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Medical certificates in Puerto Rico: which one do you need, and where do you get it?

Medical certificates in Puerto Rico cover several different documents: a doctor's note for illness, the certificado de salud for work, the DTOP-DIS-260 for a driver's license, a school or sports form, or a premarital certificate. Most require an in-person exam or tests. By telehealth we only write a doctor's note, and only after a real visit for a current illness.

Can we help by telehealth? Sometimes: it depends on the evaluation.

Medical certificates in Puerto Rico at a glance

Find the document you were asked for:

  • Doctor's note (for work or school): signed by the doctor who evaluated you while you were sick. We do this, after a real visit.
  • Certificado de salud (jobs in food handling or health services): a doctor authorized by the Department of Health, in person, with a TB skin test and VDRL. We don't.
  • DTOP-DIS-260 (driver's license): the doctor examines the applicant in person. We don't.
  • School, daycare and sports forms: need an in-person physical exam. We don't.
  • Premarital medical certificate: needs lab tests. We don't.
  • PVAC-3 vaccination certificate (hoja verde): issued by whoever gives the vaccines. We don't.

Doctor's note for illness

If you are sick and your employer or school wants a note, the doctor can write one after evaluating you by video for a current illness, if she considers it appropriate. We don't backdate notes or write them without a visit. See doctor's notes.

What you pay for is the US$79 online doctor visit, not the document: if the doctor gives you a note, there is no extra charge for it.

Puerto Rico public schools usually accept a written note from a parent for short absences; check with the school before paying for a visit only to get a note.

Certificado de salud (health certificate)

This is the yearly certificate that Law 232-2000 and Regulation 138 require for certain workers. Only a doctor authorized by the Department of Health can issue it, and only at the authorized office, with a TB skin test and a syphilis test. Details in the Puerto Rico health certificate guide.

Driver's license medical certificate (DTOP-DIS-260)

The DTOP form says the doctor will examine the applicant personally, and it records visual acuity and the condition of the ears, arms and legs. It can't be done by video. See the driver's license medical certificate guide.

School, sports and university forms

Medical forms for school, daycare, sports, university or a teaching job usually require a physical exam, which is done in person. We also don't do well-child checks. Ask the institution for the exact form and take it to your regular doctor or an office that does physical exams.

If you are relocating with children, see school and daycare health forms in Puerto Rico.

Premarital medical certificate

For a marriage license, the Registro Demográfico (vital records office) asks for lab tests and a doctor's certification after the results. Check the current requirements with the Department of Health's Registro Demográfico. We don't offer this certificate.

PVAC-3 vaccination certificate (hoja verde)

The PVAC-3 is issued by the doctor or professional who gives the vaccines, through the Puerto Rico Immunization Registry. If you are already vaccinated and lost the form, ask whoever vaccinated you or the Department of Health's vaccination program. We don't vaccinate or issue the PVAC-3.

Before you book

  • You must be physically in Puerto Rico during the visit (visitors and tourists are welcome).
  • We see patients from 6 months old. Patients under 21: a parent or legal guardian must be on camera for the whole visit.
  • Real-time video only; we do not do phone-call visits.
  • We do not prescribe controlled substances.

What we don't do by telehealth

Frequently asked questions

Do you issue medical certificates by telehealth?
Only a doctor's note for illness, and only after a real visit. Certificates that need a physical exam or tests are not done by video.
Can I get a medical certificate for university, teaching or marriage?
Those need an in-person physical exam or lab tests, so we don't do them. Ask the institution for the exact form and take it to a doctor who examines patients in person.
Can you backdate a doctor's note?
No. The doctor only documents what she evaluates during the visit.

Sources

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