Sick leave certificate

A sick leave certificate is a document issued by a licensed doctor confirming that a patient is unfit for work, study or other duties because of illness, injury or a mental health condition. It states the dates the person is unfit, the doctor's name and registration details, and enough clinical context for an employer or institution to accept the absence.

You'll usually need one when your absence runs past what your employer allows through self-certification, or when a school, university or booking provider asks for written proof.

These three terms get used loosely, and that causes confusion. Here's how they actually differ.

You need a sick leave certificate any time an employer, school, or service provider requires written medical proof of your inability to work, study or travel. Exactly when that kicks in depends on your country and your situation.

• Employees who've exceeded their employer's self-certification period, or whose contract requires certification from day one
• Students who need to explain a missed exam, deadline or placement
• Freelancers and professionals who need documentation for clients, insurers, or contractual obligations
• Travellerswho need proof of illness for visa applications, flight cancellations or rebooking claims

• Short-term illness, such as flu, infections or migraines
• Long-term or chronic conditions requiring ongoing management
• Mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety and depression
• Injuries that limit your ability to work or attend in person

There's no minimum number of sick days required before you can request a certificate. If you need one, you can ask.

A valid sick leave certificate includes the patient's name and date of birth, the consultation and issue dates, a diagnosis summary, the specific dates the patient is unfit for work, and the doctor's name, registration number and country of registration, all on official letterhead with a signature and stamp.

These are the elements employers typically require and expect to see, though exact expectations can differ by employer and by country.

Sample Sick Leave Certificate Format

Some receiving institutions, particularly abroad, ask for an apostille or legalisation on top of the standard certificate. Check with the receiving party before you submit, since this adds processing time. A certificate should also be recent. One issued weeks before your absence won't reflect your current condition and is unlikely to be accepted.

Yes, an online sick note is legal when it's issued by a licensed physician following a genuine clinical assessment, and when it carries the doctor's credentials and registration number. What varies is how different countries and employers treat it once issued.

The doctor issuing your certificate should be licensed in the country where you're physically located at the time of the consultation. This is the working standard for cross-border telemedicine across Europe.

Ireland is a clear proof point here. Certificates issued by IMC-registered online GPs are valid for both Statutory Sick Pay and Illness Benefit claims, with no distinction made between an online consultation and an in-person one.

Don't assume legal treatment is identical everywhere. It isn't. Requirements differ by country, and it's worth checking your own national rules before relying on any certificate for a formal claim.

Sick Leave Rules by Country

Sick leave certification rules differ sharply across Europe, both in when a certificate is required and what happens if you're late submitting one.

Rules like these change. Always check both your country's current law and your employer's own policy before relying on a certificate for pay or leave purposes.

A sick leave certificate starts from €34.99, typically delivered within 30 minutes of doctor approval, as a PDF sent to your email.

If a doctor reviews your case and decides not to issue a certificate, a refund may be available depending on the stage the request had reached. See our refund and cancellation policy for the full terms.

We cannot issue certificates for significantly backdated absences, for cases where the reviewing doctor finds no clinical need, or for conditions that genuinely require a physical examination to assess.

A sick leave certificate also isn't a substitute for a formal occupational health assessment. In Germany, that assessment runs through the Betriebsarzt. In the Netherlands, it's the bedrijfsarts. Neither of those processes can be replaced by an online certificate. We also don't provide emergency care, so anyone with an urgent medical need should contact local emergency services directly.

Every certificate is reviewed and issued by a licensed doctor, with their name, qualification and country of medical registration shown on the document itself.

An employer can verify a certificate by emailing the issuing doctor at the address printed on the document, using an official organisational email address, and attaching a copy of the certificate.

Details aren't released to requests that don't meet those conditions. This protects patient confidentiality while still giving employers a genuine way to confirm authenticity.

Your certificate includes a diagnosis summary, your unfitness dates and the doctor's credentials. Sensitive personal details beyond what's needed for the employer or institution to accept the certificate stay confidential with us.

We handle your data under GDPR. See our privacy policy for full detail on how your information is stored, retained and used.

A sick leave certificate isn't always the right document. Here are the other certificates we issue, and when each one applies instead.

• Medical certificate - a broader document covering general medical proof, not limited to work absence
• Fitness certificate - confirms you're fit for a specific activity, the opposite purpose to a sick leave certificate
• Sports fitness certificate - confirms fitness to participate in sport or physical activity