Guide · Updated June 2026
Why OHIP doesn't pay for sick notes, what walk-in clinics and the main online services actually charge, and how to avoid surprise document fees.
The short version: A doctor's note is an uninsured service in Ontario — OHIP doesn't pay for it, so almost everyone pays out of pocket, with or without a health card. In-person walk-in clinics typically charge a visit fee plus a separate document fee; online per-visit prices published on 18 September 2026 ranged from about $40 to $85, and some services sell a monthly membership instead. Doctor Fran is a flat $82 with the note included and no health card required.
In Ontario, writing a sick note or medical note is considered an uninsured service — it isn't billed to OHIP. That's why even patients with OHIP are usually charged for a note, and why clinics list a fee for it. The cost you pay depends on where you go and whether the price bundles the consultation and the note together or charges for each separately.
For the wider picture, our comparison of Ontario virtual clinics sets out what eleven services charge with and without a health card, checked monthly.
Here's how the most common options compare. The online prices were read on each service's own website on 18 September 2026 and are re-checked monthly; walk-in ranges are typical Ontario clinic pricing. Prices change without notice — confirm the current fee before you book.
| Option | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Walk-in clinic (no OHIP) | ~$50–$150 visit, plus ~$10–$50 for the note | Uninsured visit fee plus a separate document fee; in person; wait times vary. |
| Walk-in clinic (with OHIP) | ~$10–$30 for the note | The visit may be OHIP-covered, but the note itself is uninsured and charged as a document fee. |
| Maple (online) | $85/month membership — no per-visit price published | Sick notes at a practitioner's discretion, included in the membership; secure text, audio or video; 24/7, one visit per patient per day. |
| Rocket Doctor (online) | $65 video or $74 live text chat on its Ontario page; $65 video or $59 text on its no-OHIP page | Its own two pages give different prices. OHIP video visits are listed at $0 but only "a very limited number of doctors" provide them. |
| Tia Health (online) | Free with a valid OHIP card; from $55 without provincial coverage; sick note charged separately, amount not published | Phone or video, and you choose the doctor. The free visit needs a valid health card; the note is an uninsured add-on. |
| Doctor Fran | $82 flat — note included | Same price any time of day; phone consult; no OHIP or health card needed; same day. |
Watch for two hidden costs: a separate "document fee" on top of the visit, and time-of-day surcharges — several online services charge more on weekends, holidays, or overnight, which is often exactly when people need a note for the next day.
It depends on your situation, and we'd rather be straight with you than pretend there's one answer:
Doctor Fran isn't always the lowest sticker price — but it's flat and predictable: $82 for the consultation with the note included, the same price at 2 p.m. or 2 a.m., with no separate document fee and no subscription. And crucially, it works without OHIP or a health card, which is why it's a practical option for the many people in Ontario who can't use the free, health-card-only services. (Insurance and disability forms are the one exception — they're priced separately and shown in the app before you book.)
$82, any time of day — a licensed Ontario physician by phone, no OHIP or health card needed.
Get your doctor's noteNo. Sick notes are an uninsured service in Ontario, so they aren't billed to OHIP. Even patients with a valid health card are typically charged a fee for the note itself.
For an uninsured patient, expect roughly $50–$150 for the visit plus around $10–$50 for the note as a separate document fee. If your visit is OHIP-covered, you'll usually still pay a document fee of about $10–$30 for the note.
Often, yes — online services usually bundle the note into the consultation and skip the travel and wait. Per-visit prices published on 18 September 2026 ranged from $39.99 to $82, with some services selling a monthly membership instead, so compare the all-in cost including any document fee. Our comparison of Ontario virtual clinics lists each one.
Three main reasons: whether the note is included or billed as a separate document fee; time-of-day pricing (weekends, holidays and overnight often cost more); and whether you have a health card (some services are free with OHIP but charge uninsured patients).
No. The note is included in the flat $82 consultation fee, with no separate document fee and no subscription. The only exception is insurance and disability forms, which are priced separately and shown before you book.