Forms

Date adopted: 
February 21, 2018
Last update: 
May 21, 2024

About government forms

Forms are documents or applications we use to collect data for the purpose of providing a service. These can be stand alone, or they can be part of an online service experience.

Public-facing government forms must meet the government's digital service standards. This is so people using a form:

  • feel that completing it was a good use of their time;
  • are confident they have filled everything out correctly; and
  • can access the service or program as quickly as possible.

Creating content for government forms

This section has standards and guidance for creating content for forms. This includes:

Form design standards

We have form design standards for web forms and PDF forms. These include the government's online design patterns.

Plan your forms project

Here is advice to help staff plan their forms project. This section includes information to help you prepare for requesting a form. We've included advice on the following.

Request a new form

Read our instructions for requesting a new form.

Request an update to an existing form

Read our instructions for getting an update to an existing form.

User experience (UX) standards for forms

Look at an overview of the government's user experience (UX) standards for forms. This section also includes UX advice on how to: