How to get a medical certificate in New Zealand: who can issue one, what it costs and when you need it
Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name.
In New Zealand, a medical certificate is usually the proof your employer can ask for when you are off sick, and the key rule is 3 calendar days: if your employer asks for proof for less than 3 days, they must reimburse the cost, but from day 3 onward you usually pay it yourself (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026). For the wider leave rules, see QuoteHub's sick leave entitlement guide.
When do you need a medical certificate in New Zealand?
You do not automatically need a certificate every time you are sick in New Zealand, because the legal trigger is whether your employer asks for proof under the sick leave rules (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
If you want the broader leave rules, start with sick leave entitlement in New Zealand, then read how to tell your employer you are sick for the notification side.
How many sick days can you take without a doctor's certificate in NZ?
You can be off sick for less than 3 calendar days before your employer can require proof at their own cost, but your employer can still ask for proof earlier if they ask as soon as possible and reimburse the cost (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
The key point is that the 3 days are calendar days, not only the days you were rostered to work (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026). That means weekends and normal days off can count toward the 3-day threshold.
How many days can I be sick without a doctor's note?
The published New Zealand rule is less than 3 calendar days before proof shifts into the employer-pays category, and 3 or more days in a row lets the employer ask for proof that you usually pay for yourself (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
If you are unsure how this works with rostered shifts, how long can you be off work sick covers the practical side, and financial help when sick covers what to do if time off becomes longer.
Is it okay to call in sick for 2 days?
Yes, 2 days can fall within the sick leave rules, but your employer can still ask for proof for those 2 days if they ask as soon as possible and reimburse the cost of getting it (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
If you need help wording the conversation, see telling your employer you are sick. If you are comparing illness with injury cover, read ACC vs sickness benefit in New Zealand.
Who can issue one, and can you avoid seeing a doctor
Who can issue a medical certificate?
A doctor can issue a medical certificate, and the Medical Council of New Zealand's statement dated 18 August 2023 sets out the standards doctors must follow when issuing certificates for purposes such as confirming sickness (Medical Council of New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Your employer can ask for proof, but cannot tell you which doctor or practice to use (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name.
Can I get a medical certificate without seeing a doctor?
Yes, you can sometimes get a certificate without an in-person visit by using telehealth, but it still comes from a clinician assessment and the published New Zealand examples are online GP consultations rather than an automatic form purchase (Tend Health, retrieved 9 September 2026).
That matters because there is no fixed national certificate fee published in New Zealand, and what is usually published is the consultation fee for the appointment that may result in a certificate (Tend Health, retrieved 9 September 2026).
If you are also weighing longer-term backup, see income protection insurance, do I need income protection insurance and QuoteHub's income protection calculator.
Cost, payment and what it must say
How much does a medical certificate cost?
There is no fixed national standalone medical certificate price published in New Zealand, and what providers publish instead are consultation fees for telehealth or GP appointments where a certificate may be issued (Tend Health, retrieved 9 September 2026).
The cheapest published online example in the sources gathered for this page is $12.95 for an enrolled Tend patient aged 14 to 17 with a Community Services Card, while the highest standard adult online example in those same sources is $79 for a casual Bettr patient aged 18 or over without a Community Services Card (Tend Health, retrieved 9 September 2026; Bettr, retrieved 9 September 2026).
The lowest published consultation fee in the gathered sources is $12.95 for a telehealth medical-certificate consultation.
| Provider | Visit type | Published fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tend Health | Enrolled, 14 to 17, with Community Services Card | $12.95 (Tend Health, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Online medical certificate consultation pricing published by provider |
| Tend Health | Enrolled, 18+, with Community Services Card | $17.95 (Tend Health, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Online medical certificate consultation pricing published by provider |
| Tend Health | Enrolled, 14 to 17, without Community Services Card | $29.95 (Tend Health, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Published price |
| Tend Health | Enrolled, 18+, without Community Services Card | $34.95 (Tend Health, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Published price |
| Tend Health | Casual patient, any age | $39.95 (Tend Health, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Flat published price |
The highest standard adult consultation fee in the gathered sources is $79.
| Provider | Visit type | Published fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bettr | Enrolled 18+ without Community Services Card | $45 (Bettr, retrieved 9 September 2026) | 24/7 online GP provider pricing |
| Bettr | Enrolled 18+ with Community Services Card | $25 (Bettr, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Published CSC pricing |
| Bettr | Casual 18+ without Community Services Card | $79 (Bettr, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Highest standard adult fee in gathered sources |
| Bettr | Casual 18+ with Community Services Card | $30 (Bettr, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Published CSC pricing |
| Bettr | Under 14 | Free (Bettr, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Published provider rule |
| Bettr | Surcharge | $10 (Bettr, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Applies 10pm to 8am and public holidays |
One provider in the gathered sources publishes a flat $30 fee.
| Provider | Visit type | Published fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pocket Lab | Online medical certificate consultation | $30 (Pocket Lab, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Flat fee stated for all ages and durations |
If your employer asks for proof for less than 3 days, they must pay you back for the cost of getting it (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026). If they ask after 3 or more days in a row, you usually pay the cost yourself (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
If illness is likely to affect your income for longer than a few days, compare income protection insurance options, read loss of income insurance in NZ, and see best income protection insurance.
Who pays for the certificate?
