Centrelink medical certificates & reports

Centrelink Medical Certificate (SU415 / SU683): for temporary incapacity — when a medical condition stops you meeting your mutual obligation or participation requirements for a period. SU415 is the paper form; SU683 is the online version a doctor lodges through HPOS.

DSP Medical Evidence Checklist (SA478): a checklist your treating doctor uses to make sure a Disability Support Pension claim or review includes the right evidence about diagnosis, severity, treatment and functional impact.

Job Capacity Assessment (JCA): an assessment arranged by Centrelink and carried out by their assessor — not your GP — that looks at how your condition affects your capacity to work.

An ordinary GP medical certificate: for short, one-off situations. Authorised medical doctors can use their own certificate if it includes the required details.

Completing Centrelink forms and writing medical reports often isn’t covered by Medicare — there’s generally no Medicare item just for paperwork. Your practice may charge a private fee for the report, or for a longer appointment, even if a standard consultation is bulk-billed.

Costs vary between practices, so it’s worth asking what the fee is when you book. Allow enough appointment time — especially for DSP evidence, which is more detailed than a short certificate.

Once your doctor has signed the certificate or report, you can submit it by:

• Uploading it through your Centrelink online account via myGov, or the Express Plus Centrelink app; or

• Your doctor lodging it directly through HPOS (this can speed up the assessment).

Keep a copy of anything you submit.

Can I get one by telehealth? Sometimes — but for longer-term or DSP-type evidence, your usual GP completing it in person is generally more reliable, because they know your history. Your doctor decides whether telehealth is appropriate.

Can a pharmacist complete these? No. Centrelink-specific medical certificates and reports must be completed by a medical practitioner; a pharmacist certificate isn’t accepted for mutual obligation exemptions, DSP evidence, or carer reports.

What if it’s rejected or more evidence is needed? Centrelink may ask for more detail. Your doctor can provide additional information — keep copies of everything and note any deadlines.

SU415 / SU683 — include all of: the date you completed it; the illness, injury or disability; the expected recovery time; the period the patient can’t meet their requirements; and the patient’s capacity — how many hours per week they can work, study or participate, noting the 8-hours-per-week threshold Centrelink assesses against. Lodging via HPOS can speed assessment.

DSP: use the SA478 checklist to ensure the evidence covers diagnosis, severity, the treatment tried, and the functional impact — not just the diagnosis.

Note: this is drafting guidance only. You assess and sign based on your own clinical judgement — AskMyGP does not generate or pre-fill certificates.

Asked for a report for a TPD or income protection insurance claim instead of Centrelink? That's a separate, private process with its own definitions — see TPD & Income Protection Report Requests for practical tips (not official advice).