The certificate of capacity is Comcare’s preferred medical certificate for assessing a worker’s capacity for employment following a work-related injury or illness.
Certificate of capacity for work form
The certificate of capacity form was updated in February 2026.
Who can complete the certificate of capacity
The certificate must be completed by a legally qualified medical practitioner (LQMP). An LQMP is a general practitioner or a specialist, such as a surgeon or psychiatrist.
How to complete the certificate of capacity
There are instructions at the bottom of the form to help you fill out each section.
You are required to update the certificate as your patient’s condition evolves.
Note: claims managers will generally not accept backdated certificates of capacity.
Your responsibilities
As the certifier, your responsibilities include:
- documenting the injury or illness
- providing a medical opinion on the worker’s current capacity and limitations
- updating the certificate as the worker’s condition evolves
- assessing capacity independently of available suitable employment
- discussing RTW from the first consultation and setting realistic expectations
- reviewing proposed RTW duties to ensure they align with certified capacity.
Modified and suitable duties
To discuss the employee’s work and suitable employment options that may be available, you can:
- call the employee's rehabilitation case manager or employer
- tick the box on the certificate of capacity to indicate they need a return to work case conference.
Assessing capacity for patients with a psychological condition
To assess work capacity of a patient with a psychological condition:
- Evaluate your patient’s level of functioning. Are they able to attend work reliably, perform required tasks and adhere to a code of conduct without creating unreasonable work health and safety risks?
- Understand your patient’s usual routine, energy and endurance levels, cognitive capacity, coping strategies, interpersonal functioning, evidence of work capacity and any medications taken.
- Consider any reasonable workplace adjustments required to allow a safe return to work.
- Speak to your patient about the health benefits of safe and structured work.
Watch Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Dielle Felman discuss assessing work capacity for patients with a psychological condition.
PTSD and first responders
The claims process is now simpler for certain first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For more information, see our fact sheets:
Next steps
Our claims managers or senior injury managers may contact you if we need more information.
If you need to discuss your patient's claim with us, call us on 1300 366 979 or email general.enquiries@comcare.gov.au. We’ll put you in touch with your patient’s claims or injury manager.
How the certificate of capacity is used
The certificate of capacity is a vital communication tool between you, the worker, the employer and Comcare.
The certificate helps determine:
- the nature of the worker’s injury or disease
- their current capacity for work (pre-injury employment, suitable duties, or no capacity)
- strategies to increase capacity for work
- expected recovery timelines.
More information
For more information about medical certificates and the role of medical practitioners in rehabilitation and recovery, see Medical practitioners.
For more information on providing medical evidence, see Medical evidence.