Why We Wrote This Guide?

The old way of getting a doctor's note is broken.

Getting a doctor's note used to mean:

• Work absences - Most employers require proof for sick days
• School absences - Educational institutions need verification
• Insurance claims - May be needed for disability or compensation claims
• Medical accommodations - When you need workplace or academic adjustments
• Travel cancellations - Airlines and hotels often require medical documentation
• Legal proceedings - May be needed for court date rescheduling
• Fitness/gym memberships - To pause or cancel contracts due to medical reasons
• Caregiver documentation - When caring for ill family membersPrescription verification - For certain medications or medical equipment

The good news? Getting a doctor's note online is now:

✅  Fast (often within minutes)
✅  Affordable (starting at just $29.99)
✅  Convenient (no travel or waiting rooms)

Learn how TrustMedical can help fast-track getting you a legitimate doctor’s note.

What you’ll learn in this guide:

Doctors note basics

• What Is a Doctors Note
• When To Get A Doctor’s Note
• What a Doctors Note Looks Like
• When to Get a Doctors Note

Legality of doctors notes and how to stay compliant

• Laws Regulating Doctor’s Notes
• Which Services Are Compliant
• How to Spot a Scam
• Legal Requirements by State

How to get a doctors note

• Your Options For How To Get A Doctor’s Note
• Best Services For Doctor’s Note
• How To Get A Doctor’s Note Online

Employer requirements and common HR practices surrounding doctors notes

• Can My Employer Request A Doctor’s Note?
• What Employers Look For In Doctor’s Notes?
• Do Employers Verify Notes and How Does Employer Verification Work?
• How Do You Validate a Doctor’s Credentials?
• What rights and protections do I have as an employee?

FAQs

• Answers to common questions

TL;DR: This is the most comprehensive guide on doctor’s notes in 2025. It covers everything you need to know, including what to look for, how to get one, state laws/regulations, what employers look for and a lot more. Use our easy to navigate table of contents to find exactly the information you need!

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Doctor's Note Basics

Why Get A Doctor's Note

Doctor's notes are essential documentation for:

• Answers to coWork absences - Most employers require proof for sick daysmmon questions
• School absences - Educational institutions need verification
• Insurance claims - May be needed for disability or compensation claims
• Medical accommodations - When you need workplace or academic adjustments
• Travel cancellations - Airlines and hotels often require medical documentation
• Legal proceedings - May be needed for court date rescheduling
• Fitness/gym memberships - To pause or cancel contracts due to medical reasons
• Caregiver documentation - When caring for ill family members
• Prescription verification - For certain medications or medical equipment
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Important: Some services won't provide notes for insurance claims due to liability concerns. Always check before paying.

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What Is A Doctor's Note

A doctor's note is an official medical document that verifies you've been evaluated by a healthcare provider and provides formal documentation of your medical situation.

Why people need doctor's notes:

• Verification of illness - Confirms you were genuinely sick or injured
• Proof of medical appointments - Documents you visited a healthcare provider
• Validation for time off - Justifies absence from work or school
• Legal documentation - Provides evidence for insurance or legal matters
• Authority requirement - Many organizations require official medical documentation

What information it contains:

• Your name
• Date of examination/consultation
• General reason for absence (without private details)
• Recommended time off
• Provider's signature and credentials

What a doctor’s note is not:

• Think of a legitimate doctor’s note as permission slip from the doctor approving you to be excused from work or school. It’s not a detailed or formal medical document and it may not be appropriate for all situations. Here’s what it shouldn’t—and legally can’t—be:

You may see different words from time to time that are synonymous with doctor's notes. Here is a glossary of common terms you might see:

Pro tip: When requesting a note, be clear about your symptoms and why you need documentation. This will help both you and the provider determine if a note is appropriate for your situation

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What Does A Doctor's Note Look Like

A legitimate doctor's note always includes:

✓ Patient name
✓ Patient date of birth
✓ Professional letterhead and logo
✓ Doctor's name and credentials
✓ Contact information
✓ Doctor's NPI/license information
✓ Date of visit/consultation
✓ Recommended time off
✓ General reason for absence (no PHI)
✓ Clear return-to-work/school date
✓ Provider's signature and credentials
✓ Timestamp for signature
✓ Security features (often a watermark)
✓ Employer verification details

For a more complete guide on What A Doctor’s Note Looks Like read our full guide here. If you need a template that you can use in your own private practice check out our Doctor’s Note Template Generator here.

