A student-athlete may permit the use of the student-athlete’s NIL in noninstitutional NIL activities and receive compensation for such activities subject to Bylaw 21.1.3. [NCAA Bylaw 22.1.2]
Rules & Policies
Third-Party NIL Rules
An entity or individual associated with a student-athlete’s institution (“Associated Entity or Individual”, as defined in the House settlement), shall not enter into an agreement with or provide payment to a prospective student-athlete or student-athlete unless the agreement or payment terms are for a valid business purpose and do not exceed a reasonable range of compensation, as determined by the CSC in connection with the NIL Go platform. [NCAA Bylaws 22.02.1, 22.02.2 and 22.1.3]
NIL payments from an Associated Entity or Individual must serve a valid business purpose related to the promotion or endorsement of goods or services provided to the general public for profit, with compensation at rates and terms commensurate with compensation paid to similarly situated individuals. [NCAA Bylaws 22.1.3 and 22.2.4]
The use of a student-athlete’s NIL by an associated entity to promote a contest or event in which a student-athlete participates (e.g. bowl game, multiteam event) may be considered a valid business purpose, provided the event or contest is conducted for profit and the student-athlete’s NIL is used to directly promote or endorse the contest or event. Any contract or payment for such use must be reported to NIL Go and must include compensation at rates and terms commensurate with compensation paid to similarly situated individuals with comparable NIL value who are not prospective student-athletes or student-athletes of the institution. [CSC Official Interpretation “Associated Entity’s Use of a Student-Athlete’s NIL to Promote Event/Contest”]
Student-athletes and entities shall provide sufficient information and documentation to establish compliance with requirements. If the CSC determines that the provided information or documentation is insufficient, student-athletes and entities will have 14 calendar days to provide additional material. Failure to respond within that timeframe may result in the NIL deal being rejected. [NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2.1.1 and 22.2.2.1.1.1]
Raising money to induce student-athletes to attend or participate in intercollegiate athletics at an institution does not satisfy the valid business purpose requirement. [NCAA Bylaw 22.1.3]
An NIL agreement or payment with an Associated Entity or Individual, must include direct activation of the student-athlete’s NIL rights. In other words, the acquisition of such rights without reasonable specificity of the NIL activation (e.g., description of the specific group licensing categories, the student-athlete’s obligations related to the activation, timing and ultimate use of the student-athlete’s NIL) may not satisfy the requirements for payments by Associated Entities or Individuals. [NCAA Bylaw 22.1.3.3]
NIL deals involving a noninstitutional nonprofit or charitable organization may be considered to have a valid business purpose only if the contract or payment terms:
- Originate with funding from the nonprofit or charitable organization; and
- Involve the student-athlete participating in an activity for which the primary purpose is to raise funds to support the organization’s bona fide charitable mission. [NCAA Bylaw 22.1.3.2]
Student-athletes may use agent representation for NIL activities. [NCAA Bylaw 12.02.8]
A professional service provider (e.g., agent, multimedia rights holder acting as a marketing agent, marketing agency) may assist in facilitating payments for NIL contracts or payment terms to a student-athlete, provided the entity that will use the student-athlete’s NIL is the originating source of the compensation and not the professional service provider. [NCAA Bylaw 22.3.2]
Establishes a clearinghouse called NIL Go to evaluate noninstitutional NIL agreements to determine rules compliance. [NCAA Bylaw 22.2.2]
All NCAA Division I student-athletes are required to report all noninstitutional NIL contracts or payment terms, including those involving Associated Entities or Individuals, as defined in the House settlement, with a total value of $600 in the aggregate or more to the designated name, image and likeness clearinghouse (NIL Go) for review. [NCAA Bylaw 22.2.2]
