High-school NIL: prohibited. College NIL is addressed by state law alongside the NCAA/House framework. Agent rules below.
The Alabama High School Athletic Association bars student-athletes from earning compensation tied to their athletic name, image, and likeness while maintaining high-school eligibility.
An Alabama high-schooler who signs an NIL deal risks losing eligibility to compete in AHSAA sports.
Alabama repealed its state NIL statute in February 2024 so its schools would not be bound tighter than competitors. College NIL in Alabama now runs on NCAA/House-settlement rules and each institution's own policy.
There is no extra state layer — the NCAA framework, the House settlement, and school policy control what an Alabama college athlete can sign.
Alabama adopted the Revised Uniform Athlete Agents Act. Agents must register with the Alabama Secretary of State before contacting or signing student-athletes.
An unregistered agent who solicits an Alabama athlete is breaking state law, and contracts they sign may be voidable.
State law is only half the rulebook. Wherever you play, the NCAA framework reshaped by the House settlement — plus one federal statute on agents — sits on top of your state's rules.
Since July 2025, Division I schools that opted into the House v. NCAA settlement may pay athletes directly, capped at roughly 22% of average power-conference athletics revenue — about $20.5M per school in year one, rising annually. Roster limits replaced scholarship limits.
Third-party NIL deals of $600 or more must be reported through NIL Go, the clearinghouse run by the College Sports Commission with Deloitte, which reviews deals against a fair-market-value standard.
The College Sports Commission — not the NCAA — enforces the settlement's compensation rules for participating schools. Portions of the settlement remain subject to appeal, so details can shift.
The federal SPARTA statute prohibits agents from using false promises, providing inducements, or failing to disclose required warnings when recruiting student-athletes — in every state, on top of any state act.
NIL law moves fast. These summaries are educational, current as of July 2026, and are not legal advice — rules cited here change frequently and some remain subject to pending litigation. Confirm the current rule before acting on it, or ask us. Attorney advertising.
Flat-fee NIL contract review, entity setup, and agent vetting — for athletes, families, and the advisors who serve them.