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Important: The ability to verify the provider's details using their NPI (National Provider Identifier) or license information is a critical feature of legitimate notes. Do not use a service that cannot provide you with this information.

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What Does A Doctor's Note Look Like

You should get a doctor's note when:

🏢 Your employer requires it to excuse an absence (i.e. your sick, needed to care for a loved one, or had a medical appointment).
🏫 Your school needs requires it for the same reasons an employer would.
🦽 You need accommodations due to a medical condition.
📝 You're filing claims for disability or worker's compensation.
👨👩👧 You need to care for a family member with a medical condition.

What you'll need to provide to obtain a doctor's note:

• Full name
• Reason for absence
• Symptom details
• Requested leave dates
• Employer/school contact (doctors will ask so they know who might contact them to ask about the note)

Important Policy Considerations:

Some situations require more thorough medical evaluations which affect which services you can use:

• Medical accommodations typically require certification of a specific disability, which usually means you need an in-person evaluation
• Disability claims usually need comprehensive documentation. Typically a provider will only feel comfortable with providing this if they’ve evaluated you in person.
• FMLA documentation generally requires detailed medical assessment again because the standard to qualify is higher.
• Worker's compensation again because the standard is higher it typically requires a physical examination and potentially gathering more info before a doctor will feel confident they can provide you with this kind of support.

Always check the specific policy requirements or legal regulations for your situation before choosing a doctor's note service. Telehealth is perfect for most situations, but for more complex cases in-person visits may be necessary.

How To Get A Doctor's Note

Below we'll cover everything you need to know for how to get a doctor's note.

What Are Your Options For Getting A Doctor's Note?

Choosing the right option depends on your specific situation. For most simple absences asynchronous (no video) telehealth visits are the most affordable and quickest way to get a legitimate note.

⭐ RECOMMENDED FOR 95% OF CASES ⭐

📱 Asynchronous (No Video) Best for :

• Simple absences due to common illnesses
• Minor injuries or ailments
• Routine medical documentation
• When you need documentation quickly
• Straightforward situations not requiring extensive evaluation
• Applies to most work or school doctor's notes

💻 Live Telehealth (With Video) Best for:

• Typically when requests require more thorough evaluations (i.e. FMLA)
• Specifically good for when conditions need visual assessment but not physical contact
• When you need to speak directly with a doctor but can't visit in person
• Situations requiring real-time medical consultation and don't have the time to see someone in person

🏥 In-Person Visit, Best for:

• Typically when the request requires a more thorough evaluation (i.e. FMLA, disability)
• Complex medical conditions requiring physical examination
• Chronic illness management
• Employer policies that specifically require in-person visits

🏥 Instant PDF or Scam Services:

• These services are not compliant and should be avoided at all costs or you could get into legal trouble and potentially have serious ramifications for your employment.

Best Services For Getting A Doctor's Note

Our most recommended option for a simple absence is using an online service that does asynchronous visits. It’s the fastest and most affordable way to get an online doctors notes.

What to Look For in an Online Doctor's Note Service:

✅ Doctors licensed in your state
✅ HIPAA compliant platform
✅ Employer verification service
✅ Money-back guarantee
✅ Positive reviews on third-party platforms
✅ Clear pricing with no hidden fees
✅ Fast turnaround times

Why Online Asynchronous (No Video) Notes Are More Affordable:

💰 No facility overhead costs
⏱️ More efficient doctor time usage
🔄 Streamlined administrative processes

Check out our chart on the best online services:

Steps To Get A Doctor's Note Online

Below we break down a simple step by step on how to get your doctors note online. For a more comprehensive review of how to get a doctor’s note online and your options check out our article here.

Step 1: Choose the Right Provider

First, check your employer requirements, your state laws, and determine your specific situation.

• Is this a simple absence? Or something more complex (i.e. FMLA, jury duty)?
• What are your state regulations? For simple absences you don't need to worry about much, but to qualify for FMLA or workers comp you should be familiar with regulations.
• What are your employers requirements? Check your HR policies to make sure you understand what you need.

