Business - Macquarie University

Science - Macquarie University

Law - Macquarie University

Page not found - Macquarie University

Postgraduate study | Macquarie University

Maps | Locations | Macquarie University

International students | Study | Macquarie University Sydney

Waranara (Library) | Macquarie University

Find a course | Macquarie University

Research | Macquarie 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

February 2026

January 2026

Macquarie University

	Title / URL	Issues
	Business - Macquarie Universitywww.mq.edu.au/study/find-a-course/business/_	11
	Science - Macquarie Universitywww.mq.edu.au/study/find-a-course/science/_	9
	Law - Macquarie Universitywww.mq.edu.au/study/find-a-course/law/_	8
	Page not found - Macquarie Universitywww.mq.edu.au/pagenotfound.html	5
	Postgraduate study \| Macquarie Universitywww.mq.edu.au/study/find-a-course/postgraduate	1
	Maps \| Locations \| Macquarie Universitywww.mq.edu.au/about/locations/maps	1
	International students \| Study \| Macquarie University Sydneywww.mq.edu.au/study/information-for/international	1
	Waranara (Library) \| Macquarie Universitywww.mq.edu.au/about/facilities/library	1
	Find a course \| Macquarie Universitywww.mq.edu.au/study/find-a-course	1
	Research \| Macquarie Universitywww.mq.edu.au/research	1

Ensure form controls have labels

Macquarie University

Where this issue has occurred