Student-athletes must submit written documentation of deal terms to NIL Go within five business days of execution or agreement to payment terms. The penalty for failure to report an NIL deal is ineligibility for the student-athlete. [NCAA Bylaw 22.2.2.2]
Prospective student-athletes enrolling at Division I institutions must report all third-party NIL deals worth $600 or more that were executed, agreed upon, or that include payments made any time after July 1, 2025, or a prospect’s first day of junior year in high school, whichever occurs later. [NCAA Bylaw 22.2.2.5.1]
These deals must be reported within 14 days after initial enrollment at a Division I institution or before their first game as a Division I student-athlete—whichever comes first. [NCAA Bylaw 22.2.2.5.3]
Prospective student-athletes enrolling at Division I institutions must report all third-party NIL deals worth $600 or more that were executed, agreed upon, or that include payments made any time after July 1, 2025, or starting from a prospect’s initial enrollment at a two-year college, whichever occurs later. [NCAA Bylaw 22.2.2.5.1]
These deals must be reported within 14 days after initial enrollment at a Division I institution, or before their first game as a Division I student-athlete—whichever comes first. [NCAA Bylaw 22.2.2.5.3]
Student-athletes transferring from Division II or Division III to a Division I institution must report all third-party NIL worth $600 or more that were executed, agreed upon, or that include payments made from the date their name is officially entered into the NCAA Transfer Portal. [NCAA Bylaw 22.2.2.5.2]
NIL deals involving student-athletes transferring from one Division I institution to another will be evaluated based on the company’s or individual’s association with the student-athlete’s new school from the time their name is officially entered into the NCAA Transfer Portal. [NCAA Bylaw 22.2.2.5.2]
Institutional Revenue Sharing Rules
Institutions may provide additional payments, benefits and expenses to their student-athletes subject to the House settlement-related rules. [NCAA Bylaw 16.13.1]
Institutions may enter into exclusive/nonexclusive licenses with student-athletes for NIL use. [NCAA Bylaw 22.1.1]
The amount of revenue share and benefits any institution can provide is capped by the House settlement. The cap amount is 22% of the average total revenue in certain categories as set forth in the House settlement. The value of these additional payments and/or benefits provided by the institution or on the institution’s behalf cannot exceed the cap amount during an academic year. The benefits cap amount for the 2025-26 academic year is $20.5 million. [NCAA Bylaw 16.02.2]
An institution may not enter into an NIL agreement with a student-athlete that extends beyond the student-athlete’s period of eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics. [NCAA Bylaw 16.13.1.1]
All additional payments and/or benefits provided by an institution or on an institution’s behalf to a student-athlete shall be specified in writing in signed agreements between the institution and the student-athlete. Such agreements shall be entered and uploaded into CAPS within five business days from final signatures. [NCAA Bylaw 16.13.2]
As of July 1, 2025, schools may not promise or guarantee a student-athlete – either verbally or in writing – a third-party NIL contract or payment. Deals guaranteed before July 1 for the 2025-26 academic year are allowed and count toward the school’s benefits cap, unless the student-athlete receives payments from a third party up to that amount. [NCAA Bylaw 22.1.1.1]
An institution may include a provision in an institutional revenue share agreement with a student-athlete that permits the institution to renegotiate or reduce (“offset”) the institutional revenue share agreement based on delivery of a third-party NIL deal. Any such provision or agreement may not, however, be used to reduce the institution’s original obligation toward the institution’s benefits cap. [CSC Official Interpretation “Use of an Offset in an Institutional Revenue Share Agreement”]
Institutions may serve as marketing agents for student-athletes in third-party NIL agreements. [NCAA Bylaw 22.1.1]
In addition to any penalties that may be assessed by the CSC, if an institution exceeds the value of an applicable period’s benefits cap, the excess amount shall be counted against the institution’s benefits cap in the immediately following annual period. This does not apply to overages due to incremental athletics scholarships provided on or after July 1, 2026. [NCAA Bylaw 16.13.1.8]
