The question
You need a medical certificate for work or study and do not want to spend your day in a waiting room. Or you are unwell and genuinely cannot leave the house. Online medical certificates through telehealth are now widely available in Australia and are a legitimate, accepted way to document illness or the need for leave.
Can you get a medical certificate online?
Yes. Medical certificates issued following a telehealth consultation with an AHPRA-registered health practitioner are legally valid in Australia under the Fair Work Act 2009. Employers and educational institutions are required to accept them in the same way as a certificate from an in-person GP visit.
The key requirement is that a real-time consultation takes place. Questionnaire-only services that issue certificates without a live consultation can risk breaching professional standards. A certificate from a service that conducts a proper consultation carries appropriate weight with employers.
How the process works
- Book an appointment: Choose a telehealth provider and select a consultation time. Many services offer same-day appointments.
- Complete an intake form: Most providers ask you to describe your symptoms so the practitioner is prepared.
- Attend your consultation: A health practitioner will speak with you by phone or video to assess your symptoms.
- Receive your certificate: If clinically appropriate, the certificate is issued and sent to you electronically as a PDF.
What a medical certificate can cover
Certificates can be issued for illness affecting your ability to work or study, carer’s leave when a family member is unwell, and mental health conditions in the same way as physical illness. Mental health is treated equally under Australian workplace law.
Important things to know
The certificate will show today’s issue date — this is a legal requirement. The practitioner may be able to certify that your illness began before today if clinically justified, but they cannot change the date the certificate is written.