Indiana High School NIL Rules: What Student-Athletes Can and Can't Do

If you're a student-athlete at an Indiana high school, you can now build a personal brand, promote products, and get paid for it. The rule that governs this is IHSAA Rule 5-7, which calls these deals Personal Branding Activities (PBAs) — most people just call it NIL, for name, image, and likeness.

Here's what it actually means for you.

Can Indiana high school athletes make money from NIL?

Yes. Indiana high school student-athletes can be compensated for NIL deals under IHSAA Rule 5-7 — but the deal has to stay separate from your school and your athletic performance.

Any time you use your name, image, or likeness for promotion, endorsement, or commercial purposes, that's a PBA. Sponsored Instagram posts, appearing in a local business's ad, running your own paid skills clinic — all of it falls under this rule.

The three conditions every NIL deal has to meet

1. Compensation is fine — but not through your sport. You can get paid, as long as the deal isn't connected to your school's athletic program or tied to how you perform on the field, court, or track.
2. You have to stay eligible under Rule 5. An NIL deal only works if it complies with every other part of IHSAA's amateurism rule. Break Rule 5, and the PBA protection doesn't cover you.
3. Rule 6 still applies. The rules on awards, prizes, and gifts haven't gone anywhere.

What NIL activities are allowed in Indiana high schools?

• Promote products or services on your own social media — just leave your school out of it
• Do endorsements or personal appearances unconnected to your school
• Build and monetize your personal brand independently
• Get paid for tutoring, private lessons, or coaching, outside of school affiliation

What NIL activities are prohibited?

• Using your school's name, logo, uniform, or identity in any branding activity
• Letting a deal be organized by or benefit your school
• Taking compensation tied to your athletic performance or participation
• Accepting anything from a "collective" or booster group operating on behalf of your school
• Any deal designed to get you (or another student) to attend, transfer to, or stay at a school for athletic reasons — that's recruiting, and it's prohibited no matter how it's dressed up

Five industries are off-limits entirely, no exceptions: gambling or gaming, alcohol/tobacco/cannabis, illegal or banned substances, sexually explicit content, and firearms or weapons.

Can I run paid lessons or camps in my own sport?

Yes — this is one of the most useful things the rule permits. You can run paid lessons, camps, or coaching sessions, even in your own sport, as long as all five of these are true:

• It has nothing to do with a member school
• You don't use your school's name or logo
• It's not sponsored by or affiliated with a school or interscholastic competition
• It's not being used to recruit or influence prospective students
• It doesn't count as an athletic service tied to a member school

Using a school gym for a paid lesson? Allowed — but only if there's a facility use agreement on file through the standard public rental process. Skip that paperwork and you've turned a permissible activity into a violation.

Do I have to report my NIL deal? (Yes — within 48 hours)

If you enter a PBA agreement or receive compensation, you must notify your school administrator in writing within 48 hours. This isn't optional. Failing to report can cost you your eligibility even if the underlying deal was completely fine.

You and your parent or guardian are also responsible for any tax reporting and legal compliance around the deal. IHSAA doesn't handle that for you. And if you're hoping to compete in college, NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA all have their own separate NIL rules — worth checking before you sign anything.

What's the penalty for an NIL violation in Indiana?

Violations can cost you up to 365 days of ineligibility in the sport involved. There's a path to apply for reinstatement through IHSAA procedures, but the simplest strategy is not needing one: report on time, keep your school's name and identity out of the deal, and avoid anything tied to your on-field performance.

Quick gut-check before you sign

| Likely fine | Likely a problem | |---|---| | Promoting a local business on your own Instagram, no school mentions | Wearing your school uniform in a paid ad | | Running a private skills clinic with no school affiliation | A booster club paying you to promote the school | | Getting paid for tutoring or non-athletic services | Using the school gym for a paid lesson with no facility agreement on file |

Related guides

• Indiana High School NIL FAQ for Student-Athletes — quick answers to the most common questions
• IHSAA NIL Rules for Coaches — where coaches have to stay out of it
• How Businesses Can Sponsor an Indiana High School Athlete — for the company side of the deal

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*This article summarizes IHSAA Rule 5-7 for general education purposes. It is not a substitute for official IHSAA guidance and doesn't cover every possible scenario. When in doubt, ask your school administrator before you sign anything or accept compensation — IHSAA has sole and complete authority over how these rules are interpreted and enforced.*

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All resources, articles, forms, checklists, examples, scenarios, and guidance are provided solely for general informational, educational, example, and illustrative purposes. They are not legal, tax, accounting, financial, compliance, or other professional advice; do not create an attorney-client, accountant-client, or other professional relationship; may not reflect the law, rules, or facts applicable to a particular person, school, transaction, or jurisdiction; and should not be relied upon without review by an appropriately licensed local attorney and certified public accountant familiar with the user’s specific circumstances. Users remain responsible for obtaining individualized professional advice and confirming current requirements with applicable schools, governing bodies, and authorities.