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This applies if you have participation requirements and you’re getting Disability Support Pension.
Why you need to give us a medical certificate
If you’re sick or injured, you may get a temporary exemption from your participation requirements. You’ll need to give us a medical certificate from your doctor. This can be either a medical practitioner or specialist. This helps us work out if you can get an exemption.
Read more about what happens when you give us a medical certificate.
What information you need to give us
Your medical certificate needs to state the following information:
- what the sickness or injury is
- how long it will take for you to recover
- the period you’re unable to work.
It must also tell us how many hours of work you can or can’t do each week.
Types of medical certificates
There are 2 types of medical certificates we can accept, either a:
- Centrelink Medical Certificate form
- non-Centrelink medical certificate.
The preferred evidence is a Centrelink medical certificate form. This helps us assess your exemption faster. You can get a Centrelink Medical Certificate from your doctor.
Who can complete a medical certificate
Only authorised medical doctors may complete and sign the Centrelink Medical Certificate form. A medical doctor is a person with recognised medical qualifications, such as a general practitioner, physician or surgeon. If you live in a rural or remote area without a doctor, a community nurse can complete your medical certificate.
Centrelink Medical Certificate form
Your doctor can either:
- fill the Centrelink Medical Certificate form online, or print it and complete it by hand
- give us a Centrelink Medical Certificate online using Health Professional Online Services.
Non-Centrelink Medical Certificate
Your doctor may choose to use their own form. We’ll accept it as long as it has the required details and your doctor signs it.
How to give us a medical certificate
If your doctor gives you the completed medical certificate, you can submit it online.
If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, sign in now to submit your medical certificate.
You can also use the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.
Read about uploading documents online.
If you can’t submit it online, you can either:
- send it to us
- submit it at your local service centre.