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How to Fax a Doctor's Note to Your Employer

Updated October 2026

You were out sick, your employer wants a doctor's note, and you do not have a fax machine. You can fax the note to HR for $1.00 for up to 10 pages, using the fax number HR or your leave administrator gives you.

There is no government fax number for a doctor's note. It goes from you, or from your doctor's office at your request, straight to your employer or your child's school. This guide covers ordinary sick-day and return-to-work notes. If your employer sent you an FMLA certification form, use our FMLA certification guide instead.

Quick answer: Ask HR, your leave administrator or the school office for their fax number, then fax the note for $1.00 for up to 10 pages. Put your name, employee or student ID, the recipient's name, the dates of absence and the page count on the cover page. Your employer's policy or the school sets the deadline, and your confirmation email shows exactly when you sent it.

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In this guide

Where to Fax a Doctor's Note

No agency receives doctor's notes. You give the note to your employer or school, or your doctor's office sends it where you ask. So the fax number always comes from the person who wants the note.

Many people prefer to send it themselves. That way you know the note went to the right place, and you have a confirmation email with the time.

Can My Employer Ask for a Doctor's Note?

Usually, yes. The EEOC says an employer may ask for a doctor's note for sick leave as long as it has a policy or practice of requiring notes from all employees, with and without disabilities. Medical information an employer gets this way must be treated as a confidential medical record.

For a return-to-work note, the EEOC says the employer's questions must be limited to your ability to do the job. Check your own employer's policy for what the note must say.

For schools, the Department of Education says K-12 health records may qualify as education records under FERPA, but not always, and private schools generally are not subject to FERPA.

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When the Note Is Due

Your employer's policy, or the school, sets the date. Ask HR when they need it and send it the same day you get it from the doctor. If HR is asking for FMLA certification rather than a simple note, the rules change: the employee must provide it within 15 calendar days of the employer's request in most cases, and our FMLA guide covers that form.

If the absence will be long, ask HR whether you need short-term disability claim forms as well.

What to Put on the Cover Page and Each Page

The cover page should list your full name, your employee ID or student ID if you have one, the recipient's name (HR, the leave administrator or the school nurse), the dates you were absent, your phone number and the page count. For a child, use the student's name and the parent's phone number.

Make sure the note shows the doctor's or clinic's name, the date of the visit and any signature, and that all of it is readable in your scan or photo. Write your name at the top of any page that does not already show it.

A note with a cover page is one to three pages, so it costs $1.00. Up to 10 pages is $1.00, 11 to 25 is $1.99 and 26 to 50 is $2.99.

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How to Send It for $1.00

  1. Scan or photograph the note, and add your cover page.
  2. Go to FaxForADollar.com and upload the file.
  3. Type HR's 10-digit fax number, area code first. The +1 is already added, so do not type a leading 1.
  4. Pay $1.00. No account and nothing to cancel.

It is usually delivered within a few minutes. Nothing is printed on your document. You get a confirmation email with the destination number, page count and time (Eastern Time), your record of exactly when it was sent. If the fax fails, the money goes back to your card automatically.

FaxForADollar is not HIPAA compliant and does not sign a BAA. A patient sending their own note is not a covered entity, so whether to fax it is your choice. If HR wants to fax you a return-to-work form or a reply, GetAFax.com gives you a US fax number for 24 hours for $5, up to 30 pages, delivered to your email.

If your leave is covered by FMLA, see our FMLA certification guide. If you were hurt at work, see our workers' comp guide. If a lender or new landlord needs proof of your job instead, see our employment and income verification guide.

Need a note to get out of jury service? Our jury duty excuse guide covers that. For sending fuller medical records, see how to send medical records by fax. To send from a phone, see our iPhone guide or Android guide.

Why send it here

One dollar for up to 10 pages to any US or Canada number, shown before you pay, nothing added at checkout.

Nothing is printed on your document. It arrives exactly as you uploaded it.

If it cannot be delivered, the money goes back to your card without you asking.

