Can I stay off work with a doctor's note I bought or tampered with when I am not ill?
In short
No. A fake or altered doctor's note is forgery (level 3). You can also lose your job and your benefit.
Video transcript
You do not want to go to work. Someone says they can arrange a note for money. Not allowed: A fake or altered doctor's note is forgery: level 3. The person selling it also commits a crime. The right way: If you are really ill, see a doctor. If not, ask for leave. Outcome (Level 3 crime): Prison: 3 – 5 years; Job: Dismissal without notice; Benefit: Reclaimed (up to 5 years).
What is not allowed, what is required?
- Making a fake doctor's note (ziektebriefje / certificat médical), or changing its date or the number of days, is a criminal offence. Knowingly handing such a note to your employer is also an offence (Criminal Code art. 451, level 3).
- A note bought 'for cash' without an examination, stating things that are untrue, can also count as a fake document. The person who sells the note is also committing an offence.
- Your employer can treat this as serious misconduct and dismiss you without notice (dringende reden / motif grave). If there is a dispute, the labour court (arbeidsrechtbank / tribunal du travail) decides.
- If you received sickness benefit from your health insurance fund (ziekenfonds / mutualité) that you were not entitled to, you will have to pay it back. Normally they can go back 2 years, or 5 years in cases of fraud.
- If you really are ill, see your GP. Out of hours, call 1733 for the duty doctor. If this number is not used in your area, contact the local out-of-hours doctor service.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- At level 3, the main penalty is prison. Prison is a last resort; the judge can impose a lighter penalty depending on the case. Any benefits and wages you received wrongly will also be reclaimed.
Legal basis:FOD Justitie – Hervorming Strafwetboek
What does this level mean? Criminal Code, level 3: 3 – 5 years in prison. All penalty levels →
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- Dismissal for serious misconduct, without notice and without notice pay
Legal basis:Arbeidsovereenkomstenwet 3.7.1978, art. 35
- Repayment of sickness benefit paid wrongly (going back up to 5 years in cases of fraud)
Legal basis:GVU-wet 14.7.1994, art. 174, 1e lid 5° en 3e lid
- It may appear on your criminal record extract (uittreksel uit het strafregister / extrait de casier judiciaire); this can cause problems when you apply for jobs
Legal basis:Sv. art. 590, 595
What do these terms mean?
- Criminal record
- The state register of convictions handed down by a court. The extract asked for a job, residence or nationality application comes from it. Municipal GAS fines are not entered in it.
Why does this rule exist?
Sick workers' right to rest and to be paid depends on people trusting doctor's notes. Fake notes undermine this system, and colleagues and other insured people pay the price.
Where can you go?
- Free first-line legal advice and pro deo lawyerA free or low-cost lawyer if your income is low
- Justice HouseInformation and support for victims, accused people and convicted people (Justitiehuis / Maison de justice)
- Emergency112 · Police 101
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 12 / 12 statements in an official source
- Checked: 12.10.2026
- Last checked
- 12.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 12 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Sahte rapor yapmak/kullanmak md. 451 kapsamında, seviye 3
Strafwetboek Boek II (Wet 29 februari 2024), Justel, art. 451 - Found in an official source
Kullanma da suç (md. 451 §2)
Strafwetboek Boek II (Wet 29 februari 2024), Justel, art. 451 §2 - Found in an official source
İçeriği gerçeğe aykırı rapor da sahte belge sayılabilir (fikrî sahtecilik)
Belgisch Staatsblad 08.04.2024 (Wet 29.02.2024, Strafwetboek boek I en II), boek II art. 451 §1 - Found in an official source
Yeni Kanunda doktor raporuna özel ayrı madde bulunmadı; genel md. 451 uygulanır
Belgisch Staatsblad 08.04.2024 (Wet 29.02.2024, Strafwetboek boek I en II), boek II titel 5 (art. 425-460) - Found in an official source
Dringende reden: işbirliğini hemen ve kesin olarak imkânsız kılan ağır kusur; hâkim denetler
Arbeidsovereenkomstenwet 3.7.1978, art. 35, eerste en tweede lid (Justel) - Found in an official source
Haksız ödenek geri alımı: 2 yıl, hileli davranışta 5 yıl
RIZIV/INAMI, B.I. 2021/2 Directives, art. 174 GVU-wet 14.7.1994 - Corrected according to the source
Nöbetçi hekim 1733 (taslak 7.5; mevcut kartlarda kullanılıyor)
FOD Volksgezondheid – Noodcentrale 112 (1733) + Zoekvenster 1733 (https://www.health.belgium.be/nl/tools/zoekvenster-1733) - Found in an official source
Seviye 3 = 3–5 yıl hapis
Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek I, art. 36 - Found in an official source
Hapis son çaredir; hâkim başka ceza verebilir
FOD Justitie – Hervorming Strafwetboek - Found in an official source
Dringende reden ile iş sözleşmesi ihbarsız sona erdirilebilir
Arbeidsovereenkomstenwet 3.7.1978, art. 35 - Found in an official source
Haksız ödenen hastalık ödeneğinin geri istenmesi 2 yılda, hile varsa 5 yılda zamanaşımına uğrar
GVU-wet 14.7.1994, art. 174, 1e lid 5° en 3e lid - Found in an official source
Mahkûmiyet Strafregister'e kaydedilir; kişi bir uittreksel alabilir ve bu belge iş başvurusunda istenebilir
Sv. art. 590, 595
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?