Yes, you can get a carer’s certificate online. If you need time off work to care for or support an immediate family or household member who is sick, injured or affected by an unexpected emergency, you can request a certificate in your own name: $24.95 for 1–2 days or $34.95 for 3 to 10 days. An AHPRA-registered clinician phones you to talk about the person you’re caring for. If a certificate is clinically appropriate, it’s emailed to you as a PDF. Most requests are reviewed within 30 minutes during opening hours.
Need a certificate for your own illness instead? See all our online medical certificates.
At a glance
- For: employees who need carer’s leave to look after an immediate family or household member
- Price: $24.95 for 1–2 days · $34.95 for 3 to 10 days. There’s no card surcharge: the price shown is the price you pay.
- Who assesses you: an AHPRA-registered nurse practitioner or doctor, by phone
- Hours: 7am–9pm, 7 days a week including public holidays, Brisbane time
- Medicare: not covered, so there’s no rebate
How to request a carer’s certificate
- Choose how many days you need. Use the 1–2 day certificate or the multi-day certificate. Carer’s certificates use the same forms as sick-leave certificates.
- Tell us you’re a carer. Choose Work as what you’re unable to attend. In the symptom details, say that you need the certificate as a carer, who you’re caring for (for example, your child, partner or parent) and what’s wrong with them. You pay when you submit.
- Take the call. The clinician phones you and asks about the person you’re caring for and why they need you. Calls may come from a private number, so keep your phone nearby.
- Get your certificate. If the clinician decides a certificate is appropriate, it’s emailed to you as a PDF to forward to your employer. If you can’t see it, check your spam folder.
A certificate is only issued if the clinician decides it is clinically appropriate.
Who counts as immediate family or household?
Under the Fair Work Act, you can take carer’s leave to care for or support:
- your spouse or former spouse, or your de facto partner or former de facto partner
- your child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling
- the child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of your spouse or de facto partner (current or former)
- anyone who lives in your household
Step-relations and adoptive relations count too.
Your carer’s leave entitlements in brief
- Full-time and part-time employees get paid sick and carer’s leave from the same balance: 10 days a year for full-time employees, and a pro rata amount for part-time employees. Unused leave carries over to the next year.
- All employees, including casuals, can take 2 days of unpaid carer’s leave each time a family or household member needs care. Full-time and part-time employees can use it once their paid leave has run out.
- Evidence: your employer can ask for evidence for any carer’s leave, even a single day. A medical certificate or a statutory declaration are common examples. Read more about when your employer can ask for a medical certificate.
Your award, enterprise agreement or contract may give you more than these minimums.
When a carer’s certificate isn’t the right option
- Emergencies: if the person you’re caring for has chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding or their life may be at risk, call 000.
- If they need treatment: a carer’s certificate covers your time off. It doesn’t assess or treat the person you’re caring for. If they need to be assessed, book a telehealth consult for them or see a GP.
- Your child’s own certificate: if your child needs a certificate for school or child care, children under 16 need a telehealth consult rather than a certificate request.
- Longer-term caring: for more than 10 days, or ongoing care, see your GP. Centrelink forms, such as Carer Payment or Carer Allowance medical reports, aren’t covered by this service.
Carer’s certificate FAQs
Can I get a carer’s certificate online?
Yes. In the symptom details on the form, say that you need the certificate as a carer and who you’re caring for, and the clinician will ask about them on the call. Use the 1–2 day or multi-day certificate and request it in your own name. If the clinician decides a certificate is appropriate, it’s emailed to you as a PDF. Most requests are reviewed within 30 minutes during opening hours (7am–9pm, 7 days a week including public holidays, Brisbane time).
How much does a carer’s certificate cost?
A carer’s certificate costs $24.95 for 1 or 2 days, or $34.95 for 3 to 10 days, the same as a sick-leave certificate. You pay when you submit your request. There’s no card surcharge: the price shown is the price you pay. Medical certificates aren’t covered by Medicare, so there’s no rebate.
Who can I take carer’s leave for?
Under the Fair Work Act, carer’s leave is for caring for or supporting a member of your immediate family or household who is sick, injured or affected by an unexpected emergency. Immediate family means your spouse or de facto partner (including a former one), child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling, or the child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of your spouse or de facto partner. Step-relations and adoptive relations are included, and so is anyone who lives in your household.
Can I get a carer’s certificate to look after my sick child?
Yes. Request the certificate in your own name and tell us about your child in the symptom details. The clinician will ask about them on the call. If your child also needs a certificate in their own name, for school or child care, children under 16 need a telehealth consult. If your child seems seriously unwell, call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department.
Will my employer accept a carer’s certificate from My Telehealth Clinic?
Most employers accept a certificate from a registered health practitioner, but we can’t guarantee any particular employer will. Under the Fair Work Act, the evidence has to satisfy a reasonable person that you needed the leave. A medical certificate or a statutory declaration are common examples. Your award, enterprise agreement or workplace policy may set its own rules, so check them if you’re unsure.
Do casual employees need a carer’s certificate?
Casual employees don’t get paid carer’s leave, but they can take 2 days of unpaid carer’s leave each time an immediate family or household member needs care. Your employer can still ask for evidence for that leave, and a carer’s certificate is one way to provide it.
Can a carer’s certificate cover more than one day?
Yes. The 1–2 day certificate covers 1 or 2 days, and the multi-day certificate covers 3 to 10 days. Choose the number of days you expect to need. If you need more than 10 days, or the person you’re caring for needs ongoing care, see your GP.
Can I get a carer’s certificate for days that have already passed?
Only with supporting evidence. Like every certificate, a carer’s certificate is dated on the day the clinician writes it. It can cover earlier days only if you have supporting evidence, such as hospital records for the person you cared for, and the clinician is satisfied it’s clinically appropriate. Read more about getting a medical certificate for yesterday.
What does a carer’s certificate show?
It’s issued in your name, states that it’s for carer’s leave, and names the person you cared for. It also shows the date or dates it covers, the date it was issued, the clinician’s name, qualification and Medicare provider number, and our clinic details. Symptoms are only included if you choose that on the form. Employers can confirm a certificate by contacting us through our Contact page, with your consent.
What happens if the clinician can’t issue a carer’s certificate?
The clinician will explain why and what to do next. For example, they may suggest the person you’re caring for is assessed in person. The fee covers your clinical assessment, so it isn’t refunded just because a certificate wasn’t issued. This doesn’t affect your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. There are exceptions in clause 6 of our Terms: you’ll get a full refund if we cancel because no clinician is available, because of a technical problem, or because the clinician decides a telehealth consultation isn’t suitable or you need in-person care. If you email us to cancel and we confirm it before a clinician reviews your request, a refund can also be issued.
Sources: Fair Work Ombudsman, Sick and carer’s leave, Unpaid carer’s leave and Notice and medical certificates (checked 17 October 2026); Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) sections 96–97, 102–103 and 107. This page is general information, not legal advice. For help with your situation, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94.
Clinically reviewed by Assoc. Prof. Christopher O’Donnell, Nurse Practitioner, FACN (AHPRA NMW0001453715). Last reviewed 17 October 2026.
A certificate is only issued if the clinician decides it is clinically appropriate. Review times are averages during opening hours (7am–9pm, 7 days a week including public holidays, Brisbane time) and aren’t guaranteed. Medical certificates aren’t covered by Medicare. There’s no card surcharge: the price shown is the price you pay. In an emergency, call 000.