Can high school athletes in North Carolina do NIL deals?

Yes, with the most process-heavy rules in the country - and the rule does not come from the athletic association. North Carolina HS NIL is governed by a State Board of Education administrative rule (16 NCAC 06E .0211, effective July 1, 2025, amended July 1, 2026); the NCHSAA merely administers it. Students may enter NIL agreements subject to: no performance-conditioned pay, no school or conference references or IP, nine banned product categories, and a two-tier disclosure clock - a DRAFT of the agreement to school administrators 10 business days BEFORE signing, and the executed copy within 5 business days after. For a minor, the parent or legal guardian must be a PARTY to the NIL agreement, and both must complete the required NFHS NIL education course.

North Carolina High School NIL Rules (NSBoE()

What's allowed

NIL agreements meeting the rule's restrictions, after the required NFHS NIL education course

What's prohibited

Compensation conditioned on athletic performance
Reference to the school, public school unit, conference, administering organization, or NFHS - or use of their intellectual property or uniforms
Endorsing during competition or school activities
Adult establishments; alcohol; tobacco and vaping; cannabis; controlled substances; opioids/pharmaceuticals; weapons/firearms; gambling and sports betting; activities disruptive to school operations
Athletic staff, booster representatives, or NIL collective representatives using NIL promises to recruit, acting as the student's agent or marketing rep, or facilitating deals

Parental consent, disclosure & representation

Parental consent required

Yes

Disclosure required

Yes

School marks allowed

No

Agent / representation addressed

Yes

Disclosure runs to: Two tiers: student submits a DRAFT to school administrators 10 business days before signing and the executed copy within 5 business days after; the athletic director reports to the administering organization within 30 days; the organization reports to the State Board annually by June 30.

State-law status

Statutory framework: Session Law 2021-184 (HB 91) as amended by SL 2023-133 (SB 452), both verified enacted (Article 29E, G.S. ch. 115C). The rule is subordinate to and consistent with the statute - no conflict. Agency contracts (per G.S. 78C-86(1)) are folded into 'NIL agreement' and subject to the same rules; school/booster/collective personnel are barred from acting as agents, but outside licensed agents are not banned.

Who sets this rule

NC State Board of Education (16 NCAC 06E .0211); NCHSAA as delegated administrator sets North Carolina's high school eligibility rules. High school NIL is governed by private association bylaws — not federal law, and in most states not statute — which is why the answer differs state to state and can change in a single handbook cycle.

Sources

16 NCAC 06E .0211 - Name, Image, and Likeness (temporary rule Jan 2, 2025; standing rule eff. July 1, 2025; amended eff. July 1, 2026) (July 1, 2026)
If the student is under 18 years of age, the student's parent or legal guardian shall be a party to the NIL agreement.
NCHSAA NIL compliance materials (court-order note) (July 1, 2025)
Pursuant to a court order, the State Board of Education's proposed Rule 16 NCAC 06E .0211 applies to name, image, and likeness ("NIL") agreements... The NCHSAA applies the same rule to all membership entities.

Governing text effective July 1, 2025.

Change history

July 19, 2026 — Initial publication from primary-source research pass (adversarially verified; see citations).

Not legal advice. This page documents publicly available rules and is not legal advice. Rules change, and associations do not always announce changes. Confirm anything you rely on with the governing association, your school compliance office, or your own counsel before acting.

Spot an error? Tell us and cite the source — we re-check the primary source before changing anything, and record what changed.