Get Medical Certificates Online

You can get a medical certificate by visiting your NHS GP, attending a private clinic, or using an online service such as MedicalCert. Through MedicalCert, you complete a short online consultation describing your situation, upload any supporting evidence, and a GMC-registered doctor reviews your application individually. If the doctor determines a certificate is clinically appropriate, it is issued as a signed PDF the same day. There is no appointment, no video call, and no waiting room. Prices start from £39, and you receive a full refund if the doctor cannot issue a certificate.

Yes, your NHS GP can issue medical certificates. NHS Fit Notes (Med3) for work absences over seven days are issued free of charge. However, other types of medical certificate, such as fit-to-fly letters, insurance claim evidence, or sports fitness clearance, are treated as private services and most GP surgeries charge between £50 and £150. Some practices decline these requests altogether due to workload. If your GP cannot provide the certificate you need, or cannot do so quickly enough, MedicalCert offers an online alternative from £39 with same-day delivery.

Yes. Any doctor registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) can issue a medical certificate in the UK, whether they work in the NHS or privately. There is no legal requirement for a medical certificate to come from your own registered GP. Private medical certificates are accepted by UK employers for absence records and Statutory Sick Pay purposes, provided they are issued by a GMC-registered practitioner.

Medical certificates through MedicalCert start from £39. The price depends on the type of certificate required and the complexity of the clinical review. You pay at the time of application, and you receive a full automatic refund if the reviewing GP determines a certificate cannot be issued on clinical grounds. By comparison, many NHS GP surgeries charge between £50 and £150 for private medical letters, though NHS Fit Notes (Med3) are issued free of charge for eligible patients.

Most certificates are reviewed and issued on the same day you submit your application. All certificates are delivered by 9AM the following morning at the latest. Certificates are sent as signed PDF documents directly to your email inbox.

Yes. Medical certificates issued by GMC-registered doctors are valid documentation for employer absence records and Statutory Sick Pay purposes. Each MedicalCert certificate includes the issuing doctor's GMC registration number, professional signature, and a QR verification code that employers can check independently. There is no legal requirement for a medical certificate to come from your own NHS GP. ACAS guidance on fit notes and absence confirms that employers should accept legitimate medical documentation from any registered medical practitioner.

No. MedicalCert is fully online. You complete a short medical questionnaire describing your situation, upload any relevant supporting evidence, and your application is sent directly to an independent GMC-registered GP for review. There is no appointment, no video call, and no waiting room. The GP reviews the information provided and determines whether a certificate is clinically appropriate based on what you have submitted.

You can get a medical certificate from your NHS GP surgery, a private GP clinic, or online through a service such as MedicalCert. NHS GPs issue Fit Notes (Med3) free of charge for work absences over seven days, but typically charge for other types of medical letter. Private clinics and online services such as MedicalCert offer a wider range of certificate types with faster turnaround. Through MedicalCert, you can apply for over 30 types of medical certificate online, with most issued the same day from £39.

The reviewing GP can issue a certificate covering a period that has already passed, provided the clinical evidence supports it. When completing your application, include details of when your symptoms began and any evidence from the relevant dates. The doctor will determine the appropriate dates to cover based on the information provided. Certificates cannot be issued for periods where there is no supporting clinical basis.

The validity period depends on the type of certificate and the clinical opinion of the reviewing doctor. For sick notes, the GP specifies the dates you are considered unfit for work. For fitness certificates such as fit to fly, fit to work, or sports clearance, the doctor states the date of assessment and any conditions or time limitations. There is no single fixed expiry that applies to all medical certificates. The reviewing GP determines the appropriate period based on your individual circumstances.

A private medical certificate, such as those issued through MedicalCert, is a document from a GMC-registered doctor confirming a health-related matter. It is accepted by employers for absence records and Statutory Sick Pay. An NHS Fit Note (also called a Med3 or Statement of Fitness for Work) is a specific government form issued by NHS GPs and is required for certain government benefit claims, including Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and the limited capability for work element of Universal Credit. MedicalCert does not issue NHS Med3 Fit Notes. If you need documentation specifically for a government benefit claim, you should contact your NHS GP.

NHS Fit Notes (Med3) are issued free of charge by your NHS GP for absences longer than seven days. However, other types of medical certificate, such as fit-to-fly letters, travel cancellation evidence, sports clearance, or employer-specific documentation, are usually treated as private medical services. Most GP surgeries charge a fee for these, and many do not offer them at all. MedicalCert provides these private medical certificates from £39, reviewed and issued by independent GMC-registered doctors.

Employers are expected to accept legitimate medical documentation from any GMC-registered doctor. There is no legal requirement for a medical certificate to come from your own registered NHS GP. ACAS guidance states that employers should not unreasonably refuse medical evidence provided in good faith. If an employer questions a certificate, the QR verification code and the issuing doctor's GMC registration number allow them to verify the document independently. In practice, employer rejection of a valid private medical certificate is uncommon.

The cost of a doctors letter from a GP varies by practice and letter type. NHS Fit Notes (Med3) for work absence are free. For private medical letters, such as fit-to-fly certificates, insurance letters, or sports clearance, most GP surgeries charge between £50 and £150. Some practices charge over £200 for complex or bespoke letters. Turnaround times also vary, with some surgeries taking 7 to 10 working days. MedicalCert provides an online alternative from £39, with most certificates issued the same day.

Every application is reviewed individually by an independent GMC-registered UK doctor. MedicalCert does not use automated approvals, templates, or AI-generated certificates. The reviewing doctor considers your symptoms, supporting evidence, and the purpose of your request, then makes a clinical decision about whether a certificate is appropriate. MedicalCert's clinical team is led by Dr Maria Knobel (GMC 7495073), a Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

If the reviewing GP determines there is insufficient clinical basis to issue a certificate, your application fee is refunded in full automatically. You are not charged for unsuccessful applications. The doctor's decision is final and based on their independent professional judgement.

Supporting evidence is optional but can strengthen your application. You can upload documents such as previous medical letters, prescription records, hospital discharge summaries, or photographs relevant to your condition. The reviewing GP uses whatever information is available to make their clinical decision. For some certificate types, providing evidence may increase the likelihood of approval.