No, medical certificates cannot be backdated beyond a clinically justifiable period. Practitioners can only certify illness from the date of consultation onward.
By law, doctors can only issue certificates from the date of the consultation onward. However, in some cases, a doctor may note that your illness started earlier based on symptoms.
What’s Allowed?
✅ A practitioner may write that your illness began a day or two earlier if symptoms support this.
✅ If you were too unwell to book an appointment, your practitioner may include this in your certificate.
What’s Not Allowed?
🚫 You cannot request a certificate for a past date if there is no medical evidence.
🚫 Practitioners cannot write false information—this is against medical ethics.
💡 Need proof of past illness? If you missed work but didn’t see a medical practitioner, some employers accept a statutory declaration.
