College and high-school name, image & likeness rules for Illinois (IL) — at a glance, in plain English. Not legal advice; confirm with a compliance office before acting.
At a glance
NIL in Illinois today.
College NIL: Legal (state law). High-school NIL: Limited, per State NIL law + IHSA (HS). NIL collectives: operating. Deal-disclosure threshold: $600. Governing statute: Illinois Student-Athlete Endorsement Rights Act (SB 2338, as amended by SB 1782 / P.A. 103-0724) (110 ILCS 190/1 et seq.), amended, effective July 2021. High-school governance: Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Last reviewed August 2026 — this is a plain-English overview pending verification, not legal advice.
What to know
How the rules play out in Illinois.
Illinois passed an NIL law for college athletes and later amended it as the national landscape evolved. The IHSA has allowed high-school NIL only under notable conditions, so treat HS deals as limited until confirmed. Collectives are active around the state's Big Ten and mid-major programs; verify each school's disclosure threshold.
Who governs NIL in Illinois
College NIL in Illinois runs on the Student-Athlete Endorsement Rights Act, 110 ILCS 190, in force since July 1, 2021 and amended several times since, most recently effective January 1, 2025. High-school NIL is governed separately by the Illinois High School Association, whose amateur-status rules let students earn NIL money within strict limits. As of August 2026, the House v. NCAA settlement layers a national framework of revenue sharing and deal review on top of the state statute for college athletes.
What 110 ILCS 190 actually says
The core rules sit in sections 15 and 20 of the Act.
190/15(a): an institution may not uphold any contract, rule, standard, or other requirement that prevents a student-athlete from earning compensation for use of the student-athlete's name, image, likeness, or voice.
190/15(b): athletic associations and conferences are likewise barred from enforcing rules that deny that compensation.
190/15(c): schools may impose reasonable limitations on the dates and times of endorsement activity, and an athlete may not be paid for use of a school's registered marks, logos, or designs without the institution's written permission.
190/20(a): agents and other professional service providers working with student-athletes must comply with the federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act and other applicable law.
190/20(c): athletes must disclose the existence and substance of all publicity rights agreements to their institution, in the manner and time the institution prescribes; agreements of 500 dollars or more must be in writing.
190/20(i): no deals endorsing gambling, sports betting, controlled substances, cannabis, tobacco or alcohol brands, electronic nicotine products, performance-enhancing supplements, adult entertainment, or anything reasonably considered inconsistent with the institution's values.
High-school rules
The IHSA has allowed high-school NIL since its board adopted a policy on February 6, 2023, but only for deals with no school or IHSA affiliation.
Athletes may not use the IHSA name, logos, or trademarks, or any member school's name, logo, or mascot, or imply that either endorses the deal.
No NIL activity at member-school facilities, during school hours, during IHSA events including practices and games, or while traveling to or from them.
Deals tied to gambling, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, weapons, or adult entertainment are off limits under the published policy.
Under IHSA eligibility rules, violating the amateur rule makes a student ineligible in that sport until reinstated by the Executive Director; competition awards are capped at 150 dollars in fair market value and never cash.
The practical read
A college athlete in Illinois can sign endorsement, social media, appearance, and licensing deals, keep a compliant agent, and at participating schools receive direct revenue-sharing payments, but must disclose deals to the school, avoid the banned product categories, and get written permission before using school marks. A high-school athlete can monetize a personal brand through camps, posts, or local sponsorships so long as the deal stays completely separate from the school: no uniforms, logos, facilities, or school-time activity. In both cases the school's compliance or athletic office is the first stop before signing anything.
What's moving
Effective January 1, 2025, SB 1782 (Public Act 103-0724) amended the Act to let institutions assist athletes in connecting with collectives and third parties, shield schools from liability over athletes' NIL outcomes, and exempt deal terms from Freedom of Information Act disclosure. Nationally, the House v. NCAA settlement won final approval on June 6, 2025: opted-in schools may provide up to roughly 20.5 million dollars per year in direct benefits in year one, and third-party NIL deals of 600 dollars or more must be reported to the NIL Go clearinghouse overseen by the College Sports Commission for fair-market-value review. As of August 2026 those settlement rules operate alongside, not instead of, the Illinois statute.
Go deeper
Compare states, then run your numbers.
Compare Illinois 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 Illinois?
Yes — college athletes in Illinois can earn from their name, image, and likeness. Status: Legal (state law). Illinois 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 Illinois?
High-school NIL status in Illinois: Limited, per State NIL law + IHSA (HS). It's permitted only under notable conditions — verify before relying on it. This is a general overview, not legal advice.
Do athletes have to disclose NIL deals in Illinois?
The working disclosure threshold here is "$600." 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 an Illinois college athlete use their school's logo or uniform in an NIL deal?
Not without permission. 110 ILCS 190/15(c) bars compensation involving a school's registered marks, logos, or designs unless the institution gives written permission, and the school may charge market-rate compensation for that use. Confirm the current marks policy with your school's compliance office before signing.
Can my school or a collective help arrange NIL deals in Illinois?
Since January 1, 2025, Public Act 103-0724 lets Illinois institutions assist student-athletes in connecting with collectives and other third parties, and lets schools offer intangible incentives to supporters of those entities. Schools that opted into the House settlement can also pay athletes directly through revenue sharing, subject to the annual cap. Verify how your school has implemented this with its athletics compliance staff.
Do Illinois high-school NIL deals put college eligibility at risk?
IHSA policy allows NIL activity but reportedly leaves the student responsible for determining how a deal affects future college eligibility, and violating the amateur rule makes a student ineligible in that sport until reinstated by the IHSA Executive Director. Deals must also stay free of school and IHSA marks, facilities, and event time. Check with your principal or athletic director, and the college compliance office you hope to play for, before signing.