Forms
Address
Use this type of data entry when there are clear business requirements to collect a user's address. Ask for a user’s physical address for delivery or as part of a billing service.
How to ask for a user’s address
An address lookup is the preferred form of address capture. This allows the user to enter their postcode and then look up their address via a drop down (Combo box).
In some cases it is possible for the user to just start typing their full address but this is less common and needs to be made clear to the user if this is the case.
Address look up on type video.
Labelling
You should state the type of address you require from the user in the labelling, for example ‘Home address’ or ‘Billing address’.
If it is not clear in the address label, you should clearly state to the user why you are collecting their address as this is sensitive information.
Input fields
The Post office recommends four line items when capturing an address which are highlighted below:
House number and street name
Locality name (If needed)
Town/City
Postcode
Country (if needed)
It makes sense to follow this structure when capturing a users address and should be labeled as follows:
Address line 1
Address line 2
Town/City
County (Optional)
Postcode
If county is displayed it should be optional as not all addresses have a county e.g London.
Country input
Country should only be shown if there is a business requirement to capture it or the product/brand is international. If collecting the user's country, it should be collected up front so the address entry fields can be displayed appropriately i.e Postcode isn’t relevant in the US (ZIP Code).
How to display this data entry
Do
Give users the option to enter their address manually.
Once an address is selected from the address look up you should display the full address in text fields so the user can edit their address as they see fit.
Allow autofill so the user can easily fill out the form based on saved personal data on their device.
Clearly label each type of address data that is required.
Allow users to look up another address if they’ve made a mistake.
Stack each address field on top of each other rather than side by side so each piece of information is dealt with individually.
Don’t
Display unnecessary address Text Fields that you do not require.
Further guidance on address
You can find guidance on address capture on the YouGov website.
Error state variants
Please enter your postcode (If left empty)
We are unable to find an address with that postcode (If invalid)
Please enter a valid postcode (If wrong format entered)
Please enter the first line of your address (If left empty)
Please enter a city or town (If left empty)
Help improve this page
To help make sure this page is as useful as it can be, relevant and kept up to date with industry best practices, please get in touch to share your research findings, and contribute to this page.
Propose a change or contribution by suggesting a feature request.
Date of birth
Only ask for a user’s date of birth when we need to validate their age.
Date of birth
Only ask for a user’s date of birth when we need to validate their age.