diff --git a/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml b/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
index 44a8648..efad792 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
@@ -64,6 +64,12 @@
     entry: pretty-format-json
     language: python
     types: [json]
+-   id: check-html
+    name: check html
+    description: checks html files for parseable syntax.
+    entry: check-html
+    language: python
+    types: [html]
 -   id: check-merge-conflict
     name: check for merge conflicts
     description: checks for files that contain merge conflict strings.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 97bfba6..0db3bf0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ Checks for a common error of placing code before the docstring.
 #### `check-executables-have-shebangs`
 Checks that non-binary executables have a proper shebang.
 
+#### `check-html`
+Attempts to load all HTML files to verify syntax
+
 #### `check-illegal-windows-names`
 Check for files that cannot be created on Windows.
 
diff --git a/pre_commit_hooks/check_html.py b/pre_commit_hooks/check_html.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9801a34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pre_commit_hooks/check_html.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import collections
+from html.parser import HTMLParser
+from typing import Sequence
+
+
+class ValidationException(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
+class ValidatingHTMLParser(HTMLParser):
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        super(HTMLParser, self).__init__()
+        self.stack: collections.deque[str] = collections.deque()
+
+    def handle_starttag(
+        self, tag: str,
+        attrs: list[tuple[str, str | None]],
+    ) -> None:
+        self.stack.append(tag)
+
+    def handle_endtag(self, tag: str) -> None:
+        if not self.stack:
+            raise ValidationException(f"no opening tag for </{tag}>")
+        opening_tag = self.stack.pop()
+        if opening_tag != tag:
+            stack = '/'.join(self.stack)
+            raise ValidationException(
+                f"attempt to close {opening_tag} with {tag} at /{stack}",
+            )
+
+    def handle_startendtag(
+        self, tag: str,
+        attrs: list[tuple[str, str | None]],
+    ) -> None:
+        # append and immediately pop stack
+        pass
+
+    def close(self) -> None:
+        super().close()
+        if self.stack:
+            opening_tag = self.stack.pop()
+            stack = '/'.join(self.stack)
+            raise ValidationException(
+                f"EOF reached while {opening_tag} at /{stack} not closed",
+            )
+
+
+def main(argv: Sequence[str] | None = None) -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument(
+        'filenames',
+        nargs='*',
+        help='HTML filenames to check.',
+    )
+    args = parser.parse_args(argv)
+
+    retval = 0
+    for filename in args.filenames:
+        try:
+            with open(filename, 'rb') as html_file:
+                html_parser = ValidatingHTMLParser()
+                html_parser.feed(html_file.read().decode('ascii', 'ignore'))
+                html_parser.close()
+        except ValidationException as exc:
+            print(f'{filename}: Failed to parse HTML: ({exc})')
+            retval = 1
+    return retval
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 82a5457..0813555 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ console_scripts =
     check-case-conflict = pre_commit_hooks.check_case_conflict:main
     check-docstring-first = pre_commit_hooks.check_docstring_first:main
     check-executables-have-shebangs = pre_commit_hooks.check_executables_have_shebangs:main
+    check-html = pre_commit_hooks.check_html:main,
     check-json = pre_commit_hooks.check_json:main
     check-merge-conflict = pre_commit_hooks.check_merge_conflict:main
     check-shebang-scripts-are-executable = pre_commit_hooks.check_shebang_scripts_are_executable:main
diff --git a/testing/resources/bad_html_not_closed.html b/testing/resources/bad_html_not_closed.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9044464
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/resources/bad_html_not_closed.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<div>hello
diff --git a/testing/resources/bad_html_too_many_close.html b/testing/resources/bad_html_too_many_close.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..227cc56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/resources/bad_html_too_many_close.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<div>hello</div></div>
diff --git a/testing/resources/bad_html_wrong_close.html b/testing/resources/bad_html_wrong_close.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ddbae3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/resources/bad_html_wrong_close.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<div><p></ul></div>
diff --git a/testing/resources/ok_html_fragment.html b/testing/resources/ok_html_fragment.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e7f3f0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/resources/ok_html_fragment.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<p><a href="https://httpbin.org/">Awesome<a></p>
diff --git a/testing/resources/ok_html_page.html b/testing/resources/ok_html_page.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..60eb14d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/resources/ok_html_page.html
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<!doctype html>
+<html lang="en-US">
+  <head>
+    <meta charset="utf-8" />
+    <title>My test page</title>
+  </head>
+  <body>
+    <p>This is my page</p>
+  </body>
+</html>
diff --git a/tests/check_html_test.py b/tests/check_html_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..719782c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/check_html_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import pytest
+
+from pre_commit_hooks.check_html import main
+from testing.util import get_resource_path
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ('filename', 'expected_retval'), (
+        ('bad_html_not_closed.html', 1),
+        ('bad_html_too_many_close.html', 1),
+        ('bad_html_wrong_close.html', 1),
+        ('ok_html_fragment.html', 0),
+        ('ok_html_page.html', 0),
+    ),
+)
+def test_main(filename, expected_retval):
+    ret = main([get_resource_path(filename)])
+    assert ret == expected_retval