The law
Massachusetts has no college NIL statute. In short: None (no college NIL statute found; G.L. c. 214, § 3A covers commercial use of a name or picture). Rows drawn from a statute come from the enacted text on the legislature's own site; rows drawn from a school or board policy name that policy. Every source is linked under Sources, read on October 21, 2026.
What it says
| Question | What applies | Section or source |
|---|---|---|
| Who is covered | No state statute. UMass Amherst's NIL page applies to UMass student-athletes; its older Student-Athlete NIL Plan (effective 2022-05-26) also says prospective student-athletes may not do NIL activity that would be impermissible for current ones. H.1930 (2025) would have covered anyone who engages in, is eligible to engage in, or has been recruited to engage in intercollegiate athletics at a public or private Massachusetts institution; it was not enacted | UMass Amherst NIL page; UMass NIL Plan (2022); H.1930 s. 1 (not enacted) |
| Disclosure to the school | No state statute. UMass Amherst's NIL page says all Division I student-athletes must report third-party NIL deals worth $600 or more (total) in NIL Go, and asks that they be disclosed before any payment is received. NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 (2026-27 Division I Manual) require reporting noninstitutional NIL contracts or payment terms of $600 or more to the designated clearinghouse within five business days of signing. The 2022 UMass plan had a seven-day rule. H.1930 would have required disclosure within 72 hours or before the next athletic event | UMass Amherst NIL page; NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2; H.1930 s. 4 (not enacted) |
| Banned categories | No state statute. UMass Amherst's NIL page bars sex or adult entertainment, alcohol brands or liquor stores, tobacco or e-cigarettes, CBD products or marijuana dispensaries, sports wagering or gambling, firearms, NCAA banned substances, and activities that cause disruption or reflect unfavorably on the team, athletics department or university | UMass Amherst NIL page |
| Conflicts with team contracts | No state statute. UMass Amherst's NIL page lists an NIL activity that conflicts with a team contract, an institutional contract, an athletics policy or an institutional policy or honor code as not permitted. The 2022 plan lets athletes work with university sponsors or their competitors if the agreement does not conflict with a university agreement, and says the university discloses any conflicting provisions to the athlete or the athlete's attorney or sports agent | UMass Amherst NIL page; UMass NIL Plan (2022) |
| School and coach involvement | No state statute. The 2022 UMass plan says the university may educate athletes and facilitate a relationship with a professional service provider, but may not create or facilitate NIL opportunities as a recruiting or retention inducement or recommend a particular provider, and boosters may not create those opportunities either. The current UMass Amherst NIL page does not repeat these terms, so whether they still apply could not be confirmed | UMass NIL Plan (2022) |
| Direct pay from the school | No state statute allows or bars it. The 2022 UMass plan says athletes may be paid by third parties "but NOT from the University"; the current UMass Amherst NIL page does not address university payments. H.1930 would have barred schools from paying athletes directly for NIL; it was not enacted | UMass NIL Plan (2022); H.1930 s. 2 (not enacted) |
| Agents and attorneys | No athlete-agent registration law was found; a General Laws search for "athlete agent" on 2026-10-21 returned only G.L. c. 23N, § 11 (sports wagering). UMass Amherst's NIL page lets athletes secure an agent, lawyer or financial advisor only for NIL and not for future professional contracts, with a written agreement specific to NIL. The federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act (15 U.S.C. 7802) applies to agents nationwide. H.1930 would have required Secretary of State registration and capped fees at 15 percent | G.L. c. 23N, § 11; UMass Amherst NIL page; 15 U.S.C. 7802; H.1930 s. 5 (not enacted) |
| High school and minors | No state statute. High school NIL is set by MIAA Rule 47.1.3, covered on the high school page | MIAA Rule 47.1.3 |
| Financial literacy | No state statute. UMass Amherst's NIL page notes NIL pay could affect need-based aid, especially Pell Grants, and points athletes to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid Services. H.1930 would have required annual NIL training including financial literacy; it was not enacted | UMass Amherst NIL page; H.1930 s. 7 (not enacted) |
| Scholarship protection | No state statute. UMass Amherst's NIL page says a violation may result in cancellation of athletics financial aid if the athlete is deemed ineligible. H.1930 would have said NIL compensation "shall not affect the student-athlete's scholarship eligibility"; it was not enacted | UMass Amherst NIL page; H.1930 s. 2 (not enacted) |
| Confidentiality of contracts | No NIL exemption. The public records exemptions in G.L. c. 4, § 7, clause Twenty-sixth do not name NIL or athlete contracts; the closest are records exempt by another statute (a), personal-privacy information (c) and University of Massachusetts trade secrets or proprietary information (u). No statute says how they apply to NIL records | G.L. c. 4, § 7(26)(a), (c), (u) |
| NCAA and conference penalties | Not addressed. No Massachusetts statute was found that bars the NCAA, a conference or the College Sports Commission from penalizing a school or athlete | None |
| Remedies and enforcement | No NIL-specific remedy. G.L. c. 214, § 3A lets a person whose name, portrait or picture is used for advertising or trade in Massachusetts without written consent sue in superior court to stop it and recover damages, which the court may treble for knowing use | G.L. c. 214, § 3A |
| Employee status | No state statute. UMass Amherst's NIL page says the policy creates no employment relationship between the university and any student-athlete, and the 2022 plan says athletes are not employees based solely on their status as student-athletes | UMass Amherst NIL page; UMass NIL Plan (2022) |
Bills filed, 2021 to 2026
The college NIL bills found on malegislature.gov for each session since 2021 were not enacted, and none reached a floor vote.
