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NIL Agent Rules by State
This is an overview, not a legal filing service. It covers the baseline every NIL agent needs and a snapshot of the highest-interest states — enough to know what question to ask next, not a substitute for reading your state's actual statute.
The Federal & NCAA Baseline (Applies Everywhere)
House settlement basics, in plain English
The 2025 House v. NCAA settlement reshaped how NIL and revenue-sharing work across college sports: schools can now directly compensate athletes within a set cap, and third-party NIL deals above a certain threshold go through a clearinghouse review for fair-market value. Every agent, in every state, is now operating on top of this national baseline — state law adds registration and disclosure requirements on top of it, not instead of it.
Why "State Rules" Is the Wrong First Question
Registration vs. disclosure vs. no state law at all — the three buckets
Before asking "what does my state require," sort the question into the right bucket. Some states require formal registration with a state office before you contact a student-athlete. Others require only disclosure — the athlete's school or the state must be notified of the deal, but you don't need to register in advance. And some states have no dedicated athlete-agent statute covering NIL activity at all, leaving general contract law as the only framework. Which bucket you're in changes everything about how you operate — and it can differ depending on both your state and the athlete's school's state.
The 12–15 Highest-Interest States at a Glance
Summary table
| State | Registration Required? | Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | No | — | No dedicated athlete-agent statute for NIL activity; general contract law applies. |
| Texas | Yes | $$ | Athlete agents must register with the Secretary of State before contacting athletes. |
| Florida | Yes | $ | Registration required under the state athlete-agent act; disclosure to school required. |
| Ohio | Yes | $ | Adopted a version of the Uniform Athlete Agents Act; registration and bonding required. |
| Georgia | Yes | $ | Registration required; specific NIL disclosure obligations to the athlete's institution. |
| Alabama | Yes | $ | Athlete agent registration required; NIL-specific disclosure rules apply. |
| Michigan | Yes | $ | Registration required under the Uniform Athlete Agents Act. |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | $ | Registration and disclosure required; contract must be filed with the athlete's school. |
| Illinois | Yes | $ | Registration required; specific rules on contract cancellation periods. |
| North Carolina | Yes | $ | Registration required under adopted athlete-agent legislation. |
| Tennessee | Yes | $ | Registration required; disclosure obligations tied to institution compliance offices. |
| South Carolina | Yes | $ | Registration required under the state's athlete-agent statute. |
Summary only — always confirm against the state's official statute before relying on this table. Full 50-state detail with direct statute links lives in the NIL Compliance Atlas.
What Changes Every Legislative Session (and How to Keep Up)
NIL law is one of the most active areas of state legislation right now — several states amend their athlete-agent acts or pass new NIL-specific provisions every session. Practically, that means any "state rules" reference — including this page — is a snapshot, not a permanent answer. The most reliable way to keep up is to track your specific state's legislative session calendar and re-verify before every new client engagement, not just once a year.
Recommended Resource
The NIL Compliance Atlas
All 50 states, updated quarterly — registration requirements, disclosure rules and statute links in one reference.
Get the AtlasSpecial Situations
Multi-state deals, transfers, high school NIL
Three situations complicate an otherwise simple state check. A multi-state deal — where you, the athlete, and the brand are in three different states — means you may need to satisfy more than one state's requirements at once. A transfer can move an athlete from a state with no registration requirement to one that requires it mid-relationship, so re-check whenever a client changes schools. And high school NIL is governed by a patchwork of state high school athletic association rules layered on top of (or instead of) the state athlete-agent act, so don't assume the same rules that apply to a college athlete apply to a high schooler in the same state.
FAQ
Where do I find my exact state's statute?
Start with your Secretary of State's website, searching for "athlete agent registration" or "Uniform Athlete Agents Act." The NIL Compliance Atlas links directly to each state's statute so you don't have to hunt for it.
How often does this page get updated?
We revise the article text periodically as the landscape shifts, and separately re-verify the summary table against current law — see the "Updated" and "Checked" dates at the top of this page.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page and the Atlas are informational resources, not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney in your state. When a deal or client relationship gets complex, talk to one.
Need the full picture?
Get all 50 states in one place
The NIL Compliance Atlas covers every state's registration and disclosure rules, with direct statute links, updated quarterly.
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