High school NIL: Not allowed

Alabama high school NIL rules

No. Alabama does not allow high school athletes to earn NIL money while they keep school eligibility.

Tell the school: Not applicable
Agents: Not applicable
If a rule is broken: Ineligible
Reaches middle school: Generally no

High school

Who sets the rules

AHSAA (Alabama High School Athletic Association)

The rule

AHSAA has no NIL exception. Its Amateur Rule (Handbook Rule I, Section 8) defines an amateur as one who does not use athletic knowledge or skill for gain, and says a student who accepts material or financial inducement from any source is ineligible.

Tell the school

Not applicable

None; NIL compensation is not permitted.

Off limits

Blanket amateurism rule; no NIL carve-out of any kind. 2023 clarification added that food-establishment gift cards are excluded from the rule.

Agents

Not addressed

If a rule is broken

Loss of eligibility (ineligible for AHSAA competition); no NIL-specific penalty schedule because NIL is not allowed.

Middle school, club and travel ball

Rule governs AHSAA member-school athletes; nothing found on club or middle-school reach specifically.

Recent changes

HB 489 (2025, Rep. Jeremy Gray) would have allowed K-12 NIL with 7-day prior notice to principal/AD; public hearing April 29, 2025, died in committee (dead as of May 14, 2025). AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon said at Aug 2025 media day the association was studying NIL and would brief the Central Board Oct 8, 2025; no bylaw change adopted as of Nov 2026 (AHSAA 2026-27 Handbook still has no NIL language per nilforkids.com, updated Nov 1, 2026).

College state law

Repealed

The law

Former Ala. Code 8-26B-50 to 8-26B-61 (HB 404, Act 2021-?, eff. July 1, 2021), repealed by HB 76 / Act 2022-47 signed Feb 3, 2022. Athlete-agent law (Ala. Code 8-26B-1 et seq., RUAAA) remains.

Disclosure

No current state NIL disclosure statute.

Schools paying athletes

Not addressed by any current Alabama statute; governed by NCAA/House settlement.

For high school recruits

None in current law (repealed law had barred NIL tied to recruiting prospective athletes). HB 489 (2025, died) would have covered K-12.

Recent changes

No 2025-2026 enactment found. HB 240 (2025, NIL state income-tax exemption) died in committee per Drake Group database (Oct 8, 2025).

NCAA Division I, everywhere

Every deal worth $600 or more (added up per payer) entered since July 1, 2025 or the start of junior year, whichever is later, must be reported through NIL Go within 14 days of starting classes or before the first game.

Recruits enrolling on or after August 1, 2026 may hire agents under the April 15, 2026 Division I rule. The NJCAA still ends eligibility for a written agent agreement.

The full college-bound guide

Quick answers

Can high school athletes in Alabama make NIL money?

No. Alabama does not allow high school athletes to earn NIL money while they keep school eligibility. AHSAA has no NIL exception. Its Amateur Rule (Handbook Rule I, Section 8) defines an amateur as one who does not use athletic knowledge or skill for gain, and says a student who accepts material or financial inducement from any source is ineligible.

Do Alabama athletes have to tell the school about an NIL deal?

None; NIL compensation is not permitted.

Does a travel ball or club deal count in Alabama?

State association rules follow the athlete, not where the deal came from. A travel-sourced deal can still cost school eligibility. Rule governs AHSAA member-school athletes; nothing found on club or middle-school reach specifically.

Can a Alabama high school athlete use an agent for NIL?

Not addressed.

Sources

Last verified November 4, 2026. High school rule text: AHSAA 2026-27 Handbook (as cited by nilforkids, Nov 1, 2026); Eccker quotes 2024-25 handbook Rule I Sec. 8.

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