearing |
| Retention | Unsettled: the instructions say ten years from the hearing date, while Rule 7.10 says seven years from file closure (details below) |
| Filing | Email to ltbpayments@ontario.ca with an online payment receipt, mail, courier or ServiceOntario |
| Cost | $16.15, returned if no recording exists |
| Next form | None |
What the request gets you
Nothing in the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 obliges the Board to record hearings, although the instructions note that most LTB proceedings are in fact recorded. Rule 7.10 treats any recording as part of the record and entitles a party to a copy once the fee is paid. The Board looks for the recording, tells you whether one exists, and sends it if it does. It gives no assurance about whether a recording exists or how clear it is. Current recordings are MP4 files; older ones may be in MP3, M4A or WMA format.
Good reasons to order a recording, and the wrong uses
Order one when:
- a review is on the table. If you plan a Request to Review an Order, the recording may be the best evidence of what happened at the hearing. The time to request a review has been 15 days (no longer 30) since July 1, 2026, so put the order in the same day you read the decision;
- the terms of a settlement or consent matter. The recording shows exactly what was read into the record;
- you need a transcript. A court reporter can prepare one from the audio.
This form will not help you:
- obtain documents from the file. Copies cost $0.54 per page (listed under "Other fees"), and records requests go through a separate process;
- make your own recording. Rule 7.12 requires the Board's permission under s. 29 of the Statutory Powers Procedure Act, sought before the hearing starts. Rule 7.11 is a separate route: on notice, a party may bring in a court reporter at their own cost.
Timing: retention, turnaround and downloads
Retention, where the sources conflict. The form and the instructions advise requesting within ten years of the hearing date, after which the recording is erased. Rule 7.10 of the current Rules instead requires requests within seven years after the file was closed. The two periods start from different events, so neither is safe to rely on. Ask early.
Turnaround. Where a recording exists, the Board tries to send it within two weeks, though some requests take longer. With only 15 days to request a review, file the review on time even if the audio has not arrived.
Download link. An emailed link stays live for 30 days after you receive it.
To see how tight this is: an order issued Monday, November 2, 2026 must be the subject of a review request by November 17, 2026. A two-week turnaround on a recording ordered November 2 would land on November 16, leaving one day to spare, and only if nothing is delayed.
Filling in the request
Part 1, Requester's Information. Check Landlord, Tenant, Representative or Other. Add your name, address and phone number, plus the email address where the recording should be sent. With no email address, you will receive the recording by mail on a USB key.
Part 2, Hearing Information.
- File Number(s): where the Board joined files and heard them together, give each related file number.
- Hearing Date(s) and Time(s): one entry for every sitting you want.
- Hearing Location / Video Conference No.
Part 3, Recording Fee. Indicate the payment method:
- Online Payment, quoting the receipt number, when you file by email;
- Money Order or Certified Cheque, payable to the Minister of Finance;
- Credit Card, by including the LTB Credit Card Payment Form with a mail or courier filing.
Part 4. Sign and add the date in dd/mm/yyyy format.
Submitting it and paying
Email. Pay the $16.15 through the LTB's online payment portal, then send the form and the receipt to ltbpayments@ontario.ca. Card numbers must never be emailed; the Board deletes any email that contains credit card information.
Mail or courier. Enclose the form with a certified cheque, a money order or the Credit Card Payment Form. Both the forms page and the instructions accept these routes, and the instructions refer you to the LTB's contact page for addresses.
ServiceOntario. Use a location that handles LTB documents. Cash, debit, credit card, certified cheque and money order are all accepted.
If you are a low-income individual, the fee can be waived on a Fee Waiver Request.
What slows down or sinks a request
- Ordering too late to help with a review. The 15-day review period keeps running while you wait for the audio.
- Leaving out a joined file. Where your L1 was heard with a tenant's T2, for example, list both numbers or the search may miss the sitting.
- The wrong date. Searches run by file number and date, and an adjourned case can have several sittings, so list each one you want.
- Putting card details in an email. The request is deleted unprocessed.
- Missing the 30-day download window. Open the link in folder view and click the download arrow; the instructions caution that the preview player will not let you save the file.
- Counting on a recording that may not exist. You get your money back if there is none, but you will have to rely on other evidence, such as your notes or the order itself.
After you file
If there is a recording, two emails arrive: one carrying the link and a second carrying the password. Download the file before the 30 days are up. Requests without an email address are answered with a USB flash drive in the mail. If the hearing was never recorded, the Board refunds or returns your payment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fee for an LTB hearing recording?
$16.15. The same figure appears on the form, in the instructions and in the LTB fee schedule.
How quickly does the recording arrive?
The Board aims for two weeks when a recording exists, but some take longer.
For how long are hearing recordings kept?
The answer depends on the source: the instructions say ten years from the hearing date, while Rule 7.10 requires requests within seven years after the file closes. Order it as soon as you can.
Does the LTB prepare written transcripts?
No; it supplies the audio. A party may hire a court reporter at their own expense under Rule 7.11, and a transcript used at a hearing must be provided in full to the Board and to every other party.