The rule
High school sports in Connecticut are governed by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC). The rule is section 4.5.A, Amateur Athletic Guidelines, item G, Name, Image, and Likeness, in the CIAC Handbook 2026-2027 (dated September 30, 2026); the 2023-24 edition carries the same NIL text. Everything on this page is taken from the CIAC's own text, linked under Sources.
| Question | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Allowed? | Yes; the handbook gives no start date |
| Who must be told | The member school, which receives copies of any endorsement, employment and representation agreements |
| By when | No deadline in the rule |
| School and CIAC marks | No reference to, or use of, school or CIAC logos, insignia or identifying marks, or events, games or championships; no promoting third parties, and no NIL partner's apparel or logos, during CIAC team activities |
| Banned categories | Adult entertainment; alcohol, tobacco and nicotine; cannabis; controlled dangerous substances; prescription pharmaceuticals; gambling including sports betting, the lottery and betting tied to video, online and mobile games; weapons, firearms and ammunition |
| Conflicts | No agreement that conflicts with a school's own agreement; item D bars contracts or verbal commitments with a professional sports organization |
| Schools | School employees may not be involved except to enforce the policy; the school may use the student's NIL for official team activities; no collective clause |
| Agents | Allowed; the student may be represented by an attorney or sports agent; Connecticut has no athlete-agent registration (repealed 2018) |
| Penalty | Loss of eligibility; under Rule III.C the student is suspended until reinstated by the Board of Control |
| College eligibility | Compliance does not ensure NCAA, NAIA or NJCAA eligibility |
What the rule says
- The permission, with representation. "A student-athlete may profit off the use of their own name, image, and likeness (NIL), and be represented by an attorney or sports agent, subject to their compliance with this policy."
- Copies to the school. "Student-athletes are required to provide their member school copies of any endorsement, employment and representation agreements." No deadline is stated.
- No school or CIAC identity. No reference to, or use of, school or CIAC logos, insignia or identifying marks, or events, games or championships; no promoting third parties, and no NIL partner's apparel or logos, during CIAC team activities.
- Seven banned categories. Adult entertainment products and services; alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products; cannabis products; controlled dangerous substances; prescription pharmaceuticals; gambling, including sports betting, the lottery and betting in connection with video games, online games and mobile devices; weapons, firearms and ammunition.
- No conflicting deals, no pro contracts. No agreement that conflicts with a school's own agreement; item D bars contracts or verbal commitments with a professional sports organization, and item C bars salary or incentive payments on amateur teams.
- The school's role. School employees may not be involved except to enforce the policy; the school may use the student's NIL for official team activities. There is no collective clause; Article X on recruitment covers undue influence without NIL wording.
- College eligibility. Compliance "does not ensure" NCAA, NAIA or NJCAA eligibility.
- The penalty. Loss of eligibility; under Rule III.C, suspension until reinstated by the Board of Control.
What sits on top of it
- Your school and district. A school or district can set a stricter policy than the CIAC. The athletic director is the person who knows it.
- Private and non-member schools. The rule covers CIAC member schools. A school in another association follows that association's rule.
- College rules later. A deal that is fine in high school can still matter to the NCAA, NJCAA or NAIA. At Division I, third-party deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go, and prospects report from the first day of junior year. The NIL guide has the college windows and NIL Go has its own page.
- Agents. The state's athlete-agent law applies to high school athletes; can a high school athlete have an agent? and the state-by-state registration table cover it.
- Taxes. NIL pay is taxable at any age. NIL taxes in plain words.
- The contract itself. What each clause means.
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 in Connecticut
Can high school athletes sign NIL deals in Connecticut?
Yes. CIAC Handbook section 4.5.A(G) says a student-athlete may profit off the use of their own name, image and likeness, subject to the policy, with seven banned categories and no use of school or CIAC logos, insignia, marks, events or championships.
Do I have to give my school a copy of an NIL deal in Connecticut?
Yes. The rule says student-athletes are required to provide their member school copies of any endorsement, employment and representation agreements. It sets no deadline; the school's own policy may.
Can a Connecticut high school athlete have an agent?
Yes. The rule says the student may be represented by an attorney or sports agent, and the representation agreement is one of the documents the school receives a copy of. Connecticut repealed its athlete-agent registration law effective 2018, so there is no state registry; the federal SPARTA rules still apply, and the state's 2021 NIL law lets athletes use agents or attorneys.
What is the penalty in Connecticut?
A violation can mean loss of eligibility; under Rule III.C of the handbook the student is suspended until reinstated by the Board of Control.
Be your own agent. Leave.