Compare Online Medical Certificate Providers in Australia (2026)

Many telehealth providers now offer access to online medical certificates. This page helps you compare leading telehealth sites. It shows patients the types of certificates they issue, from sick or carer’s leave to absence from school or university. Below, you will find all you need to know about turnaround times, bulk billing options, and overall ease of use.

Online Medical Certificates Providers

Medical certificates obtained legitimately online can be used for multiple uses: school, university, work or carer’s leave. For legal reasons, they must be issued by an AHPRA-registered healthcare professional after a synchronous video or phone consultation. Depending on the provider, they can be issued virtually for a single day or multiple days, depending on how long you have been sick, or the clinician believes you should rest or stay away from your commitments to isolate.

Some providers will allow their telehealth doctors to backdate a certificate’s start of the illness – where appropriate –, but the issuing date always must be the day of the actual consult.

Sick Leave Certificates (Personal Illness)

These are perhaps the most common medical certificates. Online sick leave medical certificates are typically issued by a GP, but sometimes also by a nurse or chemist, although the latter are not suitable for longer absence from the workplace.

Medical certificates for illness require a doctor’s consult (online or in person) and assessment, as they are a legally valid document entitling you to sick pay [1].

The document is typically issued straight after your telehealth consult and should include the doctor’s name and signature, provider number, issuing date, and expected dates of absence. They do not typically include the reasons for your sick leave request.

Some of the quickest choices for accessing online GPs 24/7 are Hola Health and Healthy Life, which guarantee GP consults within 15 minutes and offer bulk-billed medical certificates online, although via after-hours consults only.

Carer’s Leave Certificates (Family Care)

In Australia, requirements for carer’s leave certificates depend on workplace policy. They typically would be a doctor’s note or a medical certificate for the sick family member. For example, a medical note obtained via a telehealth consultation could simply state that the sick person required your care during a certain period. The actual condition does not need to be disclosed. A statutory declaration may also be acceptable [1].

Carer’s leave certificates entitle you to continued pay for up to 10 days per year, if you work full-time.

For a fully bulk-billed option that may also assist with at-home doctor’s visits, making caring for your family member easier, you may want to opt for a 13SICK medical certificate.

University & Student Certificates (Special Consideration)

If you’re unable to study for or attend important exams, you may want to get a student medical certificate to apply for special consideration/ exemption. To ensure that your university, TAFE or school accepts the certificate and reduce out-of-pocket costs, you should choose a legitimate provider that provides GP consults and free medical certificates online, such as Abby Health.

Medical Clearance Certificates

These certificates can sometimes be requested from a workplace before you are allowed to return to work, for example, in the case of infectious illness or when you have been incapacitated for a prolonged period. Prime Medic offers these.

Medical Exemptions Certificates

Medical exemption certificates for vaccinations, workplace duties, and other medical needs can be requested through Abby Health.

Hola Health

Hola Health offers medical certificates via GP consults, which means they are valid for sick leave, carer’s leave and study. As one of the fastest telehealth providers in Australia, GP consults are available within 15 minutes 24/7. After-hours services are also bulk-billed, making this one of the most affordable options for obtaining your online medical certificate.

Abby Health

While Abby Health has slightly longer wait times than Hola Health, it offers bulk-billed access to medical certificates seven days a week. You can also schedule your appointment in advance. The intake process is patient-centric and uses AI, which will help keep the GP’s video consult to the point and allow you to request backdated or multi-day certificates, where appropriate.

13SICK

The government-funded 13SICK operates only after-hours but allows for fully bulk-billed services and home visits, making it ideal for when you are caring for a sick relative, for example. Expect wait times for video or phone consults to be much longer than with one of the private telehealth providers and prepare for a potentially longer wait for your actual certificate, too. This service may be best for students looking to get medical certificates.

Prime Medic

This 24/7 telehealth provider also offers sick leave, carer’s leave and clearance medical certificates issued by GPs. While some bulk-billing may be available after-hours, it is best to check at the time of booking. Prime Medic is one of the fastest and most reliable Australian providers, so you can expect short wait times for their video consults and fast medical certificate delivery. The general process starts by booking in their app or online, but for after-hours bulk-billed appointments, you may need to call in instead.

