The rule
High school sports in the District of Columbia are governed by the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA), whose site is dcsaasports.com. The rule is the Amateur Status section (H) of the Eligibility chapter of the DCSAA Member Handbook 2026-27, Policies, Rules and Regulations Governing Athletics, which the association says serves for 2026-27 as a template and guidance for local education agencies, read with the DCSAA NIL Policy Guide, The Do's and Don'ts Guide to NIL, dated December 22, 2022. Everything on this page is taken from the DCSAA's own text, linked under Sources.
| Question | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Allowed? | Yes, since the DCSAA's clarification of July 12, 2022 (NIL guide) |
| Who must be told | The DCSAA, in writing, of all student commercial or marketing endorsements; no deadline, form or parent signature stated |
| School and DCSAA marks | No school team, school or DCSAA affiliation name or logo visible; no uniform; no marks or logos of the school or DCSAA |
| Banned categories | None listed |
| Pay-for-play and recruiting | No pay for athletic participation or achievement, and none for enrolling at or staying at a certain school (guide); remuneration for competing forfeits amateur status (handbook item 4); athletically recruited students in special programs become permanently ineligible |
| Agents | A professional service provider such as an agent, tax advisor or attorney is allowed as long as they are not representing the athlete for professional athletic opportunities (guide); D.C.'s athlete-agent law requires NIL agents to register |
| Collectives | Silent in the handbook; the guide's recruiting checklist lists meeting an NIL collective under "do not ask" |
| Penalty | Ineligible in that sport; reinstatement after a period of up to the total number of days in the school year, counted from the last offense |
| College | The guide says NIL will not affect college eligibility so long as the athlete follows DCSAA and the collegiate governing body's rules; NIL income may affect need-based aid |
What the rule says
- The permission. Commercial or marketing endorsements are allowed "provided there is no school team, school or DCSAA affiliation name or logo visible." The guide's timeline: "July 12, 2022, DCSAA clarifies HS athletes can monetize their NIL."
- The notice. "DCSAA must be notified in writing of all student commercial or marketing endorsements." The guide repeats the requirement, as notice to the DCSAA of any commercial or marketing endorsement. No deadline, form or parent signature is stated.
- No uniform, no marks. No uniform, and no "marks, logos, etc., of the school or DCSAA."
- Not for performance, not for enrolling. "You cannot be compensated for athletic participation or achievement," and "Current or prospective student-athletes cannot be paid for enrolling at or staying at a certain school." Remuneration for competing forfeits amateur status under the handbook.
- Agents and advisors. The guide allows "a professional service provider (e.g., agent, tax advisor, ... attorney ...)" as long as they are not representing the athlete for professional athletic opportunities.
- Collectives. The handbook is silent; the guide's recruiting checklist puts "If you have an NIL Collective, can I meet with them?" under "do not ask."
- College and aid. NIL will not affect college eligibility "so long as you follow DCSAA and NIL regulations specific to the collegiate governing body"; NIL income may affect need-based aid.
- The penalty. Ineligible in that sport, with reinstatement "after a period of up to the total number of days in the school year," counted from the last offense. The handbook's endorsement and notice sentences are identical to the 2023-24 edition; the guide has not changed since December 2022.
What sits on top of it
- Your school and district. A school or district can set a stricter policy than the DCSAA. The athletic director is the person who knows it.
- Private and non-member schools. The rule covers DCSAA 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 District of Columbia
Can high school athletes sign NIL deals in the District of Columbia?
Yes. The DCSAA handbook allows commercial or marketing endorsements provided there is no school team, school or DCSAA affiliation name or logo visible, and the association's NIL guide dates the clarification to July 12, 2022.
Do I have to report an NIL deal in D.C.?
Yes. The handbook says the DCSAA must be notified in writing of all student commercial or marketing endorsements, and the guide repeats it. No deadline, form or parent signature is stated; the DCSAA office is where the notice goes.
Can a D.C. high school athlete have an agent?
Yes, for NIL. The DCSAA's guide allows a professional service provider such as an agent, tax advisor or attorney as long as they are not representing the athlete for professional athletic opportunities. D.C. law requires NIL agents to register as athlete agents.
What is the penalty in D.C.?
Ineligibility in that sport, with reinstatement after a period of up to the total number of days in the school year, counted from the last offense.
Be your own agent. Leave.