The short version
In Ireland there is no fixed legal day on which a certificate becomes required — your contract sets that rule. What the law does say is that Statutory Sick Pay requires a medical certificate stating you are unfit to work.
The part that trips people up is that there are two different certificates, issued for two different audiences, and asking for the wrong one costs you a second appointment.
Notify first, certify second
Telling your employer on day one, in the way your contract requires, matters more than the certificate itself. Statutory Sick Pay can be refused for failure to notify properly, even when the illness is genuine and later certified.
When you actually need one
| Situation | Certificate needed? |
|---|---|
| One or two days off, employer allows self-certification | No — but check the handbook, this is contractual not statutory |
| Claiming Statutory Sick Pay from your employer | Yes — a medical certificate stating you are unfit to work |
| Absence beyond your employer’s stated threshold (often day 3) | Yes — a private medical certificate |
| Claiming Illness Benefit from the Department | Yes — a Certificate of Incapacity for Work, submitted electronically by your GP |
| Long-term absence | Yes — ongoing certification at the intervals your GP and the Department set |
Statutory Sick Pay is paid by your employer at a percentage of normal pay, subject to a daily cap and a limited number of days per year. Once you exhaust it, or if you are not covered by it, Illness Benefit from the Department of Social Protection is the next route.
Two certs, two audiences
| Private sick cert | Certificate of Incapacity for Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Your employer | Department of Social Protection |
| What it supports | Sick leave and Statutory Sick Pay | Illness Benefit |
| How you get it | Handed or emailed to you by the Doctor | Submitted electronically by your GP |
| Typical cost | €20–€40, or within a consultation fee | Usually within the same consultation |
| Contains a diagnosis? | Usually states only that you are unfit to work | Includes clinical detail for the Department |
Ask for both in the same appointment
If your absence is likely to run past your Statutory Sick Pay entitlement, tell the Doctor at the first consultation. They can issue the employer certificate and submit the Certificate of Incapacity for Work at the same time, which saves you a second fee and a second appointment.
What it costs
| Route | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Standalone certificate at your own practice | €20–€40 |
| Within a standard GP consultation | €50–€70 (€60–€90 in Dublin) |
| GP out-of-hours co-op | €60–€100 |
| Online Doctor consultation | Varies by service; included for ViscaCare members |
| With a medical card or GP visit card | No charge |
If you hold a GP visit card or medical card, the consultation is free and the certificate normally comes with it. That alone makes the twenty-minute application worth doing before you need it.
Getting a cert online
A registered Doctor can issue a certificate after an online consultation where it is clinically appropriate. What they cannot do is issue one without assessing you — a certificate is a clinical judgement, not a form you order.
- Be ready to describe symptoms, when they started, and how they affect the work you do.
- Have your PPS number to hand if you may also need a Certificate of Incapacity for Work.
- Check the certificate names the correct dates before you send it to your employer.
One thing to watch with cross-border care
A Doctor registered in Ireland certifies for Irish employment and Irish social welfare. If you live in Ireland but work for a UK employer, or the reverse, check which jurisdiction's certificate your employer and payroll actually need — the two systems do not automatically recognise each other's paperwork. Our guide to UK sick notes and fit notes covers the other side.
Don't let certification lapse
For longer absences, payment stops the moment certification runs out — not when the Department gets round to reviewing it. Diary the end date of every certificate and book the follow-up consultation a few days before it expires.
Common questions
When can my employer ask for a sick cert in Ireland?
There is no single statutory day. Your contract or staff handbook sets the rule, and employers commonly require a certificate from the third day of absence, though some require one from day one. To claim Statutory Sick Pay you must provide a medical certificate stating that you are unfit to work.
How much does a sick cert cost in Ireland?
Typically €20 to €40 as a standalone item, or included within a standard GP consultation fee of €50 to €70. There is no charge if you hold a medical card or GP visit card and the certificate is issued during a covered consultation.
What is the difference between a sick cert and a Certificate of Incapacity for Work?
A sick cert is a private medical certificate for your employer. A Certificate of Incapacity for Work is the form the Department of Social Protection needs for Illness Benefit, and your GP submits it electronically rather than giving it to you on paper.
Can I get a sick cert online in Ireland?
Yes. A registered Doctor can issue a certificate following an online consultation where it is clinically appropriate. The Doctor must assess you — a certificate cannot simply be requested and issued without a consultation.
Can I self-certify sick leave in Ireland?
Not for Statutory Sick Pay, which requires a medical certificate. Some employers accept self-certification for one or two days under their own policy, but that is a contractual arrangement rather than a legal entitlement.
Can a sick cert be backdated in Ireland?
Generally no. A Doctor certifies what they have assessed, and most will only certify from the date of the consultation. Some will certify a short retrospective period where the history clearly supports it, but you should not rely on it — arrange the consultation early in the absence.
Where these figures come from
- Citizens Information — sick leave and sick pay
- Citizens Information — Illness Benefit
- Department of Social Protection — Illness Benefit
Charges and thresholds change. We check these figures regularly, but always confirm the current rate with the official source before you rely on it. This page explains entitlements, costs and process — it is not medical advice.
Need a cert today, not next Thursday?
ViscaCare members get online Doctor access from day one across Ireland, the UK and Europe — assessments, certification where clinically appropriate, and prescriptions where appropriate, without waiting for a practice slot.
Related guides
Getting a sick note (UK)
Self-certification, fit notes, and who can issue one on the NHS.
Read moreWhat healthcare costs in Ireland
GP fees, the €100 ED charge, prescription caps and consultant fees.
Read moreGP visit card
Free GP visits on higher income limits than a medical card.
Read moreRegister with a GP
What a practice can and cannot ask for, and what to do if you are refused.
Read more