Our Sage

Our Sage medical certificates for work or carer’s leave are available as 1-2 day or multi-day certificates. After registering as a patient and filling in a questionnaire for your booking, medical certificates are provided after a video consult with one of their telehealth GPs. The whole process takes less than 30 minutes and is available 7 days a week between 7am and 11pm. At Our Sage, certificates cannot be used for study/ exemptions, and they cannot be backdated.

Getting online medical certificates is straightforward: The process typically starts with registering your details with the telehealth providers (on their website or in their app) and filling in a short questionnaire. This may include questions about your medical history, current sickness, and any medications you are taking.

You will normally either submit the questionnaire and wait for the next available doctor to review your information and call you back or be asked to select a suitable time slot for a virtual doctor’s consultation. Sometimes, you can also select the specific doctor you have your online consult with.

Following a telehealth consult with an AHPRA-registered doctor, your certificate is generated and delivered via email or SMS. Some providers also make it available as a downloadable PDF in their app.

It is important you check all details are correct when you receive your online medical certificate. Any mistakes or omissions need to be flagged to the provider as soon as possible, so the same doctor can amend the certificate promptly. If you delay flagging any mistakes, there is a chance you may need an additional doctor’s consult, if the consulting doctor is no longer available, which some providers may charge you for.

You may be wondering what the difference is between a medical certificate issued by an AHPRA-registered doctor, such as a General Practitioner (GP), and a medical certificate from the chemist in Australia (sometimes also available online). Both are valid under the Fair Work Act [1] and can be used for work, study, or carer’s leave, but employer or school policies may vary. The difference lies in the scope.

Here’s what they have in common: All medical certificates in Australia need to include your name, the issuing health professional's name and signature, issuing date and provider number. They should also include the period of illness or absence. But they don’t have to include the diagnosis, although patients can elect to disclose it.

In general, chemist-issued certificates can only be used for minor ailments and for a shorter duration, typically 1 day (or max 2-day absence). They cannot be backdated, as they are a simple proof of your current state, as witnessed by the pharmacist, not assessed by a qualified doctor.

These types of certificates are normally issued as “Absence from Work Certificates” or “Pharmacy Notes”. These types of certificates tend to be cheaper and available on the spot in-store or online, often for around $20-$30.

As pharmacists are limited in their ability to assess and diagnose patients, formal GP medical certificates are the preferred choice for most employers and educational institutions. If you provide a pharmacist-issued certificate, your employer can also ask you to undergo a GP assessment as well and provide the resulting medical certificate.

That’s because doctors can properly assess and diagnose medical conditions, including mental health and serious or long-term illness. They can also make recommendations for the suggested length of absence in these cases and, in some limited situations, backdate the start of your illness to a time before their assessment. (It is worth noting that not all telehealth providers allow their doctors to backdate medical certificates, even if they are highly qualified GPs.)

In summary, GP-issued medical certificates are legitimate proof for any kind of absence from work, education, or care, while chemist-issued absence certificates aren’t accepted by all workplaces and can only be issued for the day (sometimes the following day) and not backdated. The latter may be questioned by your employer, but that can be a quick and highly affordable stopgap if you cannot have a full GP assessment when your illness starts or expect to return to your duties within a day.

Where standard medical certificates can be used for absence from work, study, or care obligations, more extensive medical supporting forms for Centrelink (SU415) [2] are used for exemptions from obligations for Jobseeker payments or to support income support claims. They aren’t generally available via general telehealth providers, but your primary GP may be able to assist you virtually, in some cases.

As it is linked to government payments, it also requires specific details about your medical condition, how it affects your day-to-day functioning, and your work capacity, i.e., whether you can still work reduced hours or not at all. This sets it apart from typical medical certificates, which do not disclose any details about your medical condition or capacity for work other than the expected length of your absence.

While doctor-issued medical certificates can be valid for longer than chemist-issued notes of absence, GP-issued SU415 can provide exemptions for up to 90 days. Some telehealth providers with a GP focus may consider issuing an SU415, but typically, you will need a longer appointment and an assessment with your primary GP, who will go through your medical history, assess your functional capacity in person, and continue to assist you with your long-term health needs.

