Colour contrast for inline field errors
Form validation messages must meet at least 4.5:1 contrast against their background for normal text. Brand “alert red” tints designed for large marketing banners often land near 3:1 on white—fine for decoration, not for sentences.
Pair colour with text and icon
WCAG 1.4.1 Use of Colour still applies: do not rely on red alone. We recommend a short prefix such as “Error:” and an icon with aria-hidden="true" when designers insist on subtle hues.
Dark backgrounds
Glass-style panels on tinted backgrounds change the effective contrast. Measure against the pixel behind the text, not the page default. We screenshot the error state at 1× and run the sample in a contrast checker.
Public-sector palettes
Many ZA government sites use deep blue headers with white content wells. Error text that works in the well may fail if validation appears inside a blue alert strip—test both placements.