- 192nd General Court (2021-2022). H.1335 (Rep. Carlos González, establishing the "Massachusetts collegiate athletic participation compensation act"), H.1340 (Rep. Steven Howitt, "An Act relative to intercollegiate compensation and rights") and S.832 (Sen. Barry Finegold, "An Act relative to college athlete compensation") went to the Joint Committee on Higher Education, which scheduled a hearing on them for 2021-07-13. The committee reported new drafts favorably in April 2022: S.2813 to Senate Ways and Means on 2022-04-07, and H.4696 to House Ways and Means on 2022-04-19. Both records end "No further action taken" on 2023-01-03.
- 193rd General Court (2023-2024). H.1263 (Rep. González), H.1267 (Rep. Howitt) and S.825 (Sen. Finegold, "An Act relative to college athlete compensation and agent regulation", which would have added a new General Laws chapter 78B, "Student-Athlete Compensation and Agent Regulation") had a hearing scheduled for 2023-06-27. On 2024-03-06 the committee reported H.1263 favorably, with S.825 and H.1267 accompanying it, and sent it to House Ways and Means. "No further action taken" on 2024-12-31.
- 194th General Court (2025-2026). H.1930 (Rep. Francisco E. Paulino, "An Act empowering student-athletes through NIL rights") went to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary on 2025-02-27 and was heard on 2025-07-15. As filed it would have required disclosure within 72 hours, Secretary of State registration for agents with a 15 percent fee cap, an exemption for NIL agreements from public records laws, Attorney General enforcement, and an effective date of 2027-07-01. On 2026-03-26 it accompanied a study order, H.5281, under House Rule 27. A search of 194th-session bills for "likeness" on 2026-10-21 found no other bill with NIL terms for college athletes.
No athlete-agent law found
Most states regulate sports agents through the Uniform Athlete Agents Act. A keyword search of the General Laws on malegislature.gov for "athlete agent" on 2026-10-21 returned only G.L. c. 23N, § 11, the sports-wagering section that requires operators to bar athletes and others from betting on events of their own sport's governing body; the matching session laws were the 2022 sports wagering act (2022 Acts c. 173) and a 2016 economic development act with fantasy contest provisions (2016 Acts c. 219). S.825 (2023) would have created an agent registration chapter and did not pass. So no state office was found that registers NIL agents, and no state contract form, warning or cancellation period was found. The federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act (15 U.S.C. 7802) still bars agents from recruiting a student athlete with false or misleading information or anything of value, and requires a signed disclosure document with a boldface warning when an agency contract is signed.
What fills the gap at UMass
UMass Amherst Athletics posts a "Massachusetts NIL" page, linked from the UMass system's NIL page. It says all Division I student-athletes must report third-party NIL deals of $600 or more in NIL Go and asks for disclosure before payment; lists eight barred categories, from adult entertainment and alcohol to firearms; allows an agent, lawyer or financial advisor for NIL only; and requires prior written permission from UMass Trademark and Licensing for any use of university marks, with university-owned photographs available at $25.00 per image. The older Student-Athlete NIL Plan, effective 2022-05-26 and still posted, says pay comes from third parties and not from the university and set a seven-day disclosure rule; the current page does not repeat either. For Division I athletes, NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 (deals of $600 or more, reported within five business days) apply regardless of state law; see how NIL Go works.