While medical certificates obtained through telehealth are common practice in Australia, there are certain situations where you should opt for an in-person GP consult. For example, serious or complex injuries requiring physical assessment or treatment, like in the case of a deep wound, a potential fracture, severe abdominal pain, breathing difficulties, or rapidly deteriorating conditions. This also includes more complex illnesses, which may require testing and a specialist appointment. While a telehealth doctor may be able to get the ball rolling, most general telehealth services are not set up to provide in-depth, ongoing care and follow-ups, especially if you cannot book with the same healthcare professional at each appointment.

If you need a medical certificate for legal or court documents, an online medical certificate often isn’t accepted. The same applies to Workcover Claims [3]: Certificates for workers' compensation often require a more detailed physical "Certificate of Capacity", which may involve a physical assessment.

In Australia, you can get a medical certificate online through a fully bulk-billed GP consult, which can be with your primary GP or a service such as Abby Health, 13SICK, Hola Health or Healthy Life (note: the last three only offer bulk-billed consults after-hours). As the consulting doctors aren’t as familiar with your medical history, they may not be the best point-of-call for any more complex cases and may also refuse to issue a medical certificate if they don’t think they can assess your condition properly over the phone or video. Your primary GP, even via telehealth, is the safest choice.

Under the Fair Work Act 2009 [1], a Statutory Declaration is also a valid form of evidence for sick leave. You can download this online, fill it in yourself and have it witnessed by a Justice of the Peace (JP). This can be a good alternative option if you cannot attend a doctor’s consult on the day of your absence from work.

You should be careful with websites claiming 100% free instant certificates without a doctor’s consultation. These types of certificates don’t comply with legal requirements and may be rejected by your employer.

Yes, you can obtain a backdated medical certificate online - within reason. The consulting GP or NP can backdate the start of your medical condition to pre-date the date of the consult. The certificate could, for example, state: "I examined [Name] on [Today's Date]. Based on the history provided, they were unfit for work from [Past Date] to [End Date]".

They cannot backdate the issuing date.

This practice is legal and widely accepted; however, not all telehealth providers allow their doctors to backdate certificates. Also, most doctors will be hesitant to issue backdated medical certificates for more than 3 days without any strong medical evidence provided by you – this could be hospital records, chemist-issued absence certificates, or test results.

It is important to bear in mind that any telehealth doctor who you do not have an existing relationship with may be more likely to question your need for a backdated certificate. Without knowing your medical history well, they may be hesitant to issue a backdated medical certificate online, especially as they cannot physically examine you.

Legally, your employer can also request a GP assessment if you present online medical certificates that raise any red flags. It is best to be fully transparent and only obtain a medical certificate for the exact dates of your absence due to medical conditions.

Yes, provided they have been issued following a GP consult (online or in person), as required by the Australian Medical Board [4]. Under Australian workplace law, an employee must “let their employer know that they are going to take sick or carer’s leave” [1]. While you can give notice after your leave has started, your notice should also include how long you expect to be off work for.

The Fair Work Act (2009) states that “an employer can ask an employee to give evidence […] they:

1. weren’t able to work because of an illness or injury, or
2. needed to provide care or support to an immediate family or household member (because of an illness, injury, or unexpected emergency affecting the member).

Employers can ask employees to provide evidence for as little as 1 day or less off work.”

A legally obtained online medical certificate issued by a GP post-consult can provide this evidence, entitling you to be paid for your sick or carer’s leave.

In Australia, medical certificates issued online are not only fast, convenient, and affordable but also accepted for workplaces, universities, schools and other purposes.

MediCompare provides you with simple online comparison tools and in-depth provider reviews. When choosing a provider for your needs, it’s important you check carefully what they offer, as some only offer certificates for up to 3 days or no backdating, while others offer comprehensive services best suited for extended leave.

If you are looking to save on your consult, it is best to choose a provider offering legitimate certificates via bulk billing and steer clear of those advertising free certificates issued without online consultation with a doctor.

You can use the comparison table and FAQs to match your needs. Overall, you can expect consistently high quality from MediCompare’s top-rated providers. For more information on individual providers, you can read our in-depth reviews, then book a consult directly through the provider’s website.

[1] https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/sick-and-carers-leave/paid-sick-and-carers-leave/notice-and-medical-certificates
[2] https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/su415

[3] https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/health-providers/certificates-of-capacity-for-workplace-injuries
[4] https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/News/Newsletters/July-2024.aspx