The rule
High school sports in Maryland's public schools are governed by the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA). The rule is the amateur rule in the Code of Maryland Regulations, COMAR 13A.06.03.10, reproduced in the MPSSAA Handbook 2026-27 (updated August 2026), as interpreted by the MPSSAA's Guidance for Name, Image, and Likeness Related to Interscholastic Athletics and its FAQ (undated; file created in 2023). Everything on this page is taken from the MPSSAA's own text, linked under Sources.
| Question | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Allowed? | Yes, through guidance interpreting COMAR 13A.06.03.02F and 13A.06.03.10; the handbook itself has no NIL text |
| Who must be told | No one under the guidance |
| School and MPSSAA marks | No reference to a member school, the school system or the MPSSAA; no team jersey, school name, mascot, logo or marks; no third-party apparel, logos or marks during team activities, including all-star games tied to the school |
| Banned categories | A non-exclusive list; adult entertainment; alcohol; tobacco and nicotine; cannabis; controlled dangerous substances; prescription pharmaceuticals; casinos and gambling including sports betting, the lottery and betting tied to video, online and mobile games; weapons, firearms and ammunition |
| Agents | Families may engage or work with professional service providers such as agents and advisors; the guidance points to Maryland's Uniform Athlete Agents Act (agents must hold a licence; a 14-day right to cancel); school staff may not act as a student's representative |
| Schools and collectives | School staff may not form, direct or engage an NIL collective, or promise NIL to entice a transfer or enrollment; non-member schools that do so cannot sign the Standards of Competition |
| Penalty | The local school system decides case by case; a student who has lost amateur status may be ineligible and may apply to the MPSSAA Appeals Committee for reinstatement after 60 days (COMAR 13A.06.03.10C) |
| College eligibility | Compliance does not ensure eligibility under NCAA, NAIA or NJCAA standards |
What the rule says
- The principle. "Student-athletes must keep their NIL activities and participation in interscholastic athletics separate."
- No school identity. No reference to a member school, the local school system or the MPSSAA; no team jersey, school name, mascot, logo or marks; no third-party apparel, logos or marks during team activities, which the guidance extends to all-star games tied to the school.
- Eight categories, non-exclusive. Adult entertainment products and services; alcohol products; tobacco and nicotine-related products; cannabis products; controlled dangerous substances; prescription pharmaceuticals; casinos and gambling, including sports betting, the lottery and betting in connection with video games, online games and mobile devices; weapons, firearms and ammunition. The guidance calls the list "non-exclusive."
- Agents and advisors. "Student-athletes and their families may engage or work with professional service providers, such as agents and advisors, to engage in NIL activities for financial gain," under Maryland's Uniform Athlete Agents Act. School staff may not act as a student's representative.
- School staff and collectives. School staff may not "Form, direct, or engage a NIL Collective," or "Promise NIL opportunities to entice student-athletes to transfer or attend their school." Non-member schools that do so cannot sign the Standards of Competition.
- No reporting. The guidance sets no notice or form.
- College eligibility. Compliance "does not ensure eligibility under the standards of the NCAA, NAIA, or NJCAA."
- The penalty. Decided by the local school system case by case. "Students who have lost amateur standing may apply for reinstatement to the MPSSAA Appeals Committee after the lapse of 60 days" (COMAR 13A.06.03.10C).
What sits on top of it
- Your school and district. A school or district can set a stricter policy than the MPSSAA. The athletic director is the person who knows it.
- Private and non-member schools. The rule covers MPSSAA 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 Maryland
Can high school athletes sign NIL deals in Maryland?
Yes, in MPSSAA public schools, under the association's guidance interpreting the amateur rule in COMAR 13A.06.03.10. The condition is that NIL and school athletics stay separate: no reference to the school, the school system or the MPSSAA, and no jersey, name, mascot or marks.
Do I have to report an NIL deal in Maryland?
The MPSSAA guidance sets no reporting requirement. The local school system can set its own policy, and it is the body that decides penalties.
Can a Maryland high school athlete have an agent?
Yes. The guidance says families may engage or work with professional service providers such as agents and advisors, and points to Maryland's Uniform Athlete Agents Act, under which agents are licensed by the Department of Labor and the athlete has a 14-day right to cancel. School staff may not act as a student's representative.
What is the penalty in Maryland?
The local school system decides case by case. A student found to have lost amateur status may be ineligible and may apply to the MPSSAA Appeals Committee for reinstatement after 60 days, under COMAR 13A.06.03.10C.
Be your own agent. Leave.