No, you need to turn your XP on right before your sub ends. Then, after your Sub ends, wait 1-2 hours or so to clear your Sub. If you do not wait for sub to end (It should say (Inactive) on all your 21+ characters), you will level in your next BG.
1. If you turn off XP before your sub ends, and you need it turned back on, thats a ticket.
2. If you leveled to 21 after your sub ran out, that's a ticket.
Typically, both are solved in maybe a few days if you put in a proper ticket ( e.g. don't sperg out and have bad grammar/manners).
But yeah, turn on xp before sub ends, and wait a bit afterwards