Guide · Updated June 2026
When you actually need a sick note, when your employer can't ask for one, what it costs, and how to get a valid note from a licensed Ontario physician by phone — the same day.
The short version: A doctor's note (also called a sick note or medical note) is a document from a licensed physician confirming you were assessed and, where appropriate, that you need time off work or school. In Ontario you can get one online: you describe your situation, a physician licensed in Ontario assesses you by phone, and — if it's clinically appropriate — issues the note, usually the same day. Through Doctor Fran it's a flat $82 with the note included, and you don't need OHIP or a health card.
In this guide
Before paying for a note, it's worth knowing that the rules in Ontario changed in 2024. Under the Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 (Bill 190), which took effect on October 28, 2024, an employer cannot require a doctor's note for the three days of unpaid, job-protected sick leave that employees are entitled to each year under Ontario's Employment Standards Act (ESA).
Your employer can still ask for "evidence reasonable in the circumstances" — but for those ESA sick days, that generally means something like a short written or verbal statement from you, not a physician's note. So if you're taking one of your statutory ESA sick days, you may not need a doctor's note at all.
You may still genuinely need a note when: your absence is longer than the ESA-protected sick days or falls outside ESA leave; your workplace policy or contract requires medical documentation for longer absences; your school, college, or university requires one for a missed exam or deferral; or you need a physician to confirm a fitness-to-work or accommodation need. In those situations, a note from a licensed physician is the right document.
A note is never automatic. A doctor's note isn't something you simply buy — a physician has to assess you first and will only issue a note where it is clinically appropriate. This is what keeps the documents you receive credible and accepted.
Getting a note online means you skip the waiting room. With Doctor Fran, the process is built around a real consultation, not a questionnaire:
The doctors who provide care through Doctor Fran are all licensed in Ontario and registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) — you can look up any physician on the CPSO public register.
See a licensed Ontario physician by phone — $82 flat, note included, no OHIP or health card needed.
Download Doctor FranIf your employer is entitled to ask for medical documentation — for an absence beyond your ESA sick days, or under a workplace policy — a physician can provide a note confirming you were assessed and, where appropriate, that you needed time off or are fit to return to work. The note states what's necessary for your employer without disclosing private clinical details you'd rather keep confidential.
Read the full guide: how to get a doctor's note for work in Ontario →
Read more: return-to-work & fit-to-work notes →
Missed an exam, a deadline, or a class because you were unwell? Most Ontario colleges and universities accept a note from a licensed physician to support an academic-consideration request or a deferred exam. A phone consultation is often the fastest route when campus health services are closed — evenings, weekends, and reading weeks — which is exactly when students tend to need documentation for the next day.
Read the full guide: doctor’s notes for school, college & university →
When you need documentation for tomorrow, timing matters. Because Doctor Fran consultations happen by phone, a licensed physician can typically call you the same day you book — often within a short window — rather than waiting days for an in-person appointment. The note, when issued, is delivered digitally so you have it right away.
Read the full guide: same-day & urgent doctor’s notes →
Yes — when the note comes from a physician who is licensed to practise in your jurisdiction and who actually assessed you. A note issued by an Ontario-licensed, CPSO-registered physician after a real consultation is a legitimate medical document, the same as one issued in a clinic. What is not legitimate — and what employers and schools are right to reject — is a note generated by a website with no physician assessment. Doctor Fran's notes are issued only by licensed Ontario physicians following a phone consultation, never automatically.
Read more: are online doctor’s notes valid and accepted? →
In Ontario, a sick note is generally an uninsured service — OHIP does not pay for it, which means even people with OHIP typically pay out of pocket for a note. Walk-in clinics often charge a consultation fee plus an extra document fee for the note, which can add $20–$50 on top of the visit.
Through Doctor Fran, it's a flat $82 for the consultation with the note included — no separate document fee, no subscription. The only exception is insurance and disability forms, which are priced separately and shown in the app before you book.
Read the full guide: how much a doctor's note costs in Ontario →
You do not need OHIP or a health card to get a doctor's note through Doctor Fran. The service was built for people in Ontario without provincial coverage — international students, visitors, newcomers waiting for their OHIP card, work permit holders, and anyone whose card is expired or lost — as well as people who have OHIP but no family doctor. You simply pay by card in the app.
For the full picture of your options when you're uninsured, see our guide on how to see a doctor in Ontario without a health card, and if you're studying here, how international students see a doctor in Ontario.
No waiting room, no health card needed. A licensed Ontario physician, the same day — $82 flat, note included.
Get the appYes. A physician licensed in Ontario can assess you by phone and, where clinically appropriate, issue a doctor's note that's delivered digitally — usually the same day. No in-person visit or health card is required.
A note from an Ontario-licensed, CPSO-registered physician who assessed you is a legitimate medical document and is generally accepted the same as one from a clinic. Notes generated without any physician assessment are not legitimate and may be rejected — Doctor Fran's notes are always issued by a licensed physician after a consultation.
Not always. Since October 2024, under Bill 190, employers cannot require a doctor's note for the three job-protected sick days provided under the Employment Standards Act. You may still need one for longer absences, non-ESA leave, or where a workplace policy or school requires documentation.
Sick notes are an uninsured service in Ontario, so they're not covered by OHIP. Through Doctor Fran it's a flat $82 with the note included and no separate document fee. Walk-in clinics typically charge a consultation fee plus an added document fee.
No. Doctor Fran is designed for patients without OHIP coverage or a health card, and you pay directly in the app. Patients who have OHIP but no family doctor use it too.
A licensed Ontario physician will typically call you the same day you complete your booking — often shortly after — and the note is delivered through the app once issued.
No. The physician must assess you first and will only issue a note where it is clinically appropriate. This protects the integrity and acceptance of the documents you receive.