You woke up sick, your employer or your school wants documentation, and your regular doctor’s next opening is days out. An online doctor’s note is a medical excuse note written by a licensed physician after reviewing the symptoms you report, then delivered to you digitally instead of handed over at a front desk. Below is how the process actually works, who’s eligible, what dates a note can cover, and what it can and can’t do once you hand it in.
Key takeaways
- Paid sick leave is common but far from universal. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, paid sick leave was available to about 80 percent of private industry workers in March 2025, and access ranges widely by industry, from roughly 55 percent in leisure and hospitality to 97 percent in information and in finance and insurance. Whether you need written proof depends heavily on where you work.
- The review is a real medical review. A board-certified physician reads the symptoms, history, and timeline you submit and decides whether documentation is clinically appropriate. Eligibility isn’t automatic, and it isn’t something you select at checkout.
- Start by checking your employer’s or school’s written policy first. Knowing how many days trigger a documentation requirement, and what the policy says the note must contain, tells you exactly what to request before you submit anything.
What is an online doctor’s note?
An online doctor’s note (sometimes called a medical excuse note or a sick note) is written documentation from a licensed physician confirming that you were evaluated for an illness and that time away from work or school was clinically appropriate. The content is the same as a note you’d receive in an exam room. The difference is how you get it.
With My Dr’s Note, the process for regular notes and COVID-19 notes is asynchronous, meaning you don’t schedule a live appointment. You complete an online form describing your symptoms and situation, a physician reviews it, and the note is delivered through a secure patient portal, often within an hour of review. You’re only charged if your request is approved.
Some documents do require a live conversation. Travel cancellation letters, emotional support animal (ESA) letters, and customized letters are handled through a 15-minute video visit with a board-certified physician, because those documents carry requirements a form alone can’t establish.
Who can request a doctor’s note online?
This service is built for adults 18 or older who are recovering from a mild illness at home and need documentation for work, school, or a cancelled flight. That’s the core eligibility line, and it matters more than most people expect.
You’re a good fit if:
- You’re managing something mild and self-limiting. Common cold, seasonal respiratory illness, a stomach bug, a migraine, or a similar short-term illness you’re treating at home.
- You can’t get a timely appointment. Your own provider is booked out, you’re between providers, or you don’t currently have one.
- Your symptoms are stable or improving. You’re recovering, rather than getting worse.
- You need documentation for a legitimate absence. The illness happened, and someone is asking you to prove it.
You’re not a good fit if you’re experiencing severe or worsening symptoms, if you need a new diagnosis or a physical examination, or if you’re seeking documentation for an absence that didn’t involve an actual illness. A physician reviews every request, and eligibility is determined by that review.
If your situation is broader than a short absence, for example an ongoing condition that keeps interrupting your work, virtual primary care through HealthSource Medical Associates is the better starting point. If you’ve been unable to reach your own provider and you’re recovering from a mild illness at home, you can start a doctor’s note request and a board-certified physician will review it.
How the process works
The steps are short by design, because you’re sick and you have a deadline.
- Complete the online form. It takes under five minutes. You’ll describe your symptoms, when they started, what you’ve done to treat them, and what the note needs to cover.
- A board-certified physician reviews your request. Physicians on this service are licensed in all 50 states and specialize in Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine.
- Your note is delivered through the secure portal. Regular and COVID-19 notes are often available within an hour of review. You’re only charged if the request is approved.
- You submit it to your employer or school. Download it, forward it, or print it, depending on what they’ll accept.
Review happens during operating hours, which are Sunday through Thursday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST and Friday 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. PST. The service is closed Saturday. A request submitted outside those windows is reviewed when the next window opens, so timing matters if you’re up against a same-day deadline.
What dates can a doctor’s note cover?
This is the question that trips people up most, so here are the actual limits.
- Maximum of 5 days within any 30-day period. A single note can’t excuse more than five days in a rolling month.
- Regular notes can cover a range from 2 days before the date you submit through 5 days after.
- COVID-19 notes can cover 5 days before through 5 days after submission.
If you need to be out longer than five days, that’s a different category of documentation. Extended absences usually run through your employer’s leave process, which may mean FMLA certification or a workplace accommodation request rather than a sick note. The U.S. Department of Labor explains what the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) generally provides, and your HR or leave administrator can tell you what applies to your specific situation.
Will my employer or school accept it?
Usually, and verifiability is the reason. Every note issued through this service is verifiable, which means the practice stands behind it and will confirm it if an employer or school calls to check. That’s the single biggest thing separating legitimate medical documentation from the templates floating around online.
What acceptance actually depends on:
- Your employer’s written policy. Some accept any licensed provider’s documentation. Some require an in-person examination. The policy is the controlling document, and you should read it before you request anything.
- Whether the note contains what they asked for. Dates, provider credentials, and contact information for verification are the usual requirements.
- Whether they can verify it. A note from a practice that answers the phone holds up. One that leads nowhere doesn’t.
