Academic Pages | Pacific University

Calendar | Pacific University

Academics | Pacific University

Apply Now | Pacific University

Philosophy | Pacific University

Pacific University | A Lifetime of Purpose Begins at Pacific | Pacific University

Information for Alumni | Pacific University

News and Stories | Pacific University

Information for Community | Pacific University

Legal Disclaimers | Pacific 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

December 2025

November 2025

Pacific University Oregon

Title / URL	Issues
Academic Pages \| Pacific Universitywww.pacificu.edu/academic-programs	2
Calendar \| Pacific Universitywww.pacificu.edu/calendar	2
Academics \| Pacific Universitywww.pacificu.edu/academics	1
Apply Now \| Pacific Universitywww.pacificu.edu/admissions/apply-now	1
Philosophy \| Pacific Universitywww.pacificu.edu/philosophy	1
Pacific University \| A Lifetime of Purpose Begins at Pacific \| Pacific Universitywww.pacificu.edu/	1
Information for Alumni \| Pacific Universitywww.pacificu.edu/alumni-info	1
News and Stories \| Pacific Universitywww.pacificu.edu/magazine	1
Information for Community \| Pacific Universitywww.pacificu.edu/community	1
Legal Disclaimers \| Pacific Universitywww.pacificu.edu/legal-disclaimers	1

Ensure form controls have labels

Pacific University Oregon

Where this issue has occurred