No account, no subscription, nothing that renews. Send once and you are done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cost and what you get
How much does it cost to fax a doctor's note to my job?
$1.00 for up to 10 pages to any US or Canada fax number. A one or two page doctor's note with a cover page costs $1.00.
Do I need an account to fax a doctor's note to HR?
No. Upload the note, enter HR's fax number and pay $1.00. No account and no subscription.
Sending a fax
i called out sick 3 days and my boss wants a doctors note by tomorrow, how do i fax it with no fax machine
Scan or photograph the note with your phone, upload it at FaxForADollar.com, type HR's 10-digit fax number and pay $1.00. It usually arrives within a few minutes.
Can my doctor's office fax the note straight to my employer's HR?
Yes, if you ask them to and give them the fax number. Many people send it themselves so they know exactly when it went and where.
Should I fax my doctor's note to my manager or to HR?
Send it where your employer's policy or HR tells you. HR or a leave administrator usually handles medical notes, and the EEOC says employers must keep medical information as a confidential medical record.
Can I fax a doctor's note to my kid's school office?
Yes. Ask the school office or nurse for their fax number, then send it for $1.00. Put your child's name, student ID if any, and the dates missed on the cover page.
Fax numbers and format
What fax number do I use to send a doctor's note to Human Resources?
The one your HR department or leave administrator gives you. There is no government fax number for doctor's notes. Check your handbook, onboarding papers or the email that asked for the note.
Do I put a 1 before my employer's HR fax number?
No. Type the 10-digit number with the area code. The +1 is already added.
What should the cover sheet say on a doctor's note fax to HR?
Your name, your employee ID if you have one, the recipient's name (HR or the leave administrator), the dates of absence and the page count.
Can I fax a photo of my doctor's note to HR instead of a scan?
Yes. Upload a clear photo or a PDF. Make sure the doctor's name, the visit date and any signature are readable.
Receiving a reply
HR wants to fax me a return-to-work form for my doctor to fill out, how do I get it?
Use GetAFax.com. It gives you a US fax number for 24 hours for $5, up to 30 pages, and faxes arrive in your email.
Delivery, proof and safety
How do I show my employer I faxed the doctor's note on time?
Keep the confirmation email. It shows HR's fax number, the page count and the time in Eastern Time, your record of exactly when it was sent.
What if my doctor's note fax to HR fails?
The $1.00 is refunded automatically and you get an email saying it did not go through. Check the number with HR and send again.
Does FaxForADollar meet HIPAA rules for faxing my doctor's note to work?
No. FaxForADollar is not HIPAA compliant and does not sign a BAA. A patient sending their own note is not a covered entity, so the choice is yours.
Will my employer see anything extra printed on my doctor's note fax?
No. Nothing is printed on your document. HR receives it exactly as you uploaded it.
More questions
Can my employer require a doctor's note for one sick day?
Often, yes. Under the ADA, an employer may ask for a doctor's note for sick leave as long as it requires notes from all employees, with and without disabilities. Your employer's policy says when a note is needed.
Does my return-to-work doctor's note have to list my diagnosis?
Not usually. The EEOC says return-to-work questions must be limited to your ability to do the job. Ask HR what their policy requires.
Is a doctor's note the same as FMLA paperwork for my employer?
No. FMLA uses a certification form such as the WH-380-E, usually due within 15 calendar days of the employer's request. See our FMLA certification guide for that form.
When is my doctor's note due to my employer?
When your employer's policy says. Ask HR for the date and send the note the same day you get it from the doctor.
Can I fax a doctor's note to my employer from my iPhone?
Yes. Use the browser on your iPhone, no app needed. Our iPhone faxing guide shows the steps.
Is my child's doctor's note protected by FERPA when I fax it to the school?
Sometimes. The Department of Education says K-12 health records may qualify as education records, but not always, and private schools generally are not subject to FERPA.

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Related Guides

How to Fax FMLA Certification to HR → How to Fax Short-Term Disability Claim Forms → How to Fax Workers' Compensation Documents → How to Fax an Employment and Income Verification Request → How to Fax a Jury Duty Excuse or Postponement Request → How to Send Medical Records by Fax → How to Fax From an iPhone Without an App → How to Fax From an Android Phone Without an App →