Worth knowing: your employer generally isn’t entitled to your full medical record. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the EEOC places limits on the disability-related inquiries and medical examinations an employer can require of an employee, and medical information an employer does obtain must be kept confidential and separate from your regular personnel file. A doctor’s note typically confirms that you were evaluated and states the dates, without disclosing your full diagnosis.
For a closer look at what belongs in the document, see what your doctor’s note should and shouldn’t say and how employers verify doctor’s notes.
What an online doctor’s note does and doesn’t do
Being clear about the limits saves you a frustrating conversation later.
It does:
- Confirm that a licensed physician reviewed your reported symptoms
- State the dates the physician considers clinically appropriate for absence
- Give your employer or school something verifiable to put in the file
It doesn’t:
- Guarantee that your absence will be excused or that you’ll be paid for it
- Replace a full evaluation, a diagnosis, or ongoing treatment
- Override your employer’s attendance policy or a state or local sick leave law
- Cover more than five days in a 30-day period
Medical documentation supports your request. Your employer, school, insurance carrier, or leave administrator makes the final decision.
When to seek medical attention instead
An online note is appropriate for mild illness you’re managing at home. Some symptoms need to be seen, not documented.
Contact a healthcare provider promptly, or seek emergency care, if you experience:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Chest pain or persistent pressure in the chest
- Confusion, or difficulty staying awake
- Severe or persistent vomiting, or signs of dehydration
- A high fever that doesn’t respond to fever-reducing medication, or symptoms that improve and then get noticeably worse
The CDC advises staying home while you’re sick with a respiratory virus and returning to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms are improving overall and you’ve been fever-free without using fever-reducing medication. That standard is a useful way to think about how many days you’ll actually need.
This is not an emergency service. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Common reasons a request is delayed or declined
- Incomplete symptom information. Vague descriptions give the reviewing physician nothing to evaluate. Specific symptoms, onset dates, and what you’ve tried help.
- Requested dates outside the allowed range. Asking for coverage further back than the limits allow will get flagged.
- A request that exceeds five days in 30. That’s a leave conversation rather than a sick note conversation.
- Symptoms that need in-person evaluation. Severe or worsening symptoms are routed to care, not to documentation.
- Submitting outside operating hours. Your request sits in the queue until review reopens.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can I get a doctor’s note online? Regular and COVID-19 notes are often delivered within an hour of physician review, during operating hours. Requests submitted outside those hours are reviewed when the next window opens. Turnaround depends on how complete your submitted information is.
Do I have to talk to a doctor on video? Not for a regular doctor’s note or a COVID-19 note. Those are reviewed asynchronously from the form you submit. Travel cancellation letters, ESA letters, and customized letters do require a 15-minute video visit.
Can I get a note for my child’s school absence? This service is for adults 18 or older requesting documentation on their own behalf. For a child’s illness, contact your pediatrician or start with virtual primary care at HealthSource Medical Associates.
Is an online doctor’s note legitimate? Yes, when it comes from a licensed physician who has reviewed your case. The documentation issued here is verifiable, and the practice will confirm it if an employer or school calls. That verifiability is what makes it credible.
Will my employer see my diagnosis? Generally no. A doctor’s note typically confirms evaluation and states dates. The EEOC limits what employers can require and requires that medical information they do receive be kept confidential and stored separately from your personnel file.
What if my employer rejects it? Ask them in writing what their policy requires. Some policies require an in-person examination, and knowing that up front tells you what to do next. If you have an ongoing condition affecting your work, an ADA accommodation request may be the more appropriate path.
Ready to submit a request?
If you’re an adult recovering from a mild illness at home and you’ve been unable to reach your regular provider before your deadline, a board-certified physician can review your request through My Dr’s Note. Notes are verifiable, delivered through a secure HIPAA-compliant portal, and you’re only charged if your request is approved. Get started now and see current pricing on the request page.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2025. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ebs2.nr0.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Percentage of civilian workers with access to paid leave by wage category. https://www.bls.gov/charts/employee-benefits/percent-access-paid-leave-by-wage.htm
- U.S. Department of Labor, Sick Leave. https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workhours/sickleave
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Family and Medical Leave Act. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla
- eCFR, 29 CFR Part 825: The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-V/subchapter-C/part-825
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Enforcement Guidance on Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations of Employees Under the ADA. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/enforcement-guidance-disability-related-inquiries-and-medical-examinations-employees
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC Updates and Simplifies Respiratory Virus Recommendations. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/p0301-respiratory-virus.html
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Your Rights Under HIPAA. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/index.html
- Mayo Clinic, Common cold: Symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/symptoms-causes/syc-20351605
- Cleveland Clinic, Common Cold. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4102-common-cold
- StatPearls, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Common Cold. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431087/
Medical documentation supports your request but does not guarantee approval. Final decisions are made by your employer, insurance carrier, leave administrator, school, or applicable state program.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.