Backdated Medical Certificates – from $21.95
Cover recent absences easily with backdated medical certificates — issued by AHPRA-registered Australian doctors and accepted by employers nationwide.
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What is a backdated medical certificate?
A backdated medical certificate is an official document from a doctor that confirms you were unfit for work or study on a specific past date. Backdating is permitted only when your doctor determines it’s medically necessary and appropriate based on your symptoms and history. While there is no strict legal limit on backdating, doctors commonly grant certificates for absences occurring within the past 1 to 3 days.
HootHealth’s secure platform lets you request a backdated certificate quickly and confidentially through an online questionnaire or brief teleconsultation. Every certificate is thoroughly reviewed and issued by a qualified, AHPRA-registered Australian doctor.
Get a Medical Certificate NowChoose the right backdated certificate for you
Depending on your situation, select a single-day or multi-day backdated certificate. Both include medical review and backdating where clinically appropriate.
Are backdated medical certificates legal and accepted?
Backdated medical certificates are legal in Australia when they are issued by a registered medical practitioner and reflect a genuine medical condition. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) states that doctors must date certificates on the day they are written, but they may certify that a period of illness occurred before the consultation if it’s supported by medical evidence or the patient’s history.
This means a doctor cannot falsely change the issue date of a certificate, but they can note that your symptoms or condition began earlier. For example, if you were unwell two days before seeing a doctor, they may issue a certificate confirming you were unfit for work during that earlier period — if it is medically appropriate to do so.
Under the Fair Work Act 2009, employers are generally required to accept valid medical certificates from registered practitioners as evidence of genuine illness or incapacity. Employers may query a certificate if it appears unreasonable, but in most cases, properly issued backdated certificates are accepted when they are based on legitimate medical grounds.
Through HootHealth, you can request a backdated certificate securely online. Our AHPRA-registered Australian doctors assess your symptoms and may issue a certificate confirming a recent period of illness when it’s medically justified. Backdating is typically limited to the past 1 to 3 days, in line with best-practice standards.
A medical certificate cannot be backdated by a doctor. Backdating a medical certificate is illegal and can have significant criminal consequences. However, a doctor’s certificate, while being dated as the day of the consultation, can state that the illness or medical condition predates the date of consultation if there is enough basis to do so. In that instance, the medical certificate must state the date of the issue of the certificate and the period of time in which the doctor believes that the patient has been and will be unfit or unwell.
Criminal Defence Lawyers AustraliaFind the right medical certificate for your needs
- 100% online consultations
- Reviewed by Australian doctors
- Available 24/7
- Accepted by employers and universities
Feeling unwell and need time to recover? Request a certificate online, reviewed by an AHPRA-registered doctor.
From $21.95
Caring for someone who’s unwell? Submit your request and get an official certificate online.
From $21.95
Not well enough to attend class? Apply online for a certificate accepted by schools and universities.
From $21.95
Not fit to travel? Request an unfit-to-travel certificate online to support your cancellation.
From $34.95
- Most Popular
For Multiple-Day
Need more than just one day off? Request an extended certificate, assessed by an AHPRA-registered doctor.
From $39.95