Then, compare services to find the best one for you. Here are some factors worth evaluating them on:

Evaluate services across these factors and choose the best provider

✅ Real Doctors Licensed In Your State
✅ Offers Employer Verification
✅ Professionalism
✅ Price
✅ Speed
✅ Customer Service
✅ Reviews
✅ Money Back Guarantee‍‍

Step 2: Complete Your Medical Intake

Once you’ve chosen a service you’ll need to complete a medical intake. The intake form will usually ask about:

• Your symptoms
• Duration of illness
• Requested time off
• Basic medical history
• Contact information
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Quick Tip: Trust Medical's intake form takes just 3 minutes to complete.

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Step 3: Provider Evaluation Process

Once you’ve submitted your intake the process typically will look like:

1. Intake routed to a doctor - who is licensed  in your state for review.
2. The doctor reviews your intake - evaluating your symptoms and requested absence dates.
3. Doctor makes a decision - and decides whether to approve your note.

Step 4: Receive Your Note

If approved your doctor's note will be delivered with:

✅ Official letterhead
✅ Doctor's signature
✅ Reason for absence
✅ Contact information for verification
✅ Authentication watermark
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Delivery Time: Great services should be able to deliver it to you within 10-15 minutes via email. Scam services will instantly deliver it to you (no time lag between ordering and receiving). This is one way you can tell there are no doctors behind the service.

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What Makes A Doctor's Note Legitimate and How To Stay Compliant

Below we cover laws and HR regulations related to doctor's notes.

Legal Regulations Services Need To Comply With

For a doctor's note to be considered legitimate, it must meet these standards:

Did you know? You don't always need an in-person visit for a legitimate note.

Virtual or asynchronous (i.e. no video) consultations are a great option when you need documentation for simple absences (i.e. basic illness or doctor’s appointment)

What Is HIPAA And Why Does It Matter?

HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, is a US federal law that protects the privacy of patient health information. Telehealth services are required to comply with these requirements as part of federal law. Meaning:

• They can’t share your personal health information with your employer
• They are required to use secure systems to protect your information and your privacy

Legitimate services can explain to you how they comply with HIPAA and typically advertise that they meet those standards on their website.

What Is NPI, Medical License and Why Do They Matter?

What is NPI?

1. An NPI, or National Provider Identifier, is a unique 10-digit identification number issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to health care providers in the United States. It’s typically used in transactions related to insurance and to standardize identifying medical providers.
2. In the context of a doctor’s note you can use it to verify that your provider is a legitimate healthcare professional. That said it, won’t tell you if they are licensed in your state or they are in good standing. Here is how to check a providers NPI number.

What is a Medical License Number?

1. A medical license number is a unique identifier issued by a state to a healthcare professional, confirming their legal authority to practice medicine within that area. This is important because in order for your doctor’s note to be valid your doctor must be licensed in the state you are residing in and their license must be active.
2. License numbers are different from a National Provider Identifier (NPI), which is used for billing purposes and is not specific to a state's authorization. You can check if a doctor’s license number is in good standing for each state through their online portals.

Which Services Comply With Legal Requirements

There are several services that are compliant and some obvious ones that are not. Check out our chart below:

How to make sure you’re working with a compliant service before you pay?

1. Check the website to find real providers → Companies should have their doctors listed on the site and you should be able to validate these doctor’s presence online in other places outside of the website.
2. Look for HIPAA language →  The service should advertise that they are HIPAA compliant. If you want to go the extra mile you can ask them how they adhere to HIPAA requirements.
3. Ask about employer verification and validating doctor’s → A real service will give you a phone number or email HR can use. It will also be relatively easy to speak to real people and they won’t hesitate to give you information that allows you to confirm the doctor’s credentials.
4. Money back guarantee → The best telehealth platforms will give you a refund if an employer rejects a note for any reason

How To Spot A Scam Doctor’s Note

🚩 Red Flags of Fake Doctor's Note Services:

• No licensed providers listed
• No verification process
• "Free" template downloads
• Promises a notes with zero medical information
• No mention of HIPAA compliance
• Poor reviews or frequent rejections
• Generic, unprofessional templates

Warning: Using fake notes can result in termination, academic discipline, or even legal consequences.

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What Are The Legal Requirements By State?

