Dont reject a form entry too quickly

Be flexible in accepting the data a user fills out in a field. If its not exactly in the format you want, change it for them in the code.

Note: this is best practice and not a WCAG requirement.

Date formats

Users may enter a different separation character than you expected and get the warning Invalid date. Though its actually not invalid; its just not in your expected format.

For example, January 1, 2026 can be entered as:

• 01.01.2026
• 01-01-2026
• 01/01/2026

Why not help the user and transform the separation character in your software for them?

Be sure to make it clear in your field description or label whether the data is expected as Month-Day or as Day-Month, as these can be ambiguous.

Email addresses

Some people use a + in their email address, for example to make it easier to group emails.

They might use name+school@example.com for school-related emails and name+work@example.com for work emails. These are valid email addresses, so dont reject them.

Email addresses with a plus sign are valid.

Postal codes

Postal codes can be written in many ways, for example in the Netherlands as: 1234 AA (with a space), 1234AA (without a space), or 1234aa (lowercase).

US postal codes can either be five digits or five digits, a hyphen, and four digits, e.g. 12345-2345 or 12345. UK Postal codes vary in length between 5 and 7 characters in two parts, with both parts able to contain a mix of letters and numbers.

Extra spaces at the beginning or end can also be included when text is copied and pasted.

In code, these variations can easily be normalized to a single format. By accepting all valid ways and letting the software correct them, you prioritize the user instead of your software.

• First published: October 10, 2025
• Last updated: January 29, 2026
• Edit article: Improve it on GitHub

Other pages in: Provide help

• Allow copy/paste

  Copying and pasting is a much easier and safer way for users to enter secure data.

• Autocomplete

  The HTML autocomplete attribute tells the browser what type of value is expected when filling out a form field.

• Avoid input patterns

  Make it as easy as possible for users to enter a value.

• Review, modify, undo

  Make sure users can review legal, financial, or personal information and correct it if needed.

• Provide valid values

  Provide valid values for an input field in the description.

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Disclaimer: This documentation is intended to help the WordPress community understand and implement accessible practices. It is not a replacement for the official Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Please read the full disclaimer.

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