• You must have worked for your employer for at least two months to use self-certification.
• You can only use self-certification during the first 16 days of the sick leave, which is the employer liability period.
• If you are away for more than 3 calendar days, your employer may require that you hand in a sick note. You can get sick note from your doctor, dentist, chiropractor and manual therapist.
• If you have used self-certification before getting a sick note, the days are counted as used self-certification days.
• You cannot combine self-certification with a partial sick note.

Interruption of employment

If your employment has been interrupted for more than two weeks, you can only use self-certification after you have been back at work for two months. This may apply, for example, if you are a call-in replacement worker who has not worked for over 14 days.

In the case of re-employment within two weeks, the previous employment will be included when calculating the length of employment.

There is no joint form for self-certification. Each individual employer designs routines and self-certification forms for their employees. You can provide self-certification either in writing or verbally. The employer may require a written confirmation after you have returned to work. Talk to your employer to find out what applies at your workplace. 

You can use self-certification for up to 3 calendar days at a time, and up to 4 times within one year. This is the minimum scheme, but employers can extend the right to self-certification up to 16 days, which is the employer liability period.

In many companies, the employees have the right to use self-certification for up to 8 calendar days at a time and up to 24 calendar days during a year. There is no limit to the number of times self-certification can be used.

Check with your employer what rules apply where you work.

When you use self-certification, it is your employer who approves it.

If you have used all your self-certification days, you must submit a sick note from your doctor or a health professional authorized to issue sick notes.

Your employer may decide that you are not allowed to use self-certification if your employer has reasonable grounds to assume that your absence is not due to illness.

Your employer must give you notice if they take away your right to use self-certification, so that you can express your opinion.

If you have lost your right to use self-certification, your employer must reconsider the decision after 6 months.

If you need to be away from work due to your children's illness, you may be entitled to care benefit (care days). These days come in addition to the self-certification days you have when you yourself are ill.

Learn more about care benefit (in Norwegian).

Care benefit (home with a child who is ill)Benefits