W3C WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A)
Provide labels or instructions for all content that requires user input, including form fields, buttons, and interactive controls
Where this comes from
Provision: 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A)
Instrument: W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2
Citation: W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Success Criterion 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions, Level A, W3C Recommendation 05 October 2023
Text version: WCAG 2.2
Who it applies to
It applies when all of these are true:
- Service type — any answer
- Service is likely to be accessed by children under 18
What engineering work it implies
Sample acceptance criteria Landfall generates for this obligation:
- Every input has a persistent visible label (placeholder text is not used as the only label)
- Required fields and expected formats are indicated in text before submission
- Instructions for a group of controls are programmatically associated (fieldset/legend or aria-describedby)
- Labels remain visible while the field is being completed
- Unit tests cover the core logic (aim for >80% coverage on new code)
Questions people ask
- Does W3C WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A) apply to my service?
- It applies when Service type — any answer; Service is likely to be accessed by children under 18.
- From when does this apply?
- W3C WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A) applies from 5 October 2023. Its current status is: in force.
Find out whether this one lands on you
Landfall's pre-scan answers the applicability question above for your product in minutes, then turns every obligation that applies into traceable engineering tickets with a citation chain your auditors can follow.
Not legal advice. Landfall maps regulatory obligations to engineering work for planning purposes. Its verdicts are not legal advice and create no attorney-client relationship — verify with qualified counsel before relying on them.