Sick leave certificate (töövõimetusleht)

Report your illness to us on the same day you fall ill. A sick leave certificate (töövõimetusleht - the Estonian digital incapacity certificate) cannot be backdated - this is a legal requirement. If you need a different kind of medical certificate (driving, work medical, firearms, and similar), see Health certificates.

Important: Sick leave cannot be issued retroactively. Contact us on the day you fall ill.

Sick leave certificate vs other medical certificates

Search results for "medical certificate Estonia" or "online medical certificate" often mix two different things:

  • Sick leave / sick leave certificate - usually means töövõimetusleht (digital incapacity certificate for time off work). Stay on this page.
  • Online medical certificate (same intent) - often still means sick leave opened digitally via this page and e-Perearstikeskus.
  • Medical certificate (driving, work, firearms, school...) - fee-paying health certificates; see Health certificates.
  • Carer's leave - hooldusleht when caring for an ill child under 12; see the section below.

Sick leave for patients on our list is handled digitally. Fee-paying health certificates are a separate service - see the price list and Health certificates (we do not list fees on this page so they stay current).

Report illness via e-Perearstikeskus

Send us a message through e-Perearstikeskus (one of the digital platforms family centres can use) - the fastest and most convenient option.

Open e-Perearstikeskus ↗

By phone

Call +372 613 8887 on weekdays 8:00-18:00. Please provide your name, national ID number and symptoms.

Fell ill at the weekend?

Call the GP advice line 1220 (24 h Estonian and Russian, 9-17 also English; calls are charged. Web chat 8-22: 1220.ee) or visit Valvekliinik (5 911 0909) - same building. Valvekliinik: Mon-Fri 9-18, Sat and public holidays 12-16. Present the doctor's certificate within 2 working days.

Fell ill abroad?

Seek medical care from a local healthcare provider. Present your employer with the foreign doctor's certificate, and submit the foreign insurer's certificate to Tervisekassa (Estonian Health Insurance Fund).

How sick leave works

  • Sick leave opens from the date you fell ill.
  • If your illness continues, return to us on agreed follow-up dates for the certificate to be extended.
  • The certificate is closed at your final appointment when you are declared fit to work.
  • Your sick leave certificate is visible in terviseportaal.ee (the national health portal) and is digitally accessible to your employer automatically (no paper needed).

Carer's leave (for caring for an ill child)

A carer's leave certificate (hooldusleht) can be requested when your child is ill and under 12 years old. Please contact us via e-Perearstikeskus or by phone.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, if you are on a family doctor's patient list. At SL Tervisekeskus the usual way is to message us the same day via e-Perearstikeskus. That opens a töövõimetusleht (sick leave / incapacity certificate). It is not the same as a fee-paying health certificate for driving or work - those are booked separately under Health certificates.

No. By law, sick leave cannot be backdated. Contact us on the day you fall ill - via e-Perearstikeskus or phone during clinic hours. Outside our hours, contact 1220 or Valvekliinik (Valvekliinik is open every day except Sunday: Mon-Fri 9-18, Sat and public holidays 12-16). Then present the certificate within 2 working days.

Sick leave through our clinic is for patients on our family-doctor list. If you do not have a GP yet, places are open for new patients - register as a patient. Foreign workers and expats: see For foreign workers.

No paper is needed for a standard Estonian sick leave certificate. Once opened, it is visible in the national health portal and digitally accessible to your employer. English-speaking help at the clinic is available when you need it.

New patients welcome

Kind people are always welcome with us. Places on our family-doctor list are open for new patients. If you need a GP in Tallinn Ülemiste before you can open a sick leave certificate here, start with registration.