How to make <label> and <input> appear on the same line on an HTML form?

luchxo picture luchxo · May 8, 2014 · Viewed 318.9k times · Source

I am creating a registration form for a website. I want each label and its corresponding input element to appear on the same line.

Here's my code:

Answer

Josh Crozier picture Josh Crozier · May 8, 2014

Assuming you want to float the elements, you would also have to float the label elements too.

Something like this would work:

label {
    /* Other styling... */
    text-align: right;
    clear: both;
    float:left;
    margin-right:15px;
}

#form {
    background-color: #FFF;
    height: 600px;
    width: 600px;
    margin-right: auto;
    margin-left: auto;
    margin-top: 0px;
    border-top-left-radius: 10px;
    border-top-right-radius: 10px;
    padding: 0px;
    text-align:center;
}
label {
    font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif;
    font-size: 18px;
    color: #333;
    height: 20px;
    width: 200px;
    margin-top: 10px;
    margin-left: 10px;
    text-align: right;
    clear: both;
    float:left;
    margin-right:15px;
}
input {
    height: 20px;
    width: 300px;
    border: 1px solid #000;
    margin-top: 10px;
    float: left;
}
input[type=button] {
    float:none;
}
<div id="form">
    <form action="" method="post" name="registration" class="register">
        <fieldset>
            <label for="Student">Name:</label>
            <input name="Student" id="Student" />
            <label for="Matric_no">Matric number:</label>
            <input name="Matric_no" id="Matric_no" />
            <label for="Email">Email:</label>
            <input name="Email" id="Email" />
            <label for="Username">Username:</label>
            <input name="Username" id="Username" />
            <label for="Password">Password:</label>
            <input name="Password" id="Password" type="password" />
            <input name="regbutton" type="button" class="button" value="Register" />
        </fieldset>
    </form>
</div>

Alternatively, a more common approach would be to wrap the input/label elements in groups:

<div class="form-group">
    <label for="Student">Name:</label>
    <input name="Student" id="Student" />
</div>

#form {
    background-color: #FFF;
    height: 600px;
    width: 600px;
    margin-right: auto;
    margin-left: auto;
    margin-top: 0px;
    border-top-left-radius: 10px;
    border-top-right-radius: 10px;
    padding: 0px;
    text-align:center;
}
label {
    font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif;
    font-size: 18px;
    color: #333;
    height: 20px;
    width: 200px;
    margin-top: 10px;
    margin-left: 10px;
    text-align: right;
    margin-right:15px;
    float:left;
}
input {
    height: 20px;
    width: 300px;
    border: 1px solid #000;
    margin-top: 10px;
}
<div id="form">
    <form action="" method="post" name="registration" class="register">
        <fieldset>
            <div class="form-group">
                <label for="Student">Name:</label>
                <input name="Student" id="Student" />
            </div>
            <div class="form-group">
                <label for="Matric_no">Matric number:</label>
                <input name="Matric_no" id="Matric_no" />
            </div>
            <div class="form-group">
                <label for="Email">Email:</label>
                <input name="Email" id="Email" />
            </div>
            <div class="form-group">
                <label for="Username">Username:</label>
                <input name="Username" id="Username" />
            </div>
            <div class="form-group">
                <label for="Password">Password:</label>
                <input name="Password" id="Password" type="password" />
            </div>
            <input name="regbutton" type="button" class="button" value="Register" />
        </fieldset>
    </form>
</div>

Note that the for attribute should correspond to the id of a labelable element, not its name. This will allow users to click the label to give focus to the corresponding form element.