College and high-school name, image & likeness rules for Indiana (IN) — at a glance, in plain English. Not legal advice; confirm with a compliance office before acting.
At a glance
NIL in Indiana today.
College NIL: No state law. High-school NIL: Allowed, per NCAA policy + House settlement · IHSAA (HS). NIL collectives: operating. Deal-disclosure threshold: $600. High-school governance: Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA). Last reviewed August 2026 — this is a plain-English overview pending verification, not legal advice.
What to know
How the rules play out in Indiana.
Indiana has leaned on NCAA policy and institutional rules rather than a distinct state NIL statute. The IHSAA has moved to permit high-school NIL within its amateurism guardrails. Collectives are active around the state's blue-blood basketball and football programs — confirm disclosure per school.
Who governs NIL in Indiana
Indiana has never enacted a state statute governing name, image, and likeness deals for college athletes, so as of August 2026 the rules that matter on Indiana campuses come from the NCAA and the House v. NCAA settlement framework rather than from the Indiana General Assembly. For high schoolers, the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) sets the rules through its Rule 5 amateurism by-laws, which were amended for the 2026-27 school year to permit what the association calls Personal Branding Activities (PBA). Individual schools add their own layers: colleges apply institutional and conference policies, and Indiana school corporations may adopt stricter rules than the IHSAA's as long as they do not conflict with them.
The framework that applies instead of a state law
Because there is no Indiana statute, college athletes in the state operate under the post-House national framework.
The House settlement received final court approval on June 6, 2025; NCAA President Charlie Baker's letter that day described an annual cap of 22.5 percent of certain revenues, approximately 20.5 million dollars in year one, that a Division I school may direct to its athletes.
The NCAA's published NIL guidance says a permissible deal must pay for actual NIL use, have a legitimate business purpose, and reflect reasonable compensation; pay with no required promotional activity, and pay-for-play, remain prohibited.
Third-party NIL deals worth 600 dollars or more must be reported through NIL Go, the College Sports Commission's clearinghouse platform; incoming Division I athletes must report qualifying deals within stated windows such as 14 days of starting classes.
The NCAA notes NIL income is taxable, and enforcement of third-party deal rules now sits with the defendant conferences and the College Sports Commission rather than the NCAA alone.
High-school rules: the IHSAA Personal Branding Activities by-law
The IHSAA's 2026-27 by-laws add Rule 5-7, which lets students monetize their name, image, and likeness without forfeiting amateur status, under tight conditions.
5-7.2(a)-(b): students may engage in PBA activities, including social media, appearances, and endorsements, provided they do not represent their member school and do not perform athletic services.
5-7.3(a): any PBA activity that represents or references a member school results in ineligibility; 5-7.1(d) defines school representation to include school name, nicknames, mascots, logos, uniforms, and traditions.
5-7.3(b): no deals tied to gaming or gambling, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, banned substances, sexually explicit material, or firearms.
5-7.3(d)-(e): accepting benefits from collectives working on behalf of a member school is prohibited, as are deals used to entice a student to attend a particular high school.
5-7.4(a): students must notify their school's athletic director in writing within 48 hours of entering any PBA agreement.
5-7.5(a): violations carry ineligibility of up to 365 days in the sport concerned.
The practical read
An Indiana college athlete can sign NIL deals and receive direct school revenue-sharing payments, but deals of 600 dollars or more reportedly need NIL Go clearance, and school policies still apply. An Indiana high schooler can now earn from their personal brand, but only as an individual: no school marks, no uniform, no collective money tied to a school, and a written notice to the athletic director within 48 hours of signing. Families carry the compliance load at the high-school level; the by-law makes students and parents responsible for checking NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA eligibility effects and for taxes.
What's moving
The IHSAA board approved the PBA rule on a 13-5 vote announced May 4, 2026, effective with the 2026-27 school year, and Indiana Public Media reported in August 2026 that families are now navigating the first season under it. Indiana still has not passed a college NIL statute as of August 2026; the state's college framework will instead move with House settlement implementation and any federal legislation, several versions of which were pending in Congress during 2025-26.
Go deeper
Compare states, then run your numbers.
Compare Indiana 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 Indiana?
Yes — college athletes in Indiana can earn from their name, image, and likeness. Status: No state law. Indiana relies on NCAA policy and the House settlement rather than a distinct state statute. Confirm the current rules with each school's compliance office.
Can high school athletes earn NIL in Indiana?
High-school NIL status in Indiana: Allowed, per NCAA policy + House settlement · IHSAA (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 Indiana?
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 Indiana high schooler mention their school or wear their uniform in a paid deal?
No. IHSAA Rule 5-7.3(a) makes any Personal Branding Activity that represents or references a member school an ineligibility violation, and Rule 5-7.1(d) sweeps in school names, nicknames, mascots, logos, uniforms, and traditions. School facilities can be used only under the school's ordinary facility-use policies, with school approval and no implied endorsement. Confirm the specifics with your athletic director before signing anything.
Can Indiana high school athletes take money from NIL collectives?
Not from school-connected ones. Rule 5-7.3(d) prohibits participating in or accepting benefits from PBA collectives that work on behalf of, in conjunction with, or for the benefit of any member school, and the association has said the rule is designed to keep schools and boosters out of arranging or funding deals. Check any offer against the current by-laws with your school's athletic office first.
What happens if an Indiana athlete signs a branding deal and does not tell their school?
Rule 5-7.4(a) requires written notice to the school's athletic director within 48 hours of entering any PBA agreement, and Rule 5-7.5(a) allows ineligibility of up to 365 days in the sport concerned for violations, with reinstatement handled under Rule 5-4. Schools may review agreements for compliance but cannot block compliant deals. Verify the current notification process with your school before you sign.