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( Perceivable / WCAG 1.3.1 )

Definition list structure is invalid

This check maps to Info and Relationships. Use the guidance below to confirm the issue, understand who it affects and ship a fix.

Moderate Level A WCAG 1.3.1 — Info and Relationships

What’s wrong

A <dl> element contains elements other than <dt> and <dd> as direct children, or <dt>/<dd> elements are used outside a <dl>.

Why it matters

Screen readers use <dl> structure to announce term-description pairs in glossaries, FAQs, and metadata lists. Invalid structure breaks this relationship and users hear raw text with no context.

How to fix it

Ensure <dl> contains only <dt> and <dd> elements as direct children, optionally wrapped in <div> groups.

Before
<dl>
  <p>Term 1</p>
  <span>Definition 1</span>
</dl>
After
<dl>
  <dt>Term 1</dt>
  <dd>Definition 1</dd>
  <div>
    <dt>Term 2</dt>
    <dd>Definition 2</dd>
  </div>
</dl>

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