$(function () { $('#sign_up').validate({ rules: { 'terms': { required: true }, 'confirm': { equalTo: '[name="password"]' } }, highlight: function (input) { console.log(input); $(input).parents('.form-line').addClass('error'); }, unhighlight: function (input) { $(input).parents('.form-line').removeClass('error'); }, errorPlacement: function (error, element) { $(element).parents('.input-group').append(error); $(element).parents('.form-group').append(error); } }); });