The rule
High school sports in Minnesota are governed by the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). The rule is the League's board policy on Name, Image and Likeness, adopted June 7, 2022 and revised June 4, 2024, which Bylaw 201.00, Amateur Status, in the 2026-27 Official Handbook cross-references; neither the 2025-26 nor the 2026-27 handbook changed it. Everything on this page is taken from the MSHSL's own text, linked under Sources.
| Question | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Allowed? | Yes, since the policy's adoption on June 7, 2022, revised June 4, 2024 |
| Who must be told | No one; the policy sets no disclosure requirement |
| School and MSHSL marks | No MSHSL or school logos, marks or mascots; no school uniform or school-issued apparel; no reference to the student's involvement in school activities when promoting a business; equipment makers may not use the student's NIL to publicize that the school uses their equipment |
| Banned categories | Gaming and gambling; alcoholic beverages, tobacco, cannabis or related products; banned or illegal substances; adult entertainment products or services; contraceptive or sexual enhancement products; weapons such as firearms |
| Limits | Pay commensurate with market value; no interference with academics; no missed practice, competition, travel or team obligations; no selling school-provided items until eligibility is exhausted; paid autographs only at a non-school promotion |
| Pay-for-play and recruiting | Pay may not depend on performance, be a recruiting inducement, or an inducement to stay enrolled; "pay for play" remains prohibited |
| Collectives | An NIL collective working on behalf of, with or for the benefit of a member school is prohibited; pay may not come from the school or its agent, such as a booster club, foundation or collective |
| Agents | Advice, representation and marketing of NIL activities are allowed from a provider who is not a school employee or contractor, on typical industry terms not discounted for athletic ability |
| Penalty | A violating student may lose eligibility in one or more activities; a student who becomes a professional is disqualified in that sport (Bylaw 201.8) |
What the rule says
- The permission. The policy allows a student to earn compensation from NIL; "'Pay for play' (receiving payments simply for being a student-athlete) and improper recruiting inducements remain prohibited."
- No League or school identity. "The use of MSHSL or school marks and logos is prohibited for any NIL activity." No school uniform or school-issued apparel; no reference to the student's involvement in school activities when promoting a business; equipment makers may not use the student's NIL to publicize that the school uses their equipment.
- Six banned categories. Gaming and gambling; alcoholic beverages, tobacco, cannabis or related products; banned or illegal substances; adult entertainment products or services; contraceptive or sexual enhancement products; weapons such as firearms.
- Market value, school first. Pay must be commensurate with market value; NIL may not interfere with academics, and the student may not miss practice, competition, travel or other team obligations for it. School-provided items may not be sold until eligibility is exhausted, and under Bylaw 201.7 a student cannot use athletic skills to promote or advertise products; paid autographs are allowed only at a non-school promotion.
- Representation allowed. "Advice, representation, and marketing of NIL activities" may be provided, by someone who is not a school employee or contractor, on typical industry terms not discounted for athletic ability.
- No collectives. "An NIL Collective working on behalf of, in conjunction with, or for the benefit of an MSHSL Member School is prohibited."
- College eligibility. "It is the student's responsibility to know and understand any NCAA requirements before engaging in covered activities."
- The penalty. A violating student "may lose eligibility in one or more activities"; under Bylaw 201.8, a student who becomes a professional is disqualified from further participation in that sport.
What sits on top of it
- Your school and district. A school or district can set a stricter policy than the MSHSL. The athletic director is the person who knows it.
- Private and non-member schools. The rule covers MSHSL 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 Minnesota
Can high school athletes sign NIL deals in Minnesota?
Yes. The MSHSL's board policy on Name, Image and Likeness, adopted in June 2022 and revised in June 2024, allows it with no League or school marks, six banned categories, pay at market value and no pay for performance or as a recruiting inducement.
Do I have to report an NIL deal in Minnesota?
The MSHSL policy sets no disclosure requirement. A school or district can set its own policy; the athletic director knows whether yours does.
Can a Minnesota high school athlete have an agent?
Yes. The policy allows advice, representation and marketing of NIL activities, provided the provider is not an employee or contractor of the school and charges typical industry terms not discounted for athletic ability. Minnesota's athlete-agent law requires agents to register with the Commissioner of Commerce.
Are NIL collectives allowed in Minnesota high school sports?
No. The policy says an NIL collective working on behalf of, in conjunction with, or for the benefit of a member school is prohibited, and pay may not come from the school or its agent, such as a booster club, foundation or collective.
Be your own agent. Leave.