College and high-school name, image & likeness rules for Georgia (GA) — at a glance, in plain English. Not legal advice; confirm with a compliance office before acting.
At a glance
NIL in Georgia today.
College NIL: Legal (state law). High-school NIL: Allowed, per State NIL law (O.C.G.A. §20-3-680 et seq.) + GHSA (HS). NIL collectives: operating. Deal-disclosure threshold: Any deal. Governing statute: Georgia HB 617 (2021) (O.C.G.A. § 20-3-680 et seq.), active, effective July 2021. High-school governance: Georgia High School Association (GHSA). Last reviewed August 2026 — this is a plain-English overview pending verification, not legal advice.
What to know
How the rules play out in Georgia.
Georgia's NIL statute still lets a school require pooling up to 75% of an athlete's NIL pay into a post-graduation escrow account, though as of mid-2026 major programs like UGA appear to favor direct revenue-sharing under the 2025 House settlement instead; the 2024 executive order authorizing direct pay was written to expire once that settlement took effect, so it's likely moot in practice even though a formal rescission wasn't confirmed. The GHSA still permits basic high-school NIL endorsements but bars school-mark use, pay-for-play, and — since a 2024 bylaw amendment — any membership in or payment from an NIL collective; a 2026 bill to codify this into state law passed the House unanimously but died in the Senate, with no revival found. At the college level, disclosure follows the national $600 NIL Go clearinghouse threshold rather than a Georgia-specific figure, and traditional booster collectives (e.g., the former Classic City Collective) are being wound down and restructured into supplemental vehicles now that direct school revenue-sharing is the primary pay channel.
Who governs NIL in Georgia
Georgia's college NIL law, HB 617, was signed in May 2021 and took effect July 1, 2021, codified at O.C.G.A. § 20-3-680 et seq. As of August 2026 it sits alongside a 2024 executive order on direct school pay and the House settlement framework. High-school NIL is governed by the GHSA, whose constitution now includes NIL guidelines in Appendix N tied to its amateur-status by-law 1.92-c.
What HB 617 wrote into the code
The operative section is O.C.G.A. § 20-3-681:
§ 20-3-681(a): athletes may earn compensation commensurate with the market value of their NIL, but not as an inducement to attend a particular school.
§ 20-3-681(b)-(c): a scholarship is not NIL compensation, and scholarships cannot be revoked because an athlete earns NIL money or hires representation.
§ 20-3-681(d): athletes must disclose NIL contracts to a designated school official, and deals cannot conflict with team contract provisions, which the school must disclose.
§ 20-3-681(d): a team contract may include an optional pooling arrangement contributing up to 75 percent of NIL compensation to an escrow-style fund benefiting former athletes, paid out after the athlete leaves; reportedly no major Georgia program adopted it, and UGA publicly declined.
§ 20-3-681(e): schools must provide at least 5 hours of financial literacy and life-skills programming, reportedly in the athlete's first and third academic years.
§ 20-3-681(f)-(h): the institution itself may not provide NIL compensation, may not prevent athletes from earning it, and athletic associations may not penalize athletes or schools over it.
High-school rules
The GHSA now permits high-school NIL under Appendix N of its constitution, provided amateur status under by-law 1.92-c is preserved:
Compensation may not be contingent on athletic performance or achievement, may not be an incentive to enroll or remain enrolled at a school, and may not come from the school or anyone acting as its agent.
No use of school logos, names, uniforms, mascots, or GHSA trademarks, and no school-branded apparel in NIL activities.
No member-school facilities may be used for NIL activities.
No student-athlete may be a member of, or receive any benefit from, a Collective or NIL Club.
Endorsements that conflict with local district policy, such as tobacco, alcohol, or controlled substances, are barred.
The student or parents must notify the principal or athletic director within 7 calendar days of entering any NIL agreement.
The practical read
A Georgia college athlete can sign market-rate deals, must disclose them to their school, and gets scholarship protection while doing so. A Georgia high schooler can also earn NIL money, but the deal has to stay entirely away from school identity, school facilities, and collectives, with a 7-day notification clock. As of August 2026, Division I third-party deals of 600 dollars or more are additionally reported through the NIL Go clearinghouse under the House settlement.
What's moving
On September 17, 2024, Governor Brian Kemp signed an executive order barring the NCAA and conferences from penalizing Georgia schools for compensating athletes directly for NIL, effectively front-running the House settlement while § 20-3-681(f) still says institutions may not pay NIL compensation themselves. With the settlement approved in June 2025 and schools now sharing revenue under its cap, expect Georgia's statute, the order, and the national framework to keep being reconciled; treat the exact status of direct school pay as in flux.
Go deeper
Compare states, then run your numbers.
Compare Georgia with every other state in the NIL Rules by State tracker, estimate your take-home on NIL income with the free NIL Tax Calculator, and see what your name, image, and likeness is actually worth with HDBND's free athlete tools.
Frequently asked questions
Is college NIL legal in Georgia?
Yes — college athletes in Georgia can earn from their name, image, and likeness. Status: Legal (state law). Georgia has its own NIL statute layered on top of NCAA policy and the House settlement. Confirm the current rules with each school's compliance office.
Can high school athletes earn NIL in Georgia?
High-school NIL status in Georgia: Allowed, per State NIL law (O.C.G.A. §20-3-680 et seq.) + GHSA (HS). It's generally permitted under the association's amateurism and recruiting guardrails. This is a general overview, not legal advice.
Do athletes have to disclose NIL deals in Georgia?
The working disclosure threshold here is "Any deal." Under the House settlement, third-party deals at or above $600 at participating schools go to the NIL Go clearinghouse for review; some schools ask for every deal. Confirm your school's exact process.
Can a Georgia school really take 75 percent of my NIL money?
The statute permits, but does not require, a team-contract pooling arrangement of up to 75 percent of NIL compensation into an escrow-style fund that pays out after you leave the program. It is an opt-in provision, and reportedly no major Georgia program adopted it, with UGA publicly declining. Read your team contract carefully and confirm with your school's compliance office before signing.
Can a Georgia high schooler wear their school jersey in a paid ad?
No. GHSA Appendix N bars using school logos, names, uniforms, mascots, or GHSA trademarks in NIL activities, and school-branded apparel is included in that ban. Deals also cannot use school facilities. Confirm the ground rules with your athletic director before agreeing to any shoot.
Did Governor Kemp's executive order replace Georgia's NIL law?
No. The September 2024 order layered on top of the statute, telling the NCAA and conferences not to punish Georgia schools for paying athletes directly, while O.C.G.A. § 20-3-681 remains on the books, including its institutional-payment prohibition. The House settlement now provides a national direct-pay framework as well. Treat this area as unsettled and verify with your school's compliance office.