Required Form Field

A required form field is an input that must be completed before a form can be submitted successfully. A service estimate form may reasonably require a contact method and an explanation of the requested work, while asking for a middle name would add unnecessary friction. Required fields should be marked clearly, communicated to assistive technology, and checked with helpful error messages. They are different from form validation, which checks whether supplied data meets expected rules, such as a properly formatted email address. Requiring more information than necessary can discourage inquiries and create avoidable privacy obligations. Collect only what the business needs for the stated purpose.