Date input
Use the date input component to help users enter a memorable date or one they can easily look up.
When to use this component
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. In this case, you should use the Textarea component.
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.
Accept month names written out in full or abbreviated form (for example, ‘january’ or ‘jan’) as some users may enter months in this way.
There are 2 ways to use the date input component. You can use HTML or, if you are using Nunjucks, you can use the Nunjucks macro.
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
Never automatically tab users between the fields of the date input because this can be confusing and may clash with normal keyboard controls.
If you’re asking more than one question on the page
If you’re asking more than one question on the page, do not set the contents of the <label> as the page heading.
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
Use 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 and Nunjucks tabs in the following example.
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
If you are working in production, you’ll need to do this to meet WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.5: Identify input purpose, level AA.
Error messages
If you’re highlighting the whole date, style all the fields like this:
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
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:
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
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 cannot be correct (for example, the number ‘13’ in the month field)
information that fails validation for another reason
Highlight the date input as a whole.
Say ‘Enter [whatever it is]’. For example, ‘Enter your date of birth’.
Highlight the day, month or year field where the information is missing or incomplete. If more than one field is missing information, highlight the fields the user needs to fill in.
Say ‘[whatever it is] must include a [whatever is missing]’.
For example, ‘Date of birth must include a month’, ‘Date of birth must include a day and month’ or ‘Year must include 4 numbers’.
For example, ‘13’ in the month field cannot 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’.
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’.
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’.
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’.
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’.
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’.
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’.
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’.
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’.
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’.
Research on this component
This component is based on the date input component from the GOV.UK Design System.
You can take part in the ‘Date input' discussion on GOV.UK’s Design System’s GitHub and share your research.