Free medical certificates in Australia: real options, risks and cheaper alternatives

Looking for a free online medical certificate in Australia? Learn when certificates can be free, cheaper alternatives, why 'free' sites are risky, and how Doccy keeps costs low.

Dr. Louis J Sisk

BSc(Hons) MBChB MRCS(Glasg) MTrauma

December 10, 2025

14 min read

If you've just Googled "medical certificate online free", "free medical certificate online Australia" or "online medical certificate free", you're not alone.

Sick leave rules have tightened, GP wait times have blown out, and most employers now demand proof even for short absences. It's completely understandable to wonder:

Is there any way to get a free medical certificate online in Australia that is actually legitimate?

Short answer:

• Truly free, instant online medical certificates are not realistic or safe.
• There are low-cost, legitimate options that come close to "cheap as free" without risking your job or a fraud charge.
• One of the lowest-cost options is an online medical certificate from Doccy, starting at $12.90, issued by AHPRA-registered Australian doctors via telehealth.

This guide explains:

• When a medical certificate might effectively be free
• Other low-cost options (pharmacy certificates, statutory declarations, bulk-billed GPs)
• Why "free medical certificate" websites are risky
• How Doccy keeps certificate pricing among the cheapest in Australia, while staying safe, secure and compliant

What does the law actually require for sick leave evidence?

Before we talk about "free", it's worth understanding what evidence your employer is entitled to ask for.

Under the Fair Work Act, employers can request "reasonable evidence" that you were genuinely entitled to sick or carer's leave. The Fair Work Ombudsman lists medical certificates and statutory declarations as examples of acceptable evidence, but doesn't prescribe one exact format or provider. The test is whether the evidence would convince a reasonable person that you were unfit for work or caring for someone who was. ¹

State and territory business guidance (for example, Business Victoria) essentially mirrors this: if it's not practical to provide a medical certificate, a statutory declaration may be acceptable evidence, again provided it would satisfy a reasonable person. ²

This gives you a few legitimate low-cost pathways to prove you were unwell — but it does not open the door to fake or auto-generated "free" certificates.

Can you get a free medical certificate online in Australia?

There are a handful of situations where a medical certificate may be free to you at the point of use:

• A bulk-billed GP visit (in-person or telehealth) where:
  • The clinic bulk bills your consultation to Medicare, and
  • The doctor writes a certificate as part of that consult
• A work-funded telehealth service or in-house clinic
• A university or TAFE health service that bulk bills students
• A community clinic that chooses to bulk bill or waive the fee

But there are some catches:

• You still pay with your time (travel, waiting room, delays).
• Many clinics now charge a gap fee, even if part of the visit is bulk billed.
• Bulk-billing rules keep changing and may depend on your age, concession status, or other criteria.
• University and workplace clinics won't help if you've left, changed jobs, or don't have access.

For most Australians who search "medical certificate online free", what they really want is:

• No upfront cost
• No waiting room
• No complicated booking process

And that's where things get tricky, because whenever you see a "free medical certificate online" promising instant download with no real consultation, you should be very cautious.

Why genuinely free online medical certificates are unrealistic

A legitimate medical certificate in Australia must be:

• Issued by a registered health practitioner (usually a doctor, sometimes a pharmacist), and
• Based on a real clinical assessment, even if it's done via telehealth.

That assessment takes time and expertise:

• AHPRA-registered doctors train for years and face strict regulatory oversight.
• Telehealth platforms must maintain secure systems, clinical governance, and support teams.
• Providers pay for hosting, payment processing, security, insurance, and admin.

All of that costs money. If a site claims to provide unlimited free medical certificates online with no doctor and no proper consult, they're almost certainly:

• Not compliant with Australian regulations
• Not issuing documents that employers need to accept
• Potentially committing fraud — and exposing you to serious risk if you use that certificate

In other words: if it looks too good to be true, especially around medical paperwork, it usually is.

Legitimate low-cost alternatives if you're trying to avoid paying

If you're determined to keep costs close to zero, there are a few legitimate options — each with pros and cons.

Statutory declaration for sick or carer's leave

A statutory declaration (stat dec) is a legal document where you declare something to be true, in writing, in front of an authorised witness.

