High school NIL: Not allowed

Arkansas high school NIL rules

No. Arkansas 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: Yes

High school

Who sets the rules

AAA (Arkansas Activities Association)

The rule

The AAA amateur rule bars a student from accepting gifts, products, awards or money for allowing their name, picture or person to promote a product or service. The only path to NIL for a high-schooler is the state Student-Athlete Publicity Rights Act, whose 'student-athlete' definition (Act 589 of 2023) includes a person who has been accepted for admission or signed a letter of intent/enrollment agreement with an Arkansas college.

Tell the school

Not applicable

No AAA handbook disclosure requirement. If a committed senior uses the statute, Ark. Code 4-75-1306 requires disclosure of the contract to a designated official of the (college) institution.

Off limits

Ordinary HS athletes: no paid use of name/picture for promotion; no advertising on competition uniforms/equipment (manufacturer logos OK). Statute-covered athletes are subject to 4-75-1307(b) banned categories (alcohol, gambling, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, weapons, etc.).

Agents

Not addressed

By AAA; statute requires representatives to be Arkansas-licensed.

If a rule is broken

Ineligible in that sport for up to 365 days.

Middle school, club and travel ball

AAA eligibility rules apply to grades 7-12 (Art. III Sec. 1 Rule D), so junior-high athletes are covered. Club play not addressed. The statutory exception by definition reaches only students already accepted/signed to an Arkansas college.

Recent changes

No AAA rule change found 2025-2026. Act 839 of 2025 (HB 1917) amended the publicity-rights act for college/institutional pay; did not add HS coverage.

College state law

Law in force

The law

Ark. Code 4-75-1301 to 4-75-1309 (Arkansas Student-Athlete Publicity Rights Act; Act 810 of 2021, amended Act 589 of 2023 and Act 839 of 2025 / HB 1917, signed Apr 17, 2025)

Disclosure

4-75-1306: athlete (and any professional representative) must disclose existence and terms, parties and compensation of the contract to a designated institutional official, in the time and manner the institution sets.

Schools paying athletes

Allowed: Act 839 (2025) lets institutions, foundations or authorized entities compensate athletes and facilitate deals; NIL and institutional revenue-share pay exempt from Arkansas income tax retroactive to Jan 1, 2025.

For high school recruits

Yes: 'student-athlete' includes an individual who has been accepted for admission or signed a National Letter of Intent/other enrollment agreement with an Arkansas institution (4-75-1302(7)(A)(i)), i.e., committed high-school seniors.

Recent changes

Act 839 of 2025 (institutional pay, tax exemption, FOIA confidentiality, licensed-representative rule, broadcast carve-out).

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 Arkansas make NIL money?

No. Arkansas does not allow high school athletes to earn NIL money while they keep school eligibility. The AAA amateur rule bars a student from accepting gifts, products, awards or money for allowing their name, picture or person to promote a product or service. The only path to NIL for a high-schooler is the state Student-Athlete Publicity Rights Act, whose 'student-athlete' definition (Act 589 of 2023) includes a person who has been accepted for admission or signed a letter of intent/enrollment agreement with an Arkansas college.

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

No AAA handbook disclosure requirement. If a committed senior uses the statute, Ark. Code 4-75-1306 requires disclosure of the contract to a designated official of the (college) institution.

Does a travel ball or club deal count in Arkansas?

State association rules follow the athlete, not where the deal came from. A travel-sourced deal can still cost school eligibility. AAA eligibility rules apply to grades 7-12 (Art. III Sec. 1 Rule D), so junior-high athletes are covered. Club play not addressed. The statutory exception by definition reaches only students already accepted/signed to an Arkansas college.

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

Not addressed. By AAA; statute requires representatives to be Arkansas-licensed.

Sources

Last verified November 4, 2026. High school rule text: AAA Handbook 2025-2026 (2026-27 handbook not located); Ark. Code 4-75-1302 current as of Mar 28, 2024.

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