The <br> Element
As defined in the HTML Living Standard, the <br> element produces a line break in text (i.e., it typically forces a new line). It is a void element, meaning it has no closing tag.
123 Accessibility Way
Web Standards City
Internet, 10101
(Note: The line breaks here are semantic; they are part of the content's structure, not just for visual spacing.)
<p>
123 Accessibility Way<br>
Web Standards City<br>
Internet, 10101
</p>
View HTML Living Standard: The br element
The "Visual Spacing" Trap
One of the most common mistakes in web development is using <br> to create vertical space between paragraphs or sections.
- Incorrect: Using
<br><br>to push content down. - Correct: Using CSS
marginorpaddingon block-level elements (like<p>or<div>).
WCAG Requirement: Meaningful Sequence
Success Criterion 1.3.2 (Level A): Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be achieved in different ways that can be programmatically determined.
When a screen reader encounters a <br>, it may announce "break" or simply pause. If you use multiple <br> tags for layout, you are adding "noise" to the experience for assistive technology users without adding any semantic value.
Best Practices for Layout
If you find yourself reaching for the <br> tag, ask yourself: "Is this break part of the content's meaning, or am I trying to change how it looks?"
/* Instead of <br><br> */\n.m-doc-section {\n margin-bottom: 2rem;\n}
A11y Tip: The "Address" Exception
The <br> tag is perfectly acceptable and semantic within an <address> element or when formatting poetry, where the line break is a requirement of the format itself.