 <p>What about EvaluateIsValid(); Seems to be what you want</p> <p><a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.ui.webcontrols.basevalidator.evaluateisvalid.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.ui.webcontrols.basevalidator.evaluateisvalid.aspx</a></p> <p>from this post</p> <p><a href="http://forums.asp.net/t/1049481.aspx/1" rel="nofollow">http://forums.asp.net/t/1049481.aspx/1</a></p> <p>This seems really similar to waht you want to do</p> <p><a href="http://www.codeproject.com/KB/aspnet/enhacedvalidator.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.codeproject.com/KB/aspnet/enhacedvalidator.aspx</a></p>