Date Fields

Use the date input component when you’re asking users for a date they’ll already know, or can look up without using a calendar.

When not to use this component

Do not use the date input component if users are unlikely to know the exact date of the event you’re asking about. Use the calendar picker pattern instead.

How it works

The date input component consists of 3 fields to let users enter a day, month and year.

The 3 date fields are grouped together in a <fieldset> with a <legend> that describes them, as shown in the examples on this page. This is usually a question, like ‘What is your date of birth?’.

If you’re asking one question per page, you can set the contents of the <legend> as the page heading. This is good practice as it means that users of screen readers will only hear the contents once.

Make sure that any example dates you use in hint text are valid for the question being asked.

Never automatically tab users between the fields of the date input because this can be confusing and may clash with normal keyboard controls.

Example date fields with legend as a title

• English Example
• English HTML
• French Example
• French HTML

Example date fields with legend as a label

Sometime when a date fields are part of a larger form you may want to make the legend blend in with the surounding form. In this case you can apply a .label class to the legend.

• English Example
• English HTML
• French Example
• French HTML

Use the autocomplete attribute for a date of birth

Use the autocomplete attribute on the date input component when you’re asking for a date of birth. This lets browsers autofill the information on a user’s behalf if they’ve entered it previously.

To do this, set the autocomplete attribute on the 3 fields to bday-day, bday-month and bday-year. See how to do this in the HTML in the following example. Read more about useful autocomplete attributes at WCAG 2.1

• English Example
• English HTML
• French Example
• French HTML

Error messages

Highlighting all date fields

If you’re highlighting the whole date, style all the fields like this

• English Example
• English HTML
• French Example
• French HTML

Highlighting one of the date fields

If you’re highlighting just one field - either the day, month or year - only style the field that has an error. The error message must say which field has an error, like this:

• English Example
• English HTML
• French Example
• French HTML

Make sure errors follow the guidance in error message and have specific error messages for specific error states.

If there’s more than one error, show the highest priority error message. In order of priority, show error messages about:

• missing or incomplete information
• information that can’t be correct (for example, the number ‘13’ in the month field)
• information that fails validation for another reason

If nothing is entered

Highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘Enter [whatever it is]’. For example, ‘Enter your date of birth’.

If the date is incomplete

Highlight the day, month or year field where the information is missing. If more than one field is missing information, highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘[whatever it is] must include a [whatever is missing]’. For example, ‘Date of birth must include a month’ or ‘Date of birth must include a day and month’.

If the date entered can’t be correct

For example, ‘13’ in the month field can’t be correct.

Highlight the day, month or year field with the incorrect information. Or highlight the date as a whole if there’s incorrect information in more than one field, or it’s not clear which field is incorrect.

Say ‘[Whatever it is] must be a real date’. For example, ‘Date of birth must be a real date’.

If the date is in the future when it needs to be in the past

Highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be in the past’. For example, ‘Date of birth must be in the past’.

If the date is in the future when it needs to be today or in the past

Highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be today or in the past’. For example, ‘Date of birth must be today or in the past’.

If the date is in the past when it needs to be in the future

Highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be in the future’. For example, ‘The date your course ends must be in the future’.

If the date is in the past when it needs to be today or in the future

Highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be today or in the future’. For example, ‘The date your course ends must be today or in the future’.

If the date must be the same as or after another date

Highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be the same as or after [date and optional description]’. For example, ‘The date your course ends must be the same as or after 1 September 2017 when you started the course’.

If the date must be after another date

Highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be after [date and optional description]’. For example, ‘The day your course ends must be after 1 September 2017’.

If the date must be the same as or before another date

Highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be the same as or before [date and optional description]’. For example, ‘The date of Gordon’s last exam must be the same as or before 31 August 2017 when they left school’.

If the date must be before another date

Highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be before [date and optional description]’. For example, ‘The date of Gordon’s last exam must be the same as or before 31 August 2017’.

If the date must be between two dates

Highlight the date input as a whole.

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be between [date] and [date and optional description]’. For example, ‘The date your contract started must be between 1 September 2017 and 30 September 2017 when you were self-employed’.