Alumni & Giving · Castleton University

The Castleton Center for Social Justice and Trauma Informed Care · Castleton University

The Casella Theater · Castleton University

Contact Us · Castleton University

Research · Castleton University

Offices & Services Directory · Castleton University

Athletic Bands · Castleton University

Resources · Castleton University

About Castleton University · Castleton University

Community · Castleton University

People using screen readers are not able to see the layout of a form. To make forms
accessible, they must define explicit text labels for each form control. 

Usually the best solution is to use a `<label>` element. The label may be linked to 
by the form control:

```html
<label for="name">Full name</label>
<input type="name" id="name">
```

or the `<label>` can be wrapped around the form control:

```html
<label>
    Full name <input type="name">
</label>
```

Buttons are different, as their labels are specified by the code for the button, e.g.

```html
<input type="submit" value="Send message">
<button>Send message</button>
```

Alternatively ARIA attributes, such as `aria-label` may be used, but this information
will not be conveyed to visual users. For more information, see [W3C's guide to labeling controls](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/forms/labels/).

Hidden input fields (`<input type="hidden">`) do not require labels.
Note that the `placeholder` attribute 
[should not be used as an alternative to a label](https://www.w3.org/TR/html/sec-forms.html#the-placeholder-attribute),
nor should the `title` attribute.

## Custom roles

Note that this check considers the underlying accessible role of an element, which can be 
different from the tag itself.

For example, this `<div>` has a `role` of `button`, and so is expected to have a label, like
a button would.

```html
<div role="button"></div>
```

form-control-labels

June 2025

May 2025

Castleton State College of Vermont

Title / URL	Issues
Alumni & Giving · Castleton Universitywww.castleton.edu/alumni-giving/	2
The Castleton Center for Social Justice and Trauma Informed Care · Castleton Universitywww.castleton.edu/community/the-center/	2
The Casella Theater · Castleton Universitywww.castleton.edu/arts/the-casella-theater/	2
Contact Us · Castleton Universitywww.castleton.edu/arts/contact-us/	2
Research · Castleton Universitywww.castleton.edu/academics/research/	2
Offices & Services Directory · Castleton Universitywww.castleton.edu/directory/offices-services-directory/	2
Athletic Bands · Castleton Universitywww.castleton.edu/athletics/bands/	2
Resources · Castleton Universitywww.castleton.edu/resources/	2
About Castleton University · Castleton Universitywww.castleton.edu/about-castleton/	2
Community · Castleton Universitywww.castleton.edu/community/	2

Ensure form controls have labels

Castleton State College of Vermont

Where this issue has occurred