The rule
High school sports in Texas are governed by the University Interscholastic League (UIL). The rule is UIL guidance on House Bill 126 and Section 441 (Amateur Athletic Status) of the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules, UIL guidance updated July 15, 2025. Everything on this page is taken from the UIL's own text, linked under Sources.
| Question | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Allowed? | Limited. No third-party NIL deals while the student still has UIL eligibility in the sport |
| Age 17 or older | May sign an NIL agreement only with a postsecondary institution |
| Age 16 or younger | May not sign an NIL agreement. Neither may a family member, by blood or marriage, on the student's behalf |
| Deals with brands and local businesses | Only after UIL eligibility in that sport is exhausted, and then under state law and college rules |
| Professional representation | UIL rules do not prohibit a prospective college athlete from having it for NIL matters |
| The rule behind it | UIL Section 441, Amateur Athletic Status |
What the rule says
- Why Texas shows up differently on every list. Some lists call Texas "allowed" because a 17-year-old can now sign with a college. Others call it "prohibited" because a brand deal during high school is still out. Both describe the same rule.
- What changed in 2025. House Bill 126 let prospective college athletes aged 17 and older sign NIL agreements with a college or university. The UIL updated its guidance on July 15, 2025.
- What did not change. Section 441, the UIL's amateur rule, still applies to every current UIL athlete, and agreements with anyone other than a college still wait.
What sits on top of it
- Your school and district. A school or district can set a stricter policy than the UIL. The athletic director is the person who knows it.
- Private and non-member schools. The rule covers UIL 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. 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 for Texas that summary is the UIL rule above. 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 Texas
Can high school athletes sign NIL deals in Texas?
Only in a limited way. A student aged 17 or older may sign an NIL agreement with a college or university. Agreements with other businesses cannot be made until the student has exhausted UIL eligibility in that sport, and students 16 or younger cannot sign an NIL agreement.
Can a Texas high school athlete do a paid post for a local business?
Not while they still have UIL eligibility in that sport. Under the UIL's guidance, NIL agreements with entities other than postsecondary institutions wait until that eligibility is exhausted.
Can a parent sign an NIL deal for a Texas athlete who is under 17?
No. The UIL's guidance says family members, by blood or marriage, of athletes aged 16 or younger cannot sign NIL agreements either.
Can a Texas high school athlete have an agent?
The UIL says its rules do not prohibit a prospective college athlete from obtaining professional representation for NIL matters.
Be your own agent. Leave.