Under Fair Work guidance, a statutory declaration can be acceptable evidence for sick or carer's leave in place of a medical certificate, as long as it would satisfy a reasonable person. ¹ Government and media guidance also note that digital stat decs are increasingly used for personal leave in situations where seeing a doctor isn't practical. ³

Pros

• Can be free if you draft it yourself and use a free witnessing service (e.g. Justice of the Peace).
• Works well for short, minor illnesses, especially where seeing a doctor is clearly disproportionate (e.g. 24-hour gastro you're already recovering from).
• Fits the Fair Work "reasonable evidence" test in many scenarios.

Cons

• It's a legal document — making a false declaration can expose you to criminal penalties.
• Some employers or sectors (especially government, health, safety-critical industries) may prefer or insist on a medical certificate instead.
• Not all managers are familiar with stat decs, so you may need to educate HR, which is the last thing you want to do when you're sick.

Stat decs are a good backup, but they're not a magic "free medical certificate online" button, and they're absolutely not something to misuse.

Pharmacy "Absence from Work" certificates

Many community pharmacies (for example UFS Pharmacies, Priceline and others) issue Absence from Work Certificates. Pharmacists can provide evidence for short-term, minor conditions and carer's leave within their scope of practice, usually for 1–2 days. ^{4 5 6 7}

Typical features:

• You speak to a pharmacist (not a doctor).
• They assess simple, self-limiting conditions: minor colds, simple headaches, mild gastro, minor musculoskeletal pain.
• Certificates are usually limited to a day or two, and only when the condition fits pharmacist guidelines.
• Fees are commonly in the $25–$35 range per certificate, although this varies by pharmacy. ⁶

Pros

• Often faster than a GP: no long waits, no full consult.
• Good for straightforward, short illnesses where a doctor visit is overkill.
• Many employers accept these certificates as reasonable evidence.

Cons

• Not suitable for complex, chronic, or serious conditions.
• Usually not accepted for Centrelink or some education/employer policies that specifically require a doctor's certificate.
• Cost per day can actually be higher than low-cost online doctor certificates.
• You still need to leave the house, which isn't ideal when you're unwell or contagious.

Pharmacy certificates are legitimate but they're rarely free — and often more expensive than the cheapest online medical certificates.

Traditional GP visits (in-person or telehealth)

A standard GP visit can still be the right choice when:

• You have complex symptoms
• You need ongoing care, investigations or imaging
• You need a detailed report for Centrelink, insurance, or legal matters

Depending on the clinic and your eligibility:

• Some GPs still bulk bill for eligible patients, making the visit effectively free.
• Many now charge a gap fee, which may be more than a low-cost online medical certificate.

For simple short-term sick leave where you mainly need a note, a full GP appointment can be overkill — especially if clinics are booked out or you're too unwell to travel.

Low-cost online medical certificates from Australian doctors

This is where services like Doccy sit.

Most reputable online medical certificate providers charge a small, transparent fee in the $12–$36 range, depending on how many days you need and whether the certificate is backdated. Examples include providers advertising from around $12 to the high-teens for multi-day coverage.

Doccy's current pricing is:

• 1 day – $12.90
• 2 days – $17.90
• 3 days – $22.90
• 4–5 days – $32.00 ⁸

All certificates are:

• Issued by AHPRA-registered Australian doctors
• Delivered online via telehealth, usually within minutes after assessment
• Accepted by employers and educational institutions across Australia when clinically appropriate ⁸

When you compare this to:

• $25–$35 for a pharmacy certificate
• A GP gap fee often $40+
• Time off work to attend an appointment

…paying around $12–$17 for a fully compliant online medical certificate can actually be the cheapest and least painful option overall.

Why using fake or "template" free medical certificates is so risky

Because demand for "free medical certificate online" searches is high, a cottage industry of shady websites and shared "templates" has sprung up.

It might be tempting to:

• Download a fake template
• Edit an old certificate
• Use an overseas or non-AHPRA provider that doesn't do a real consult

This is where things get dangerous.