U.S. federal law (HIPAA, ADA, FMLA) sets the privacy floor, meaning they provide basic protections for every patient. That said, every state can layer on its own sick-leave or verification rules. States set their own rules on when employers can demand a note and who pays for it.

Example – New York Paid-Sick-Leave Act: employers may request “reasonable documentation” only after three consecutive workdays of absence and must cover any cost associated with obtaining that note.

Key takeaways

1. Most paid-sick-leave states either use a 3-day threshold or employers discretion. If an employer demands a note earlier in a 3-day state rule, the cost is shifted to the employer.
2. Even in discretionary states, employers can’t ask for your diagnosis— remember PHI still applies and is protected at the federal level. Employers can only verify absence dates.
3. City ordinances (e.g., Chicago, Philadelphia) can override state rules with stricter limits.

🔍 Need to know the exact regulations or your state? Check out our full article with a detailed heatmap on doctors note laws by state.

How To Make Sure Your Employer or School Approves Your Note

Can My Employer Request A Doctor’s Note?

The short answer is it depends - on your states laws and regulations. Most states either fall into employer discretion - meaning they can request one whenever as long as they apply the policy consistently with all employees. Other states can only request a note after three or more days of absence. You can read our full breakdown of state laws to see what are the rules in your state relating to doctors notes here.

Below we'll cover everything you need to know for how to get a doctor's note.

There are a few things that all employers will check to validate your note. Your doctor's note must include:

✅ Doctor's full name
✅ Valid medical license number
✅ Professional contact information
✅ Specific absence dates
✅ General reason for absence
✅ Official signature of licensed healthcare professional
✅ Method to verify authenticity of the note
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Legal tip: Employers cannot legally require detailed medical information—this violates HIPAA privacy laws. If an employer suspects your note is forged the first thing they will do is call the verification number so it pays to work with a service that has a verification service they can use.

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How Does Employer Verification Work?

Employer verification is extremely important. HR teams won’t always use it but often as a matter of routine or when they suspect something is off they will call the contact information on the note to verify the authenticity of it.

Here is how employer verification works:

1. Employer calls the number on your doctor's note
2. Medical office confirms the note was issued
3. Basic details are verified (name, date, general reason)
4. Additional health details require your explicit authorization in writing
5. Employers will sometimes request NPI or license numbers and then perform a check to make sure the licensed healthcare professional is real and they are in good standing

What to tell your employer if they need to call to verify the note:

• The verification number is on the letterhead
• For telehealth services, this may be a virtual front desk where a team provides customer support for the doctor
• Some services (like Trust Medical) can provide the doctor's direct line if requested

Common HR Policies and Mistakes To Avoid

HR departments differ wildly but here are some common situations we see and common mistakes to avoid:

❌ Waiting until after your absence - Request notes in advance when possible (Trust Medical can provide retroactive notes up to 10 days).
❌ Providing incomplete information - Fill out intake forms thoroughly or you'll need to redo them or potentially get denied.
❌ Using unverified templates - These can get you fired or in legal trouble.
❌ Ignoring HR policies - Know what your employer requires so you have the right documentation.
❌ Forgetting verification procedures - Be ready to explain how your employer can verify the authenticity of your note.
❌ Not knowing your rights - Remember HIPAA protects your medical privacy and employers have legal restrictions on what they can/can’t do.

How Do You Validate A Licensed Healthcare Provider’s Credentials?

It’s pretty easy. For license numbers, every state has a database (pictured below).

You simply need to obtain the license number and navigate to the page to perform the lookup. The same is true for NPI numbers. Check out our full guide on how to validate a licensed healthcare provider’s NPI and license number here.

How Do You Validate A Licensed Healthcare Provider’s Credentials?

Quick disclaimer: This overview is for informational purposes—always confirm details with HR or an employment-law attorney for your state.We included this chart because people request doctor’s notes for many different reasons. In many cases a doctors note is it exactly what you need.
That said, there are many situations where you need more comprehensive documentation or more thorough medical assessments. Below we provide an overview of major laws governing employment to help you navigate what’s best for your situation.

There are all kinds of situations you may find yourself in and needing an accommodation for your employer. A doctor’s note is a specific tool that can apply to many situations but you should understand your specific conditions, your HRs policy, and both federal/state law to make the best decision.

If you are unsure, you can always reach out to support@mytrustmedical.com and we’d be happy to assist you and answer your questions!