<fieldset>: The Field Set element

The <fieldset> HTML element is used to group several controls as well as labels (<label>) within a web form.

As the example above shows, the <fieldset> element provides a grouping for a part of an HTML form, with a nested <legend> element providing a caption for the <fieldset>. It takes few attributes, the most notable of which are form, which can contain the id of a <form> on the same page, allowing you to make the <fieldset> part of that <form> even if it is not nested inside it, and disabled, which allows you to disable the <fieldset> and all its contents in one go.

Attributes

This element includes the global attributes.

disabled

If this Boolean attribute is set, all form controls that are descendants of the <fieldset>, are disabled, meaning they are not editable and won't be submitted along with the <form>. They won't receive any browsing events, like mouse clicks or focus-related events. By default browsers display such controls grayed out. Note that form elements inside the <legend> element won't be disabled.

form

This attribute takes the value of the id attribute of a <form> element you want the <fieldset> to be part of, even if it is not inside the form. Please note that usage of this is confusing — if you want the <input> elements inside the <fieldset> to be associated with the form, you need to use the form attribute directly on those elements. You can check which elements are associated with a form via JavaScript, using HTMLFormElement.elements.

name

The name associated with the group.

Note: The caption for the fieldset is given by the first <legend> element nested inside it.

Styling with CSS

There are several special styling considerations for <fieldset>.

Its display value is block by default, and it establishes a block formatting context. If the <fieldset> is styled with an inline-level display value, it will behave as inline-block, otherwise it will behave as block. By default there is a 2px groove border surrounding the contents, and a small amount of default padding. The element has min-inline-size: min-content by default.

If a <legend> is present, it is placed over the block-start border. The <legend> shrink-wraps, and also establishes a formatting context. The display value is blockified. (For example, display: inline behaves as block.)

There will be an anonymous box holding the contents of the <fieldset>, which inherits certain properties from the <fieldset>. If the <fieldset> is styled with display: grid or display: inline-grid, then the anonymous box will be a grid formatting context. If the <fieldset> is styled with display: flex or display: inline-flex, then the anonymous box will be a flex formatting context. Otherwise, it establishes a block formatting context.

You can feel free to style the <fieldset> and <legend> in any way you want to suit your page design.

Examples

Simple fieldset

This example shows a really simple <fieldset> example, with a <legend>, and a single control inside it.

<form action="#">
  <fieldset>
    <legend>Simple fieldset</legend>
    <input type="radio" id="radio">
    <label for="radio">Spirit of radio</label>
  </fieldset>
</form>

Disabled fieldset

This example shows a disabled <fieldset> with two controls inside it. Note how both the controls are disabled due to being inside a disabled <fieldset>.

<form action="#">
  <fieldset disabled>
    <legend>Disabled fieldset</legend>
    <div>
      <label for="name">Name: </label>
      <input type="text" id="name" value="Chris">
    </div>
    <div>
      <label for="pwd">Archetype: </label>
      <input type="password" id="pwd" value="Wookie">
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</form>

Technical summary

Content categories Flow content, sectioning root, listed, form-associated element, palpable content.
Permitted content An optional <legend> element, followed by flow content.
Tag omission None, both the starting and ending tag are mandatory.
Permitted parents Any element that accepts flow content.
Implicit ARIA role group
Permitted ARIA roles radiogroup, presentation, none
DOM interface HTMLFieldSetElement

Specifications

Specification
HTML Standard
# the-fieldset-element

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also