Legal and employment consequences

Using a fake or altered medical certificate can amount to:

• Fraud
• Forgery
• Identity deception

Australian legal commentary and case studies describe serious consequences, including:

• Disciplinary action up to instant dismissal for serious misconduct
• Being reported to the police for fraud or forgery
• Potential criminal charges, fines and even imprisonment in more serious or repeated cases ^{9 10 11 12}

Even if the matter doesn't end up in court, a finding of dishonesty can:

• Wreck your employment record
• Make it harder to get references
• Have to be declared on future job applications

All of that to avoid a fee that's often less than the cost of a single hour of your pay.

How employers spot dodgy certificates

Employers (and HR teams) are becoming increasingly good at identifying dubious paperwork. Common red flags include:

• No AHPRA registration details for the practitioner
• Generic or inconsistent clinic details
• Typos, mismatched dates, or odd formatting
• Email addresses that don't match the clinic's domain
• Certificates that can't be verified when the clinic is called or checked online

Legitimate telehealth providers like Doccy include clear clinic details and verification mechanisms, so employers can confirm the certificate's authenticity without breaching your privacy. ^{8 11}

How Doccy keeps certificates cheap but compliant

Doccy is designed to sit exactly in the gap between "too expensive" and "too risky".

Structured, efficient telehealth

Doccy uses a two-step process:

• A quick online form to capture your symptoms, history and what you need (sick leave, carer's leave, etc.)
• A short follow-up with our clinical workflow, where an AHPRA-registered doctor reviews your case and confirms the details before issuing any certificate ⁸

This allows us to:

• Cut wasted admin time
• Keep certificates low-cost (starting from $12.90)
• Maintain full clinical oversight and compliance

Clear, simple pricing

There are no surprise add-ons or subscriptions. Pricing is purely:

• How many days you need off (1–5 days)
• Whether your situation is clinically appropriate for telehealth

If our doctors cannot safely issue a certificate, they will not do so – and you'll be directed to appropriate in-person care instead.

Valid across Australia

Because Doccy uses AHPRA-registered doctors, certificates are:

• Legally valid as medical certificates under Australian law
• Widely accepted by employers, universities and government agencies as appropriate evidence of illness or carer's responsibilities, subject to their policies ⁸

We also provide clear clinic and practitioner details so HR can verify your certificate without you having to overshare your medical history.

Comparing your options at a glance

Here's a simple comparison of the main ways Aussies try to get "cheap or free" medical evidence for sick leave.

When it's worth paying a small fee instead of chasing "free"

If you're on a tight budget, every dollar counts. But it often helps to zoom out:

• A single day of paid work can easily be hundreds of dollars.
• The difference between a risky "free" option and a secure, doctor-issued certificate might be $12–$17.
• The cost of being caught with a fake or non-compliant certificate can be your job, not just your wages for one day.

In practice:

• If your illness is genuinely minor and you can't see a doctor, a statutory declaration is a reasonable, free option for some workplaces.
• If you need clear, medical-grade evidence (for HR, Uni, Centrelink, or repeated absences), a proper medical certificate from an AHPRA-registered doctor is usually the safest choice.
• A low-cost online certificate from Doccy is often the cheapest credible way to get that evidence without losing hours in waiting rooms.

You avoid:

• The risk of legal trouble
• The awkwardness of being questioned by HR
• The time and travel costs of a full GP visit

All while paying less than a typical takeaway dinner.

FAQs about free online medical certificates in Australia

Frequently Asked Questions

Key takeaways

• There is no safe, legitimate shortcut to a truly free, instant online medical certificate with no consultation.
• Statutory declarations can be a good free option in some workplaces, but they are legal documents and not always preferred.
• Pharmacy certificates are handy and valid, but not free — and often more expensive than low-cost telehealth.
• Fake or template certificates can cost you your job and, in serious cases, attract criminal charges.
• If you need reliable evidence quickly, a low-cost online medical certificate from Doccy is usually the safest and most economical middle ground.

If you're sick right now and just want your leave sorted, you can start a Doccy online consultation in a couple of minutes and, if clinically appropriate, receive a properly issued medical certificate in your inbox shortly after — without leaving the couch.

References