Serving Notice on a Tenant in Saskatchewan: Methods and Proof
A perfectly drafted notice served the wrong way is worth nothing at an ORT hearing. Section 82 of Saskatchewan's Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 spells out exactly how a landlord must deliver a notice to vacate — and the Certificate of Service you complete afterward is what proves it actually happened.
Three Lawful Service Methods
Method 1 — Personal delivery. Hand the notice directly to each adult tenant named on the agreement. This is the fastest and most reliable method because receipt is immediate — no deeming delay, no ambiguity. If the tenant is physically present, this is your best option.
Method 2 — Door posting plus ordinary mail. Tape or securely attach a copy to the front entrance door of the rental unit and mail a second copy by ordinary post. Both steps are required. Placing a notice in the mailbox without posting it on the door does not satisfy the statute.
Method 3 — Door posting plus electronic transmission. Tape a copy to the front door and send a copy electronically — by email, text message, or fax. The electronic document must be substantially the same as the written notice, accessible, and capable of being retained for later reference.
Handing a notice to a roommate, a neighbour, or a minor is not valid service. Leaving it under the door without posting it on the outside is not valid. Sending only a text message without posting on the door is not valid.
Deemed Receipt Dates
The service method determines when the tenant is legally deemed to have received the notice, which is critical for calculating whether your notice period is met:
| Method | Deemed Received |
|---|---|
| Personal delivery | Immediately at the time of delivery |
| Door posting + mail | The third business day after mailing |
| Door posting + electronic | Next business day after transmission |
Mail service is deemed received on the third business day after mailing; electronic service is deemed received on the next business day. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are not business days.
This matters more than most landlords realize. If you need the tenant to receive notice by May 31 for a June 30 termination, and you post the notice on the door and email it on a Friday, the deemed receipt date is the following Monday. If Monday is June 1, you have missed the deadline — and the termination date pushes to July 31.
The Certificate of Service
After serving the notice, the person who completed delivery must sign a Certificate of Service — a prescribed ORT form documenting:
- The name of the person who served the document
- The name of the person served
- The method of service used
- The date and time of service
- A description of what was served
For personal or electronic service, the ORT requires a Certificate of Service for each person served. Proof of service is required when a notice is used in an ORT application.
Complete the certificate immediately after service while the details are fresh. If someone else delivers the notice on your behalf (a property manager, a friend, a process server), they must sign the certificate, not you.
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Service on a Former Tenant
Serving documents on a former tenant generally requires personal service or electronic service under Section 82. Security-deposit notices have a special rule: if the tenant provided a forwarding address, serve the notice there by personal service, ordinary mail, or electronic form; if no forwarding address was provided, the Act does not require service of that notice.
Common Service Failures
Text message only. An electronic copy must be paired with door posting. A standalone text, email, or social media message is not valid service.
Mailbox deposit without door posting. Slipping a notice into the mailbox satisfies neither the posting nor the mailing requirement.
Serving only one tenant on a joint agreement. If two adults are named on the tenancy agreement, both must be served. Serve each adult separately — hand one copy to each person, or use door posting plus mail/electronic that covers all named tenants.
No Certificate of Service. The ORT requires a completed certificate for personal or electronic service, and proof of service for applications. Complete the certificate for each person served by those methods.
The Saskatchewan Ending a Tenancy guide includes a service-method decision checklist, a filled-in Certificate of Service example, and date-math worksheets accounting for deemed receipt delays.
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