diff --git a/common/changes/SearchBox-allow-aria-label_2017-05-04-06-49.json b/common/changes/SearchBox-allow-aria-label_2017-05-04-06-49.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..020a187015da8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/changes/SearchBox-allow-aria-label_2017-05-04-06-49.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "changes": [
+    {
+      "packageName": "office-ui-fabric-react",
+      "comment": "SearchBox: added the ariaLabel optional property",
+      "type": "minor"
+    },
+    {
+      "comment": "",
+      "packageName": "@uifabric/utilities",
+      "type": "none"
+    }
+  ],
+  "email": "jakob101@gmail.com"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/office-ui-fabric-react/src/components/SearchBox/SearchBox.Props.ts b/packages/office-ui-fabric-react/src/components/SearchBox/SearchBox.Props.ts
index 32e5627743583..bfb189ecdd9c4 100644
--- a/packages/office-ui-fabric-react/src/components/SearchBox/SearchBox.Props.ts
+++ b/packages/office-ui-fabric-react/src/components/SearchBox/SearchBox.Props.ts
@@ -43,4 +43,10 @@ export interface ISearchBoxProps extends React.Props<SearchBox> {
   * CSS class to apply to the SearchBox.
   */
   className?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The aria label of the SearchBox for the benefit of screen readers.
+   * @defaultvalue labelText
+   */
+  ariaLabel?: string;
 }
diff --git a/packages/office-ui-fabric-react/src/components/SearchBox/SearchBox.tsx b/packages/office-ui-fabric-react/src/components/SearchBox/SearchBox.tsx
index 4cfd691d11590..2f43af1f0be95 100644
--- a/packages/office-ui-fabric-react/src/components/SearchBox/SearchBox.tsx
+++ b/packages/office-ui-fabric-react/src/components/SearchBox/SearchBox.tsx
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ export class SearchBox extends BaseComponent<ISearchBoxProps, ISearchBoxState> {
           onInput={ this._onInputChange }
           onKeyDown={ this._onKeyDown }
           value={ value }
+          aria-label={ this.props.ariaLabel ? this.props.ariaLabel : this.props.labelText }
           ref={ this._resolveRef('_inputElement') }
         />
         <div