Institutions must attest on a yearly basis that all information in CAPS is complete, accurate and compliant with the benefits cap rules and policies, that all countable benefits provided to student-athletes were uploaded into CAPS, and student-athletes were not guaranteed payments or benefits not in a written agreement entered into CAPS. [NCAA Bylaw 16.13.3]
Roster Limits Rules
Rosters must be submitted by the day before the first contest of the season or December 1, whichever is earlier. [NCAA Bylaw 17.2.1]
Institutions may add student-athletes only if roster limits haven’t been reached, with changes required to be reported before the next contest. [NCAA Bylaw 17.2.1.1]
With limited exceptions, an institution must include any student-athlete who receives athletically related financial aid or settlement-related payments on a sport’s submitted roster during the academic year in which they receive such payments. [NCAA Bylaw 17.2.2]
Institutions must have reported “designated student-athletes” who would have been removed due to roster limit implementation by July 6, 2025. Upon being designated, such a student-athlete may continue to participate in practice and competition without counting towards the institution’s roster limit. [NCAA Bylaw 17.02.8 and 17.2.2]
Enforcement Rules
The CSC is designated as the enforcement entity responsible for enforcement of NCAA bylaws adopted based on the House settlement, including investigating alleged violations, assessing penalties for violation determinations, and serving as the party seeking enforcement of any penalties contested through neutral arbitration. [NCAA Bylaw 23.02.1]
Participating institutions agree that the CSC has the authority to investigate an alleged violation of an NCAA bylaw developed as a part of the House settlement. [NCAA Bylaw 23.01.1]
If the CSC concludes that a violation of settlement-related rules occurred, the CEO of the CSC has sole authority to prescribe penalties for those violations. [NCAA Bylaw 23.2.1]
For student-athletes, the available penalty is ineligibility for participation in athletic activities, including practice or competition. [NCAA Bylaw 23.2.5.1]
The CSC will consider various factors when determining penalties. Penalties for an institution may be higher for deliberate, serious, or repeated violations, lack of cooperation, or involvement by leadership, while penalties may be lower if the institution promptly reports and addresses violations, fully cooperates, accepts responsibility, and has strong compliance programs. [NCAA Bylaws 23.2.6.1, 23.2.6.1.1, 23.2.6.2, 23.2.6.3, 23.2.6.4, 23.2.6.5, 23.3.6.6, 23.3.6.7, 23.3.6.8, 23.2.6.9, 23.2.6.10]
Institutions, involved individuals, and student-athletes are required to cooperate fully with investigations in accordance with Bylaw 19.2.1, including by timely providing requested information. [NCAA Bylaw 23.2.7]
Student-athletes have access to a neutral arbitration process to contest any decision made by the CSC. A neutral arbitrator shall reach a final written decision within 45 days from commencement of the proceedings and the written decision shall be considered final and binding. [NCAA Bylaw 23.3 and 23.3.1]
During the pendency of arbitration, any prescribed penalties are stayed. The presiding arbitrator, if good cause is shown, may lift a stay. [NCAA Bylaw 23.3.1.1]
A student-athlete who elects to use the neural arbitration process has the right to be represented by counsel of the student-athlete’s choice. [NCAA Bylaw 23.3.1.2]
An institution may pay for the attorney’s fees and costs of a student-athlete who elects to use the neutral arbitration process. [NCAA Bylaw 23.3.1.2.1]
The presiding arbitrator may order the production of additional documentation that is deemed to be necessary for the fair adjudication of the dispute. [NCAA Bylaw 23.3.1.3]
The presiding arbitrator may allow the parties to call witnesses during the arbitration process. [NCAA Bylaw 23.3.1.4]
An institution that elects to use the neutral arbitration process is responsible for paying the arbitrator’s reasonable fees and expenses for the proceedings. An institution that directly or indirectly pays the attorney’s fees and costs of a student-athlete who elects neutral arbitration shall also pay the arbitrator’s reasonable fees and expenses. [NCAA Bylaw 23.3.2]