WCAG 3.3.7 Redundant Entry (level A) explained

What it asks for, in plain English

If someone has already entered something earlier in a process, such as their name, email, delivery address or date of birth, a later step in the same process must not make them type it again. Either fill it in for them or let them pick it ("Same as delivery address"). Showing the earlier value as an option to select counts.

It applies within one process, such as a checkout or an application, not across separate visits or unrelated forms. There are exceptions: when retyping is essential (confirming a new password), when it is needed for security (re-entering a password before a sensitive change), or when the earlier value is no longer valid.

The usual failures are a billing address form with no Same as delivery option, and a multi-step application that asks for the applicant's name on page one and again on page four.

This is an independent explanation. The binding wording is the W3C Recommendation, and the W3C's own Understanding 3.3.7 page has the full intent, techniques and definitions.

Who it affects

A person with a motor impairment who types slowly spends five minutes retyping an address they entered two screens ago.

Someone with a memory impairment cannot recall exactly how they spelled or formatted the value the first time and gets a mismatch error.

A person with dyslexia makes a fresh set of typos on the second entry, so the two copies disagree and the form rejects both.

Example

Broken

The address was entered on the previous step. Now it has to be typed again from scratch.

Fixed

One tick reuses what was already entered. The fields only appear if the person unticks it.

Show the markup behind both examples

Broken

<style>body{margin:0;padding:16px;font-family:system-ui;font-size:14px}h2{font-size:15px;margin:0 0 6px}p{margin:0 0 12px;color:#374151}label{display:block;font-weight:600;margin-bottom:2px}input{font:inherit;display:block;padding:6px 8px;border:1px solid #9ca3af;border-radius:4px;width:220px;margin-bottom:8px}</style>
<h2>Delivery address</h2>
<p>14 Elm Road, Leeds, LS6 2AB</p>
<h2>Billing address</h2>
<form>
  <label for="b1">Address line 1</label>
  <input id="b1">
  <label for="b2">Town</label>
  <input id="b2">
  <label for="b3">Postcode</label>
  <input id="b3">
</form>

Fixed

<style>body{margin:0;padding:16px;font-family:system-ui;font-size:14px}h2{font-size:15px;margin:0 0 6px}p{margin:0 0 12px;color:#374151}label{font-weight:600}.check{display:flex;gap:8px;align-items:center;margin-bottom:10px}input[type=checkbox]{width:18px;height:18px;margin:0}</style>
<h2>Delivery address</h2>
<p>14 Elm Road, Leeds, LS6 2AB</p>
<h2>Billing address</h2>
<form>
  <div class="check">
    <input type="checkbox" id="same" checked>
    <label for="same">Same as delivery address</label>
  </div>
  <p>Untick to enter a different billing address.</p>
</form>

How to check it

Go through a multi-step process (checkout, booking, application) from start to finish.
Note every piece of information you are asked for. If anything comes up twice, check it is pre-filled or offered as a choice.
Check the exceptions are genuine: a confirm-password field is fine, a second address form with no shortcut is not.
Go back and change an earlier value; the later step should reflect the change.

What Websight checks for 3.3.7

Websight has no automated check for this criterion. It lists it in the manual checklist that comes with every report, so it is not forgotten.

Only a person can check this; it means walking through the whole process. Websight lists it in its manual checklist. Its autocomplete check helps indirectly, because fields with the right autocomplete value can be filled by the browser.

Practical tips

Add autocomplete attributes (name, email, street-address) so browsers can fill repeated fields anyway.
Offer a Same as checkbox wherever two sets of similar fields appear.
Carry values forward in session state rather than asking again after a page reload.

3.3.1 Error Identification (level A)
3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (level A)
3.3.3 Error Suggestion (level AA)
3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) (level AA)
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (level AA)