This is practical accessibility guidance for first-pass triage. It is not legal advice, a formal audit, WCAG certification, or a conformance guarantee.

What this means

A group of radio buttons or checkboxes shares a name but does not appear to be wrapped in a fieldset with a legend.

Why it matters

Grouped radio buttons and checkboxes need a label that names the group, which is best provided by a legend inside a fieldset.

How to fix it

  • Wrap the related radio buttons or checkboxes in a fieldset.
  • Add a legend that names the group, such as "Contact preference" or "Payment method."
  • Ensure the legend is the first child of the fieldset.

What automated checks can detect

A checker can notice groups of radio buttons or checkboxes that share a name but are not inside a fieldset.

What still needs manual review

Manual testing should confirm the group label is announced correctly by screen readers and that the grouping is understandable in context.

Automation cannot confirm the legend text is the best group name or whether the group should be a different structure.

Canadian context

For Canadian organizations, this is a practical triage signal to fix before qualified review. It is not legal advice or a conformance decision.

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