Guide
How Employers Verify a Telehealth GP Certificate, AHPRA Check and QR Code Guide
25 Sept 2026
Guide
How to Tell If a GP Certificate Is AHPRA-Compliant, 6-Point Verification Checklist
5 min readMedically reviewedAustralia-wide
A valid Australian medical certificate should identify the patient, include relevant dates, show the issuing practitioner's name and professional details, and come from a legitimate clinical assessment. You can check the practitioner's registration on the AHPRA register and use the issuer's verification system where available. Be cautious of altered details or unverifiable references.
The 6-Point AHPRA Compliance Checklist
Six things every legitimate Australian GP certificate must include, and the red flags that suggest no real doctor was involved.
| Required element | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| GP full name | Full name legible on certificate | Enables AHPRA register search |
| AHPRA registration number | Format: MED0001234567 (MED + 10 digits) | Confirms GP is registered, and the number is genuine |
| Practice name and details | Full practice name and contact address | Allows independent practice verification |
| Date of consultation | Date the GP conducted the assessment | Confirms when the assessment occurred |
| Period covered | Start and end date (inclusive) | The absence period is being certified |
| Signature | Digital or handwritten, authenticates the document | Confirms GP formally issued the certificate |
How to Verify the AHPRA Registration Number, Step by Step
• Go to AHPRA Register
• Search by the GP's name or the registration number on the certificate
• Check that the name matches; the number and name must correspond
• Check registration status shows 'Registered' (not 'Suspended' or 'Cancelled')
• Check that the registration type shows 'Medical Practitioner'
• Note any conditions or notations on the registration
How to Verify an OMC Health Certificate in Under 10 Seconds
OMC Health certificates include a QR code. Scanning it with your phone camera opens the OMC Health verification portal directly. The portal shows: certificate status (Genuine/Not found/Revoked), the GP's name and AHPRA number, certificate type, dates covered, and verification timestamp. No manual AHPRA search required.
Red Flags That Suggest a Certificate Is Not AHPRA-Compliant
• No AHPRA registration number on the certificate
• Registration number does not exist on the AHPRA register
• GP name on certificate does not match the registration number
• No practice name or contact details
• Certificate was delivered in under 2 minutes with no consultation mentioned
• Service describes itself as 'instant' or 'no consultation required'
• No QR code, certificate ID or verification mechanism
• Certificate looks like a downloaded template with no practice branding
What an AHPRA Consultation Disclosure Statement Looks Like
Under AHPRA's October 2025 guidelines, a compliant telehealth certificate should indicate that it was issued following a genuine real-time consultation. OMC Health certificates include an AHPRA disclosure statement confirming: the certificate was issued following a real-time phone consultation with an AHPRA-registered GP, and the GP exercised clinical discretion in issuing it.
Book a Consultation
If you need a certificate, OMC Health provides real-time AHPRA-registered GP consultations 7 days a week. From 9.99. Full refund if the GP determines a certificate is not clinically appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
Use the 6-point checklist: GP full name, AHPRA registration number (MED + 10 digits), practice details, consultation date, period covered, and GP signature. Verify the registration number at ahpra.gov.au/registration/registers-of-practitioners.aspx. For OMC Health certificates, scan the QR code for instant verification.
Medical practitioner AHPRA numbers follow the format MED0001234567, the prefix 'MED' followed by exactly ten digits. If the number is in a different format or cannot be found on the AHPRA register, it should be questioned.
No AHPRA number, an unverifiable AHPRA number, no practice details, instant delivery with no consultation mentioned, very low pricing with no GP consultation described, and no QR or certificate ID. These are all strong red flags.
Under 10 seconds. Scan the QR code or visit onlinemedicalcertificate.au/verify-certificate/ and enter the certificate ID. The portal instantly confirms the certificate's authenticity and shows the GP's AHPRA details.
AHPRA's October 2025 guidelines require certificates to be based on a genuine real-time consultation. OMC Health certificates include a disclosure statement confirming the consultation occurred. This is an additional transparency measure above the minimum requirements.
