College and high-school name, image & likeness rules for Pennsylvania (PA) — at a glance, in plain English. Not legal advice; confirm with a compliance office before acting.
At a glance
NIL in Pennsylvania today.
College NIL: Legal (state law). High-school NIL: Allowed, per PA Senate Bill 381 (2021) as amended by Act 139 of 2022 + PIAA Bylaws Art. II (HS). NIL collectives: operating. Deal-disclosure threshold: $600. Governing statute: Pennsylvania SB 381 (Act 26 of 2021), as amended by Act 139 of 2022 (Public School Code of 1949, Article XX-M, §§ 2001-M - 2009-M), amended, effective June 2021. High-school governance: Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). Last reviewed August 2026 — this is a plain-English overview pending verification, not legal advice.
What to know
How the rules play out in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania's college NIL law started as Senate Bill 381 (2021) and was substantially amended by Act 139 of 2022, which let schools help arrange athletes' NIL deals and dropped an earlier pre-signing disclosure requirement; neither law has been repealed as of mid-2026. The national NIL Go clearinghouse — not Pennsylvania statute — is what actually enforces the $600 third-party-deal disclosure/review threshold under the 2025 House settlement, since PA's own law sets no dollar figure. The PIAA amended its bylaws for the 2022-23 school year to permit high-school NIL (barring school-mark apparel, booster/collective-sourced deals, and recruiting inducements, with a three-strikes penalty); collectives remain active and legal at the college level (e.g., Penn State's 'Happy Valley United', Pitt's in-house 'Alliance 412') — confirm current PIAA wording directly, as no newer bylaw update was confirmed this pass.
Who governs NIL in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has had a college NIL law since June 30, 2021, when SB 381 (Act 26 of 2021) added an intercollegiate athlete compensation article to the Public School Code. Act 139 of 2022 then reworked the framework - the operative text now sits in Article XX-M, alongside a rewritten athlete agent law in Title 5 of the consolidated statutes. As of August 2026 those state rules operate under the House v. NCAA settlement, with its revenue-sharing cap and NIL Go clearinghouse for outside deals of 600 dollars or more. High school athletes fall under the PIAA, which wrote an NIL section into its amateur status bylaws in December 2022.
What Article XX-M actually says
Key provisions from the official text published by the Department of State:
§ 2003-M(a): a college student athlete may earn compensation for the use of the college student athlete's name, image or likeness.
§ 2003-M(b)-(c): institutions and athletic organizations, including the NCAA, may not enforce rules preventing that compensation or penalize a school whose athletes earn it.
§ 2004-M: athletes may obtain professional representation; agents must act in accordance with 5 Pa.C.S. Chapter 35 and attorneys must be admitted in Pennsylvania.
§ 2005-M: an athletics scholarship may not be revoked or reduced because an athlete earns NIL compensation.
§ 2006-M(d): no NIL compensation connected to adult entertainment, alcohol, casinos and gambling including sports betting, tobacco and e-smoking products, prescription pharmaceuticals or controlled substances.
§ 2006-M(b) and (e): no right to use the institution's trademarks, and a school may prohibit deals that conflict with existing sponsorships or institutional values.
§ 2006-M(f): athletes may disclose a proposed contract to a designated school official before signing; a school paid by an athlete's third-party partner must disclose that relationship to the athlete.
High-school rules
The PIAA's rule lives in its Constitution and By-Laws, Article II (Amateur Status and Awards), Section 3.J, adopted in December 2022:
Section 3.J: students may receive consideration for their own NIL, including commercial endorsements, promotional activities, social media presence, advertisements, and unique digital items or assets.
No one employed by or affiliated with a member school - including booster clubs, coaches, collectives, administrators and alumni - may solicit, arrange, negotiate or pay for a student's NIL, other than for their own child.
Students may not reference PIAA or their school (names, nicknames, logos), wear school uniforms or school-identifying apparel in NIL activity, or promote NIL partners during team or school activities.
Seven banned categories: adult entertainment, alcohol, casinos and gambling including sports betting, tobacco and electronic smoking, opioids and prescription pharmaceuticals, controlled substances, and weapons, firearms and ammunition.
Students or parents must notify the principal or athletic director within 72 hours of entering any NIL agreement.
Section 4: a violation makes the student ineligible from the date of the violation; a second costs a year of eligibility, and a third is permanent.
The practical read
College athletes in Pennsylvania can monetize endorsements, appearances and social channels, keep their scholarships, and hire compliant representation - while avoiding the banned categories and anything that collides with their school's sponsors or trademarks. High schoolers can also earn, but strictly as individuals: no school branding, no adult help from anyone connected to the school, and a 72-hour reporting clock after every deal.
What's moving
Act 139 of 2022 (HB 2633), signed November 3, 2022, was the state's big amendment: it recodified the NIL article and extensively revised the Uniform Athlete Agents Act, and was widely reported as loosening how schools and collectives can operate around athletes. Since July 2025, House settlement mechanics - direct school pay under the cap and NIL Go review of outside deals of 600 dollars or more - have layered on top of the state statute. Athletes should expect further federal or NCAA-level changes to matter more than state ones.
Go deeper
Compare states, then run your numbers.
Compare Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Yes — college athletes in Pennsylvania can earn from their name, image, and likeness. Status: Legal (state law). Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
High-school NIL status in Pennsylvania: Allowed, per PA Senate Bill 381 (2021) as amended by Act 139 of 2022 + PIAA Bylaws Art. II (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 Pennsylvania?
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.
Which endorsement categories are off-limits for Pennsylvania college athletes?
Article XX-M, § 2006-M(d) bars NIL compensation connected to adult entertainment, alcohol, casinos and gambling (including sports betting and the lottery), tobacco and e-smoking products, prescription pharmaceuticals and controlled substances. Schools can also block deals that conflict with their own sponsors or stated values. Confirm any borderline deal with your school's compliance office before signing.
Can a PIAA coach, booster club or collective set up an NIL deal for a high schooler?
No. The PIAA bylaw prohibits anyone employed by or affiliated with a member school - explicitly including booster clubs, coaches, collectives, administrators and alumni - from soliciting, arranging, negotiating or paying for a student's NIL, with a carve-out only for a parent acting for their own child. Check with your athletic director before involving any adult in a deal.
What happens if a Pennsylvania high schooler misses the 72-hour reporting window?
PIAA rules require notifying the principal or athletic director within 72 hours of entering any NIL agreement, and violations of the amateur status rule can make a student ineligible from the date of the violation. Late reporting risks being treated as a violation. Report every agreement promptly and confirm the process with your school's athletic office.