validating HTML: The for attribute of the label element must refer to a form control

Question

I don't know why I keep getting this error while checking my page at http://validator.w3.org/check The error was:

Line 235, Column 84: The for attribute of the label element must refer to a form control.
… <label for="name" style="line-height:24px;">Your Name</label><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;

here is my actual code

<div>&nbsp;&nbsp;
  <label for="name" style="line-height:24px;">Your Name</label><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
  <input class="css_form_namefield TooltipIstok " type="text" name="name" value="" style="width: 554px;" maxlength="50" >
</div>

Answer 1

If you use the for attribute in a label element it has to match the id of an input element in your form.

ie

<label for="field-id" style="line-height:24px;">Your Name</label><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
<input type="text" id="field-id">

This page may be helpful for more information. http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG-TECHS/H44.html

Answer 2

By definition, the for attribute value must match the id attribute value of “another” form control, to use the HTML 4.01 terminology. Controls are created by input , textarea , button , select , or object elements, so just read “another” as “a”. HTML5 puts this somewhat differently, specifying that the attribute must refer to a labelable element .

From the error message, it seems that you are validating against HTML5, so the rule that applies is that the for attribute must refer to a button , input (other than with type=hidden ), keygen , meter , output , progress , select , or textarea element. My guess is that you just forgot the id attribute, incorrectly assuming that the name attribute could do its job.