States checked against the rulebook
Each row below links to a page built from that association's own text, with the rule linked and dated.
| State | Allowed? | Who is told, and by when | Association |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | Allowed | Within 72 hours of entering the agreement, to the principal or athletic director | PIAA |
| Ohio | Allowed | Within 14 days of entering the agreement, to the OHSAA | OHSAA |
| Georgia | Allowed | Within seven days of the agreement, to the principal or athletic director | GHSA |
| Michigan | Allowed | Within seven days of the opportunity or of signing, to the MHSAA | MHSAA |
| Illinois | Allowed | The rule sets no reporting window | IHSA |
| Texas | Limited | Third-party deals wait until UIL eligibility is used up | UIL |
| California | Allowed | The bylaw sets no reporting window | CIF |
| Florida | Allowed | Within five business days of signing, an affidavit to the school | FHSAA |
| New York | Allowed | The rule sets no reporting window. New York City public schools (PSAL) are not covered | NYSPHSAA |
| North Carolina | Allowed | School administrators see the proposed deal 10 business days before signing and the signed copy within 5 business days after | State Board of Education |
More states are added as each rulebook is read. A state that is not in the table yet is not a state where NIL is prohibited; it is a state we have not checked.
Why the counts differ
Three published lists, read in October 2026, give three totals: 39, 45 and 46. They disagree about Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Texas and Wyoming. Two things explain most of it.
- Limited rules get counted both ways. Texas lets a student of 17 or older sign with a college, and nobody sign with a brand while they still have eligibility. One list calls that "allowed", another "prohibited".
- Rules change mid-year. Ohio's schools voted NIL in during November 2025. Michigan's association approved it on January 27, 2026. A list from the summer before misses both.
Alabama and Indiana appear as prohibiting high school NIL on every list we checked. Hawaii, Mississippi and Wyoming appear on most. For any state not in the table above, the state association's own handbook is the source to trust.
What nearly every state's rule shares
- Nothing for how you play. Pay cannot depend on performance, statistics or results.
- Nothing for where you enroll. A deal cannot be an incentive to attend, stay at or transfer to a school.
- No school in the ad. No school or team name, logo, mascot or uniform, and no association marks.
- No school in the deal. Coaches, administrators, boosters and collectives cannot arrange or pay for it.
- Banned categories. Alcohol, tobacco and vaping, gambling, adult entertainment, controlled substances and weapons are on most lists.
- Someone is told. Usually the school or the association, inside a set number of days. California, Illinois and New York write no deadline into the rule.
How Leave fits
In Leave, every deal thread carries a rules summary for the athlete's state, level and age, and a disclosure packet for the school comes with a countdown to the deadline. It is a summary, not a ruling; your school decides. Athletes 13 to 17 use Leave through an account a parent or guardian creates, and are visible to businesses only when the guardian has turned that on and the state allows high school NIL. Leave is software, not an agent. You decide, you send.
Questions about high school NIL
Can high school athletes sign NIL deals?
In most states, yes, under conditions set by the state's high school athletic association. As of October 2026, published counts run from 39 to 46 states plus Washington, D.C., because sources count limited rules differently. A small number of states still prohibit it.
Which states do not allow high school NIL?
Alabama and Indiana appear as prohibiting it on every published list we checked in October 2026. Hawaii, Mississippi and Wyoming appear on most. Texas limits it to agreements with colleges for students 17 and older. Lists disagree, so the state association's own rule is the source to trust.
Do high school athletes have to report NIL deals?
It depends on the state. North Carolina's public schools see the proposed deal 10 business days before it is signed. Pennsylvania requires notice to the principal or athletic director within 72 hours of signing, Florida an affidavit to the school within five business days, Georgia notice within seven days, Michigan disclosure to the MHSAA within seven days, and Ohio to the OHSAA within 14 days. The California, Illinois and New York rules set no deadline.
Can I wear my school uniform in an NIL ad?
No, in the states we have read. School marks are barred in every one of those rules, and most name the uniform outright. The state association's own marks are barred too. Florida is the one rule we have read that allows school marks with the school's prior written consent.
Why do lists of high school NIL states disagree?
They count differently. Texas allows a 17-year-old to sign with a college but not with a brand, so some lists call it allowed and others prohibited. Rules also change during the year: Ohio approved NIL in November 2025 and Michigan in January 2026.
Be your own agent. Leave.