The payment rule turns on 3 calendar days, not on whether your employer prefers a note for every absence (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
The headline figure here is 3 calendar days.
| Time off sick | Can employer ask for proof? | Who pays for proof? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 3 calendar days | Yes, if asked as soon as possible | Employer must reimburse cost (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Employment New Zealand |
| 3 or more calendar days in a row | Yes, from day 3 onward | Employee usually pays (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Employment New Zealand |
Your employer does not have to pay sick leave if they validly asked for proof, you did not provide it, and you had no reasonable excuse (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
What should a certificate say?
A medical certificate usually needs to confirm that you were unable to work for a stated period, and your employer does not need a diagnosis to have proof of sickness (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Your employer must also handle health information under the Privacy Act 2020 and the workplace privacy rules that apply to employee information (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
If you want to understand what medical information insurers may request in another context, see can insurers access medical records in NZ and insurance underwriting process.
How long does a medical certificate last in NZ?
There is no fixed New Zealand-wide number of days published for how long a medical certificate lasts, and what actually governs it is the period the doctor states on the certificate after their assessment (Medical Council of New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
That means a certificate does not have a standard legal shelf life like 7 days or 14 days, because those fixed figures are not published as a universal New Zealand rule. The practical limit is the start and end dates written on the certificate itself.
If your absence may become extended, returning to work after illness and how long can you be off work sick are the next pages to read.
Choosing a doctor and using leave honestly
Can your employer choose the doctor?
No, your employer can ask for proof of sickness, but they cannot tell you which doctor or practice you must use (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
That is useful if your own GP offers telehealth, if you are enrolled with a low-cost online service, or if you need continuity of care through the doctor who knows your history. It also means an employer cannot insist on one clinic simply because it is cheaper.
Can I go on holiday while on sick leave?
Sick leave is for when you are unable to work because you are sick or injured, so using sick leave as a holiday is not okay and misrepresenting the reason for leave can create employment problems under normal workplace processes (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
There is no published rule in the gathered sources that says every trip away is automatically forbidden, because the real issue is whether you were genuinely unwell and acting in good faith. If an employer investigates your absence, health-related employment issues must still be handled through a fair and reasonable process, not treated as discipline by default (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Beyond the certificate
What if your illness lasts longer than a few days?
If illness lasts longer than a few days, the next questions are usually income support, travel help for treatment and return-to-work planning, not just the certificate itself.
The main weekly payment figures published for 2026 can be a useful starting point if you cannot work for longer.
The main weekly support figure for a single person aged 25+ on Jobseeker Support is $372.55 net a week from 1 April 2026.
| Support type | Published figure | Who it may fit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jobseeker Support, single 25+ | $372.55 net a week (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Shorter-term inability to work due to health condition, injury or disability pathway uses a Work Capacity Medical Certificate | Work and Income |
| Supported Living Payment, single 18+ | $424.60 net a week (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Severe limitation on ability to work 15+ hours a week | Work and Income |
| ACC weekly compensation | 80% of pre-injury average weekly earnings before tax (ACC, retrieved 9 September 2026) | Injury only, not illness | ACC |
If your condition is illness rather than injury, start with financial help when sick. If the issue is cancer treatment, read cancer financial support in New Zealand. If specialist travel is the problem, see National Travel Assistance. If the gap is private treatment or specialist access, compare health insurance options, health insurance specialist appointments, health insurance GP visits, public vs private healthcare and surgery wait times in NZ.
If your inability to work came from an injury, read ACC weekly compensation explained, what ACC does not cover, how long does ACC cover last and when ACC payments stop.
What if you need private backup for income?
A medical certificate is proof for work or Work and Income, but it is not a financial plan if your income stops for months.
For longer-term protection, compare income protection insurance in NZ, income protection waiting periods, income protection vs trauma insurance, disability insurance in NZ, life insurance and income protection, self-employed insurance in NZ, income protection for tradies, income protection for farmers, income protection mental health claims, income protection insurance comparison, the QuoteHub income protection guide and QuoteHub's income protection quotes page.
Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name.
What is the practical takeaway?
The practical New Zealand rule is simple: the proof threshold is 3 calendar days, your employer can ask for proof earlier only if they reimburse the cost, and there is no published national fixed certificate fee because what providers usually publish is the consultation cost instead (Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026; Tend Health, retrieved 9 September 2026).
For the next step, use QuoteHub's off-work-sick hub, then go to sick leave entitlement, telling your employer you are sick and financial help when sick.
Adviser's view
QuoteHub compared what is actually published on medical certificates against what people assume, and the gap is the cost rule, not the paperwork. Many assume a doctor's note always comes out of their own pocket, when an employer must reimburse it if asked for inside the first three days, and no single national certificate fee exists at all, only consultation prices that vary by provider.
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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Medical Certificate NZ: cost, rules and who issues. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/off-work-sick/medical-certificate-nz. Updated 2026-09-09.
References
- Employment New Zealand, Taking sick leave
- Employment New Zealand, Managing sick leave
- Employment New Zealand, Health issues and ending employment
- Employment New Zealand, Employee privacy
- Medical Council of New Zealand, Statement on medical certification
- Tend Health, Medical certificates
- Bettr, Pricing
- Pocket Lab, Online medical certificates
- Work and Income, Jobseeker Support
- Work and Income, Supported Living Payment
- ACC, Weekly compensation for employees
Explore related pages: Life Insurance, Income Protection, Health Insurance, Trauma Insurance, How It Works.