How to Get a Doctor’s Note for Work or School (Easily and Legally)

Doctor write a note for a patient

When you’re not feeling well, obtaining a doctor’s note for your school or employer is important because it can keep you from penalties such as lost wages or unexcused absences.

Below, we’ve created a guide to help you find out if you need a note and how to get one.

How to Get a Doctor’s Note for Work or School

To get a doctor’s note, you can call your physician, explain your symptoms, and make an appointment.

If your primary-care doctor isn’t available, consider going to an urgent care facility.

Sick notes are also available through telemedicine services like Amwell; you’ll receive a digital copy that you can email to your employer/school or print.

However, note that while some doctors offer telemedicine services and give diagnoses by phone or video chat, many providers require an office visit before authorizing medical care or recommending sick leave.

At the end of your appointment, simply ask the physician for a note.

Doctor’s notes don’t need to describe the reason for your visit, as your health records are protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The note only needs to include the date of your appointment, and that sick leave is recommended.

The doctor’s office may even be willing to send the document directly to your school or employer, especially if it can do so via email.

If you must deliver the note yourself, your school or employer may allow you to submit a note on your first day back from sick leave.

If the leave is a result of planned treatment, such as elective surgery, you may need to present the note before your school or employer grants leave.

Remember, a school official or employer may call the doctor’s office to verify your excuse. However, there are restrictions on what information doctors can divulge in accordance with HIPAA.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) says the following health care providers can authorize sick notes:

  • Chiropractors (but they must take an X-ray)
  • Christian Science practitioners
  • Clinical psychologists
  • Clinical social workers
  • Dentists
  • Medical doctors
  • Nurse-midwives
  • Nurse practitioners
  • Optometrists
  • Physician assistants
  • Podiatrists

What If You Don’t Have Insurance?

If you’re sick and don’t have insurance, but you still need that doctor’s note, you can obtain a doctor’s note from an urgent care facility or clinic.

To find the cheapest option, call ahead and ask the office about typical fees for a visit relating to your condition. Be aware that hospital emergency room visits are often costly, and long wait times are to be expected; an urgent care facility will likely be a better option for you.

You should also consider the cost of a doctor’s visit versus the possibility of lost wages.

Think about it this way: if you miss three days of work due to an illness, those three days of lost wages might lose you more money than the cost of seeing a doctor. With a doctor’s note, you may be eligible for paid time off.

What If You Have a High Deductible?

If you have insurance but with a high deductible, the same advice for uninsured employees applies. Look for an affordable clinic in your area and consider the possibility of lost wages.

It’s also best to look for in-network providers if you have a high deductible. In-network providers are covered at a greater percentage than out-of-network physicians and specialists.

Are You Required to Present a Doctor’s Note?

Your school or employer may require a doctor’s note for missing a day or more. By law, employers are allowed to require a doctor’s note, though not all of them do.

For schools, policies may vary by teacher, but overall sick leave rules should be available at the attendance office or college registrar’s office.

The OPM says employees are entitled to sick leave when they have any type of medical, dental, or optical examination or treatment.

Consult your workplace policy guide or ask your boss or human resources manager for specifics. Most policy guides can be found online or on your company’s intranet.

Keep in mind that sick leave policies can be illness-specific. For example, your school or employer might not want a note for a minor cold, but it may require one for the flu, which could put you out of commission for a week or more.

If that’s the case, your school or employer may also require a doctor’s OK for you to return, too.

To review a sample of a typical company’s sick leave policy, see the Sam’s Club sick day policy.

Does your employer allow you to text in sick to work? See our examples of what to text.

If your company’s policies are unclear, be sure to consult the OPM fact sheet on sick leave. The OPM’s general guidelines defer to employers but include broad definitions for when it may be necessary to provide supporting evidence for the use of sick leave.

The OPM website also covers more serious circumstances and applicable laws, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), advanced sick leave, and alternative work schedules.


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14 comments - Comments are closed.


  • jay

    will the Dr give me a return to work note with no restrictions if I need one

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Laura Bachmann

      Hi Jay,

      A doctor will give you one if you’re healthy and ready to go back to work. Check what your workplace’s guidelines are on doctors note to find out exactly what the note needs to say before you visit a doctor.

  • Keith Wagner

    What about those fake doctor note sites. Do they work?

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Laura Bachmann

      Hi Keith,

      We recommend against getting a fake doctors note — it won’t work.

  • Lola

    My doctor didn’t give me a doctors note but sent prescriptions to the pharmacy I work at. Would I still need a doctors note for missing that one day?

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Laura Bachmann

      Hi Lola,

      Employers are allowed but not required to get doctor’s notes from their employees. You’ll have to check your employer’s sick leave policy to see if they require a note.

  • Leigh Boone

    If I had a scheduled “PTO” day off, can my employer still ask for a doctor’s note? Please advise asap! I live in the state Florida, just FYI.

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Laura Bachmann

      Hi Leigh,

      This depends on your company’s policy about paid time off. You’ll have to consult that policy for an answer, as these policies vary from one employer to the next.

  • Andres

    I call the emergency to get a doctor’s note but I couldn’t get it because I need to see a doctor kus I need a release note I was on light duty but I didn’t work for the 2 week’s​ I was out for 2 week’s and tonight is up my 2 week’s already.. Stressful

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Rebecca Turley

      Hi Andres,

      You will need to be seen by a doctor to get a doctor’s excuse. Many people choose to visit an urgent care center when they need a doctor’s excuse. However, you may have difficulty with your employer because the note would be dated today and not two weeks ago when your light duty started.

  • Kevin

    IF I GO TO EMERGENCY ROOM WOULD THEY GIVE ME A DOCTORS NOT FORTHIS PAST EEEK?

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Rebecca Turley

      Hi Kevin,

      I wish I could give you a definitive answer on this one, but it really is up to the attending physician to make that call.

  • Miya

    Hi would a visitor pass saying I was at hospital be good enuff to bring to my job

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Rebecca Turley

      Hi Miya,

      Although the answer to this will depend on your employer, most of the time, a doctor’s note with a signature is in order. Good luck!

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