Website contact form not sending? A troubleshooting checklist

First: confirm it's actually broken

Submit the form yourself, from a phone and from a computer, using an email address that isn't the one receiving submissions. Note:

• Does the page show a success message, an error, or nothing?
• Does the submission appear anywhere it should be stored?
• Does the notification email arrive — in the inbox, in spam, or not at all?

Your answers point to which layer has the problem.

Layer 1: the form itself

If you see an error or nothing happens:

• Open the browser console (or ask your developer to) and look for errors on submit.
• Check required fields aren't blocking submission silently — for example, a hidden required field.
• Check any spam protection widget loads and passes; see stopping form spam.
• Check the form's action URL or handler still exists after a site change.
• Check the site's SSL certificate is valid; some browsers block submissions on insecure pages.

MDN's form element reference is a useful reference for whoever investigates.

Layer 2: the server or form service

If the success message appears but nothing is stored or sent:

• Check the form service or website backend logs for failed sends.
• Check any plan limits on the form service (monthly submission caps).
• Check the hosting account's mail sending isn't blocked or rate-limited.
• If the form posts to a script on your server, check it still runs after hosting or PHP version changes.

Layer 3: email delivery

If submissions are stored but notifications don't arrive:

• Check spam and quarantine folders, including any admin-level quarantine in your email provider.
• Check the "To" address is still correct and the mailbox exists.
• Check the "From" address: many hosts send form email "from" your domain, which needs SPF and DKIM authorisation — see SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
• If you recently added a strict DMARC policy, check the form's sending server is included.
• Check mailbox rules or filters that might be moving messages.

Layer 4: integrations

If the form also sends to a CRM, team chat or connector platform:

• Check the connection hasn't expired.
• Check field names haven't changed on either side.
• Check the connector's run history for errors or skipped runs. Silent automation failures covers this in more depth.

Fixes that make it less likely to happen again

• Store every submission somewhere besides email.
• Send notifications to a shared inbox monitored by more than one person.
• Test monthly and after every change to the site, hosting, domain or email.
• Add a fallback on the page — a phone number or email address — so customers have another route.
• Get alerts when the form service or integration reports errors.

When to call for help

If you've checked these and still can't find the issue, or the form is custom code nobody understands, it's worth having someone review it. A broken form costs leads quietly every day it stays broken.

Questions

Sources and further reading

• form element reference developer.mozilla.org

Official documentation changes. Check the current version before you rely on a rule, limit or setting.