The rule
High school sports in New York are governed by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). The rule is the Amateur rule in the NYSPHSAA Handbook's Bylaws and Eligibility Standards, paragraph 2(c), revised October 2021, as printed in the handbook with revisions through February 2026. Everything on this page is taken from the NYSPHSAA's own text, linked under Sources.
| Question | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Allowed? | Yes, with no school team, school, Section or NYSPHSAA affiliation |
| New York City public schools | Not covered. They compete in the PSAL, whose published amateur rule has no endorsement exception |
| Who must be told | No report of a deal is written into the rule |
| By when | No window stated |
| School marks | No school uniform, and no marks or logos of the school, the Section or the NYSPHSAA in any endorsement |
| Banned categories | None listed in the rule |
| What costs amateur status | Capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving money, compensation, endorsements or gifts in connection with the school team, school, Section or NYSPHSAA |
| Penalty | Loss of amateur status in that sport. The student may apply for reinstatement one year from the date of the latest violation |
What the rule says
- When the rule changed. The endorsement wording dates from October 2021, when the NYSPHSAA revised an amateur rule that had stood since 1980.
- Who handles a violation. Violations are reported to the league and the Section, and reinstatement is applied for through them.
- Who the rule covers. NYSPHSAA member schools. Many Catholic and independent schools belong to other associations, each with its own rule.
- New York City public schools are different. They compete in the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL), not the NYSPHSAA. The amateur rule on the PSAL's own eligibility page has no endorsement exception: a student forfeits amateur status by competing for money or other compensation, or by capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving gifts of monetary value. As of October 7, 2026 we found no published PSAL rule that allows NIL deals. For a PSAL athlete the answer comes from the PSAL or the school's athletic director, before anything is signed.
- Scholarships are exempt. Scholarships to colleges and universities are specifically excluded from the ban on compensation.
What sits on top of it
- Your school and district. A school or district can set a stricter policy than the NYSPHSAA. The athletic director is the person who knows it.
- Private and non-member schools. The rule covers NYSPHSAA member schools. New York City's public schools compete in the PSAL, whose published rules carry no endorsement exception (see above). Many Catholic and independent schools belong to other associations.
- 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. The NIL guide has the college windows.
- 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 New York
Can high school athletes sign NIL deals in New York?
Yes, at NYSPHSAA member schools, which do not include New York City's public schools. The amateur rule does not restrict a student's right to take part in a commercial endorsement, provided there is no school team, school, Section or NYSPHSAA affiliation.
Do New York high school athletes have to report NIL deals?
The NYSPHSAA rule sets no reporting deadline for an endorsement. A school, district, league or Section can have its own policy, and the athletic director is the person who knows it.
Can I wear my school uniform in an NIL ad in New York?
No. The rule says the student does not appear in the uniform of their school and does not use the marks or logos of the school, the Section or the NYSPHSAA in any endorsement.
Can New York City public school athletes sign NIL deals?
Not under any published rule we could find. New York City public schools compete in the PSAL, not the NYSPHSAA, and the amateur rule on the PSAL's eligibility page has no endorsement exception: competing for money or other compensation, or capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving gifts of monetary value, forfeits amateur status. The PSAL or the school's athletic director can say what applies.
Be your own agent. Leave.