Get a sick note online in South Africa.
Feeling too ill to queue at a clinic is exactly when you should not have to. Book a 20-minute video consultation with an HPCSA-registered doctor, and where a sick note is clinically warranted it is emailed to you shortly after the call, ready to send to work or campus.
R300 · 20 minutes · note emailed after- HPCSA-registered · MP1006886
- Practice no 1325523
- POPIA compliant
- HPCSA telemedicine guidance
The process
How to get your sick note.
- 01 · Book a slot
Pick a time that suits you.
Choose from live availability on the booking page. Same-week appointments are usually available, weekdays and Saturday mornings.
- 02 · Details and payment
Two minutes of admin.
Enter your details, give consent, and pay the flat R300 fee. Your confirmation email arrives immediately with your secure video link.
- 03 · Video consultation
Talk to the doctor.
Join from any browser on your phone, tablet or computer. The doctor assesses your symptoms properly; this is a real consultation, not a form.
- 04 · Note emailed
Straight to your inbox.
Where a sick note is clinically warranted, it is emailed to you shortly after the consultation, ready to forward to your employer or institution.
Validity
Are online sick notes valid in South Africa?
Yes. A sick note is valid when it is issued and signed by a practitioner registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), whether the consultation happened in a consulting room or over video. Medicus consultations are conducted by Dr Eltanin James, an HPCSA-registered general practitioner (MP1006886), in line with the HPCSA's telemedicine guidance.
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act gives the note its context: an employer may require a medical certificate when you are off sick for more than two consecutive days, or more than twice in an eight-week period. For shorter absences many employers still ask for one, and an online consultation is a practical way to get assessed without leaving your bed.
Employers are welcome to verify any certificate Medicus issues by emailing hello@medicusforme.co.za with the certificate details.
The document
What a valid certificate contains.
Every sick note Medicus issues is a formal certificate of illness with the details employers and institutions look for:
Practitioner name and qualifications
Issued and signed by Dr Eltanin James, MBChB (Stell), DipPEC.
HPCSA and practice numbers
Registration MP1006886 and practice number 1325523, so the certificate can be verified.
Date of the consultation
The date you were assessed, which anchors the certificate.
Period unfit for work or study
The dates the doctor certifies you as unfit, based on the clinical assessment.
Your privacy, respected
A diagnosis appears on the certificate only with your consent, in line with HPCSA ethical rules. Employers do not need it for the note to be valid.
A sick note is a clinical decision, not a purchase.
The R300 fee is for the consultation. If the doctor's assessment is that a sick note is not clinically warranted, or that your condition needs an in-person examination, she will tell you directly and refer you appropriately. Notes are never backdated and never issued without a consultation.
The fee
One consultation, one fee.
One flat fee for the consultation, with the sick note included where clinically warranted. No extra charge for the document.
- FeeR300 flat, weekday or Saturday
- Length20 minutes, extendable if clinically necessary
- IncludesScript, sick note or referral, where clinically appropriate
- DeliveryDocuments emailed straight after
- PaymentCard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, EFT, SnapScan
Medically reviewed by Dr Eltanin James, HPCSA MP1006886 · 22 July 2026
Questions
Frequently asked questions.
Are online sick notes legal in South Africa?+
Yes. A sick note is valid when it is issued by a practitioner registered with the HPCSA, and the HPCSA's telemedicine guidance permits registered doctors to consult by video. Medicus notes are issued by Dr Eltanin James (MP1006886) after a real video consultation, and carry her registration and practice numbers so they can be verified.
Can my sick note be backdated?+
No. A certificate reflects the date you were actually assessed. The doctor can record in the note that you reported being ill from an earlier date, but she cannot certify days on which she did not assess you. If you are ill, book as early as you can.
How quickly will I receive my note?+
Where a note is clinically warranted, it is emailed to you shortly after your consultation, usually within the hour. Same-week appointments are generally available, so most people are assessed and have their note the day they book or soon after.
What does the R300 include?+
The full 20-minute consultation with the doctor, plus the sick note itself where clinically warranted, at no extra charge. If you also need a prescription or a referral letter and it is clinically appropriate, that is included in the same fee.
When does my employer actually need a certificate?+
Under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, an employer may require a medical certificate when you are off sick for more than two consecutive days, or more than twice in eight weeks. Many employers ask for one for shorter absences too; your employment contract or HR policy will say.
Will my employer accept an online sick note?+
The certificate carries the same detail as one issued in a consulting room: the practitioner's name, qualifications, HPCSA and practice numbers, the consultation date, and the period you are certified unfit. Employers who want to verify it can email hello@medicusforme.co.za.
What if the doctor decides a note is not warranted?+
Then no note is issued. The consultation fee covers a genuine clinical assessment, and the doctor will explain her reasoning and advise you on next steps, including an in-person examination where that is the safer route. That honesty is what keeps the certificates credible.
Keep reading