Can you get a sick note for a cold by video?

Which symptoms should you describe during the consultation?

The Federal health portal (gesund.bund.de) lists a runny nose, cough and sore throat among typical symptoms of a cold. Colds often develop gradually, whereas flu can begin suddenly with more severe symptoms. This general description cannot replace assessment of your symptoms or examination when their course is unclear. Describe your own observations during the consultation and avoid settling on an explanation too early.

Note when the first symptoms appeared and which changes you have noticed most clearly since then. Describe a cough, for example, by its frequency and the situations in which it interrupts you. If you have measured your temperature, give the reading and the approximate time it was taken. Also mention known pre-existing conditions and anything else you consider relevant to the discussion with the doctor.

A short note is easier to follow when arranged from the first symptom to your current condition. Distinguish symptoms you still have from those which have already eased or disappeared in the meantime. Say openly if you do not know something and avoid inventing estimates after the event. A clear account is more useful than a long list of possible diagnoses found through internet searches.

Why does your actual work matter for the assessment?

§ 2 paragraph 1 Arbeitsunfähigkeits-Richtlinie bases assessment in statutory insurance care on the work you most recently performed. The doctor also considers whether continuing that work could make your illness worse. Explain whether you need to speak frequently, do physical work or concentrate for extended periods. Add which tasks are currently difficult and describe how those difficulties affect your actual working day.

The guideline dated 14 November 2013, amended 7 December 2023, has applied since 21 February 2024. Our service has its own scope, limited to a maximum of three calendar days. A particular symptom label therefore guarantees neither three days off nor the issue of a certificate. Ask about your individual assessment and what to do if the symptoms remain unchanged afterwards.

Even when working from home, it helps to describe the day you actually have planned. Mention scheduled calls, extended concentration or tasks during which you are frequently interrupted by symptoms. Avoid general claims about what everyone with a cold is still able to do. The treating doctor needs your personal information to assess your specific situation and its demands.

What should you clarify about the further course?

The Federal health portal (gesund.bund.de) explains that cold symptoms often settle within one to two weeks after they begin. Some symptoms can last longer, but this does not determine a standard duration of incapacity for everyone. Regardless of that course, our service allows no more than three calendar days and no extension. If symptoms persist, plan another medical consultation in good time so they can be assessed again.

Before finishing, ask which changes would make it necessary to contact a doctor again for advice. Write down the agreed approach somewhere you can find it later without a lengthy search. At a further consultation, have your existing certificate and information about your symptoms' course available. Explain which earlier observations have changed and which questions still remain unanswered for you.

When should you seek help without waiting for video care?

According to Federal health portal (gesund.bund.de), worsening symptoms or a high fever are reasons to seek medical advice promptly. medical on-call service on 116117 lists severe breathing difficulties or severe chest pain as reasons to call the ambulance service on 112. For urgent, non-life-threatening symptoms outside normal opening hours, contact the medical on-call service on 116117.

What do you need to tell your employer?

Notify your employer without delay that you cannot work and how long you expect the absence to last. This legal duty to notify follows from § 5 paragraph 1 continued remuneration law (Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz, EFZG), the German continued remuneration law (Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz, EFZG). Where possible, send your notification before waiting for the video consultation to finish. If unsure, ask which reporting channel to use and who handles sickness notifications at work.

Keep your sickness notification separate from the medical evidence covering the period certified by the doctor. With this service, you receive a PDF for your employer after the doctor establishes incapacity for work. You submit it yourself; there is no electronic transmission to your health insurance fund here. Our terms of service explain this service limit alongside the procedure for the private medical consultation.

Before sending the certificate, check the recipient, your name and the period stated on it. Store your own copy and confirmation of submission somewhere protected for your personal records. If questions arise, you can then find and identify the documents you actually submitted more easily.

What are the limits and fees of this service?

Our service is for adults aged 18 and over whose symptoms can be assessed adequately by video. Generally accepted professional standards must allow your treatment without an in-person medical consultation. The certificate usually starts on the day of your video consultation. After careful medical assessment, the doctor may exceptionally backdate its start by up to three days. The doctor must also be able to establish your incapacity for work during that earlier period. There is no entitlement to backdating. The certificate still covers no more than three calendar days, including any backdated days. This service does not extend an existing certificate by video. Contact us on your first day of illness whenever possible. Further details are set out in our terms of service.

According to our service, a base consultation fee of €10.72 is reserved before the appointment. If a medically necessary visual examination is actually performed, the fee totals €21.44 plus applicable surcharges. The fee remains payable even if the medical assessment does not result in a certificate. Before booking, read the full pricing information carefully, including details of any possible surcharges.

People with statutory health insurance pay themselves; reimbursement by private insurance depends on their policy terms. Our terms of service do not guarantee reimbursement or acceptance of the certificate by your employer. Have your identity document and a device with a camera and microphone ready for the consultation. Check your internet connection and choose somewhere you can speak without being disturbed by others.

Where can you find further answers?

These related guides provide further information about the next steps in reporting your sickness absence:

• How do you get an online sick note in Germany?
• How should you notify your employer about sick leave?
• How can you get a sick note at weekends or on holidays?
• What is the difference between electronic incapacity certificate (elektronische Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung, eAU) and a PDF sick note?

Editorial team Krankschreibung per Video, Drylabs GmbH

Updated: 26 October 2026