How it changed
| Act | What it did | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| G.L. c. 214, § 3A | lets any person whose name, portrait or picture is used in Massachusetts for advertising or trade without written consent sue in superior court to stop the use and recover damages, which the court may treble for knowing use; it is general law, not written for athletes | in force before 2021 (enactment date not shown on malegislature.gov) |
| H.4696 and S.2813 (192nd General Court) | Higher Education committee new drafts of the 2021 college athlete compensation bills (H.1335, H.1340, S.832), reported favorably in April 2022 (S.2813 on 2022-04-07, H.4696 on 2022-04-19) and sent to Ways and Means; "No further action taken" on 2023-01-03, so nothing was enacted | not enacted |
| H.1263 (193rd General Court) | reported favorably by the Higher Education committee on 2024-03-06 (with S.825 and H.1267 accompanying it) and sent to House Ways and Means; "No further action taken" on 2024-12-31 | not enacted |
| H.1930 (194th General Court) | "An Act empowering student-athletes through NIL rights"; Judiciary committee hearing 2025-07-15; accompanied a study order, H.5281, on 2026-03-26 | not enacted |
Federal law
As of 2026-10-21, S. 4668 (Protect College Sports Act) passed the Senate 77-22 on 2026-09-28 and has been held at the House desk since 2026-10-05, with no House action (congress.gov bill status); it is not law. No Massachusetts NIL or agent statute was found, so § 121(a) has little in Massachusetts law to preempt; G.L. c. 214, § 3A is the kind of tort and privacy law § 121(b)(1)(C) and (E) preserve unless it conflicts with § 121(a). What the bill would add in Massachusetts: athletes at schools whose primary membership is in Division I (§ 101(b)(5)) would report to the school and the association or its designated entity the terms of each NIL agreement over $600 (counting payments from one source over 12 months) within 5 days of signing, and other NIL pay over $600 within 30 days of receipt (§ 101(b)(1)); schools, conferences and collectives "may pay, provide, or facilitate" NIL compensation (§ 101(c)); and § 102's amendments to the Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act would require an agent representing a student athlete in an endorsement contract to "register with a State", cap the agent's fee at 5 percent of the endorsement contract, bar agency contracts running past eligibility and give athletes a private right of action. New SPARTA § 9(b) deems an agent registered if registered with a professional sports league or players association, or "registered and certified under the All State Uniform Agent Acts in the State in which the agent operates"; no such Massachusetts act was found.
What sits on top of it
- Division I reporting. Third-party deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go within five business days, whatever the state's own rule (NIL Go, reporting a deal, level by level).
- Your school. A school can set a stricter policy than the statute, and most set the disclosure process.
- Agents. Massachusetts's athlete-agent rules are on the state-by-state registration table.
- High school. High school NIL in Massachusetts is set by the state's athletic association, not this statute.
- Taxes. NIL taxes in plain words.
How Leave fits
In Leave, every deal thread carries a rules summary for the athlete's state and level, and keeps the contract, its dates and the disclosure deadline that applies. It is a summary, not a ruling; the school and the statute decide. Leave is software, not an agent, and takes 0% of any deal. You decide, you send.
Questions about college NIL law in Massachusetts
Does Massachusetts have an NIL law in 2026?
No college NIL statute was found as of 2026-10-21. Bills were filed in 2021 (H.1335, H.1340, S.832), 2023 (H.1263, H.1267, S.825) and 2025 (H.1930); the 2021 and 2023 bills were reported favorably by the Higher Education committee but went no further, and H.1930 accompanied a study order (H.5281) on 2026-03-26. A search of the session laws on malegislature.gov found no act on college NIL.
Can Massachusetts colleges pay athletes directly?
No Massachusetts statute was found that allows or forbids it. H.1930 would have barred schools from paying athletes directly for NIL, but it was not enacted. The University of Massachusetts athletics NIL plan dated 2022-05-26 says NIL pay comes from third parties and not from the university; UMass Amherst's current NIL page does not address university payments. What Division I schools pay is set by the House settlement and NCAA and conference rules.
Do I have to tell my school about an NIL deal in Massachusetts?
No state statute requiring it was found. School policy and NCAA rules do: UMass Amherst's NIL page says Division I athletes must report third-party deals of $600 or more in NIL Go and asks for disclosure before payment, and NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 require reporting noninstitutional deals of $600 or more to the designated clearinghouse within five business days of signing.
Does Massachusetts require an NIL agent to be licensed?
No Massachusetts athlete-agent registration law was found: a General Laws search for "athlete agent" on 2026-10-21 returned only a sports-wagering section, and S.825 (2023), which would have created one, did not pass. So no state registration, fee, required contract form or cancellation period was found for anyone representing a college athlete in NIL deals. The federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act (15 U.S.C. 7801 et seq.) still applies to agents who recruit or solicit student athletes.
What does Massachusetts law say if a company uses my name or photo without permission?
G.L. c. 214, § 3A lets anyone whose name, portrait or picture is used in Massachusetts for advertising or trade without written consent sue in superior court to stop the use and recover damages; if the use was knowing, the court may award three times the damages. It applies to everyone, athletes included.
Are NIL contracts public records at UMass?
No statute says. The exemptions in G.L. c. 4, § 7, clause Twenty-sixth do not mention NIL or athlete contracts; whether a given record falls under the exemptions for records protected by another statute, personal privacy, or University of Massachusetts proprietary information is decided record by record. H.1930, which would have exempted NIL agreements and disclosures from public records laws, was not enacted.
Be your own agent. Leave.
