High school NIL: Allowed

Maryland high school NIL rules

Yes. High school athletes in Maryland can take NIL deals, with conditions.

Tell the school: None statewide
Agents: Allowed
If a rule is broken: Loss of eligibility
Reaches middle school: Generally no

High school

Who sets the rules

Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA), a unit of the Maryland State Department of Education; rules sit in COMAR 13A.06.03.02F and.10.

The rule

MPSSAA guidance says a student-athlete at a member public school may profit from commercial endorsements, promotions, social media, advertising and NFTs without losing amateur status, so long as the activity makes no reference to the school, LEA or MPSSAA and school staff are not involved. Private-school leagues (MIAA/IAAM) are not covered by this guidance.

Tell the school

None statewide

None statewide. the guidance imposes no disclosure/reporting duty; LEAs (local systems) review cases individually and may add rules.

Off limits

No reference to school/LEA/MPSSAA; no school jerseys, names, mascots, logos; no NIL-tied items worn during practices, games, team activities or school-linked all-star contests; no camps hosted at the school; no school highlight footage. Prohibited categories: adult entertainment, alcohol, tobacco/nicotine, cannabis, controlled dangerous substances, prescription pharmaceuticals, gambling (incl. sports betting, lottery), video/online games, mobile devices, weapons/firearms/ammunition. School employees may not act as agent/representative, promise NIL to induce transfer/enrollment, give NIL-related gifts/loans, or form/direct/engage an NIL collective. Agents must be licensed under the Maryland Uniform Athlete Agents Act (14-day cancellation right; unlicensed contracts void).

Agents

Allowed

If licensed under the Maryland Uniform Athlete Agents Act; school employees may not serve as agents.

If a rule is broken

If the LEA finds amateur rules violated, the student may be ruled ineligible for 60 school days before seeking reinstatement through the MPSSAA Appeals Committee (COMAR 13A.06.03.10C). Employee/school violations fall under COMAR 13A.06.03.05 penalties (school and student/coach).

Middle school, club and travel ball

Guidance defines student-athlete as a student on an interscholastic team at an MPSSAA member school (public high schools); middle school and non-school club play are not addressed.

Recent changes

No substantive change found. The guidance PDF was re-posted on mpssaa.org in March 2026 (upload path 2026/03); the document itself is undated and matches the 2023 content. MPSSAA Board of Control page shows COMAR updates effective Oct. 2026 but nothing identified as NIL-related. 2025 HB 1528 (college NIL task force) died in committee.

College state law

Law in force

The law

Md. Code, Educ. § 15-131 (Jordan McNair Safe and Fair Play Act, 2021; amended 2023 HB 1090 effective 7/1/2023)

Disclosure

A student athlete who enters an NIL contract must disclose it to an official designated by the institution (§ 15-131(e)(2)); no deadline or dollar threshold in the statute.

Schools paying athletes

Not expressly addressed for enrolled athletes. Statute bars institutions, associations and conferences from providing NIL-related compensation to prospective student athletes (§ 15-131(c)(1)).

For high school recruits

Yes: § 15-131(c)(1) prohibits an institution/association/conference from giving a prospective student athlete NIL-related compensation (a recruiting-inducement bar relevant to HS recruits). Student athlete is defined as a college student in an intercollegiate program at a public institution; no HS provision otherwise.

Recent changes

None enacted. 2025 HB 1528 (task force on NIL/revenue sharing) stalled in House Appropriations. No 2026 enactment found.

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 Maryland make NIL money?

Yes. High school athletes in Maryland can take NIL deals, with conditions. MPSSAA guidance says a student-athlete at a member public school may profit from commercial endorsements, promotions, social media, advertising and NFTs without losing amateur status, so long as the activity makes no reference to the school, LEA or MPSSAA and school staff are not involved. Private-school leagues (MIAA/IAAM) are not covered by this guidance.

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

None statewide. None statewide. the guidance imposes no disclosure/reporting duty; LEAs (local systems) review cases individually and may add rules.

Does a travel ball or club deal count in Maryland?

State association rules follow the athlete, not where the deal came from. A deal through a travel team is fine as long as nothing ties back to the school team. Guidance defines student-athlete as a student on an interscholastic team at an MPSSAA member school (public high schools); middle school and non-school club play are not addressed.

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

Allowed. If licensed under the Maryland Uniform Athlete Agents Act; school employees may not serve as agents.

Sources

Last verified November 4, 2026. High school rule text: Undated guidance (originally issued 2023; re-posted March 2026)

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