• Success Criterion 3.3.2
  • Conformance level A

No Indication of Which Fields on a Form Are Required

3.3.2 — Labels or Instructions

Scenario

Setting

A government tax-filing portal

What’s wrong

Required vs — optional indication absent when both exist (no legend, no per-field marker).

Example 

<label for="ssn">Social Security Number</label>
<input id="ssn">
<label for="middle-name">Middle name</label>
<input id="middle-name">
<!-- SSN is required, middle name is optional, but nothing on the form says so -->

Why it matters

A filer skips the required SSN field, assuming it's optional like the middle name field right above it, and the return gets rejected days later.

How to test

Scan the form for required vs — optional indication: if some fields are required and none are marked (no legend, no per-field marker), it fails.

How to fix

State the convention once at the top, then mark every field consistently, required or optional.

<p>Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.</p>
<label for="ssn">Social Security Number *</label>
<input id="ssn" required aria-required="true">
<label for="middle-name">Middle name (optional)</label>
<input id="middle-name">

Outcome

The filer notices the asterisk, fills in their SSN, and submits a complete return the first time.

Who is affected

Users with cognitive disabilities and screen reader users who cannot rely on subtle visual cues to distinguish required fields from optional ones.

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