- High school NIL
- Permitted with conditions
- High school authority
- Montana High School Association (MHSA)
- High school rule
- MHSA Bylaws, Article II (Amateur Status), NIL amendment
- High school effective
- January 2025, when the MHSA approved an amended bylaw permitting athletes to profit from NIL.
- College NIL
- Permitted
- College law
- Montana Senate Bill 248 (2023), with a 2025 amendment on direct institutional payments pending
- College effective
- SB 248 effective June 1, 2023. A 2025 amendment passed the Senate 39 to 10; House action and the governor's signature were pending as of the latest reporting.
- Paperwork
- Confirm your school's disclosure expectations
- Penalty
- Violations of the amateur status rule cost eligibility under MHSA rules.
Where high school NIL stands in Montana.
Montana allowed high school NIL in January 2025, when the Montana High School Association approved an amended bylaw permitting athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness. Before that, Article II barred athletes from accepting remuneration for playing on athletic teams and capped awards at $100, and Montana was listed among the holdout states as recently as early 2025.
The amended rule follows the common model: NIL must stay separate from the school and the MHSA, with no school names, logos, or uniforms, no compensation tied to performance, no enrollment inducements, and no involvement by the school. Because the change is recent, confirm the current bylaw text with the MHSA before signing.
Effective: January 2025, when the MHSA approved an amended bylaw permitting athletes to profit from NIL.
What a high school athlete can and can't do.
Allowed
- ✓Endorsements, sponsorships, and paid content as an individual
- ✓Appearances, autographs, camps, and merchandise in the athlete's own name
Not allowed
- ×School or MHSA names, logos, or uniforms in NIL content
- ×Remuneration for playing on an athletic team, which the amateur rule still bars
- ×Compensation tied to athletic performance or offered as an enrollment inducement
- ×Involvement by the school or its staff
The high school checklist.
- →Read the amended MHSA Article II and your school's policy; the rule is new
- →Keep the school and its marks out of every deal and every piece of content
- →Confirm your school's disclosure expectations
Agents and advisors
The MHSA rule does not bar NIL representation. Montana regulates athlete agents by statute. MSG works with Montana high school athletes on NIL and brand within the amended bylaw.
Penalties
Violations of the amateur status rule cost eligibility under MHSA rules.
College NIL in Montana.
Montana's college NIL law, SB 248, took effect June 1, 2023. Athletes at Montana, Montana State, and other schools may earn NIL compensation, with anti-restriction provisions, scholarship protections, and a disclosure requirement to the institution.
In 2025 the Senate passed an amendment to let Montana universities pay athletes directly under the House settlement if they opt in; confirm its final status with the legislature. The House settlement itself allows direct revenue sharing for opted-in schools since July 1, 2025.
Effective: SB 248 effective June 1, 2023. A 2025 amendment passed the Senate 39 to 10; House action and the governor's signature were pending as of the latest reporting.
Montana law: key points
- ✓NIL compensation permitted since June 1, 2023 (SB 248)
- ✓Anti-restriction provisions and scholarship protections; disclosure to the institution required
- ✓2025 amendment on direct institutional payments passed the Senate; confirm final status
- ✓Direct school payments permitted under the House settlement for opted-in schools
National framework (House settlement)
Since July 1, 2025, college NIL runs on two tracks. Third-party deals with brands and businesses remain open, and the House v. NCAA settlement now lets Division I schools that opted in pay athletes directly, capped at roughly $20.5 million per school in the first year and rising annually. State law sits on top of that framework and can add rules, but cannot take the federal settlement terms away.
- →Third-party NIL deals of $600 or more must be reported through the NIL Go clearinghouse, generally within five business days, and are reviewed for fair market value
- →Direct payments from a school count against that school's revenue-sharing cap; third-party deals do not
- →The College Sports Commission handles enforcement tied to settlement rules; the NCAA still governs eligibility
- →Every school also has its own NIL policy on disclosure, prohibited categories, and use of school marks, and it applies alongside state law
- →Federal NIL legislation has been proposed repeatedly and remains unresolved
Major Sports Group
What this means for a Montana athlete.
Montana opened in 2025 and the market is uncrowded. Billings, Missoula, and Bozeman have engaged local businesses and strong high school football and basketball followings.
MSG keeps Montana deals unaffiliated with the school and checks the current bylaw before every agreement, since the rule is in its first seasons.
Montana NIL FAQ.
Can high school athletes in Montana do NIL deals?
Yes, since January 2025, when the MHSA approved an amended bylaw permitting athletes to profit from NIL, provided the activity stays separate from the school and the MHSA and uses no school names, logos, or uniforms.
When did Montana allow high school NIL?
January 2025. Before that, MHSA Article II barred remuneration for playing on athletic teams and Montana was listed among the holdout states.
Can a Montana high school athlete have an agent?
The MHSA rule does not restrict NIL representation. Montana regulates athlete agents by statute.
What is Montana's college NIL law?
Senate Bill 248, effective June 1, 2023, which permits NIL compensation with anti-restriction provisions, scholarship protections, and disclosure to the institution. A 2025 amendment on direct institutional payments was pending final action.
Can Montana and Montana State pay athletes directly?
Yes, for schools that opted into the House settlement, since July 1, 2025, within the revenue-sharing cap.
- Can high school athletes get NIL deals? It depends on the state (Capital News Service, May 2025)
- High school NIL tracker (Business of College Sports, August 2025)
- NIL laws by state, Montana SB 248 (Athlete Agent Labs)
- NIL Rules in 2026: updated guide (Sportsepreneur, June 2026)
Rules change, sometimes mid-season. This page reflects the sources above as of August 2026 and is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the current position of the Montana High School Association, your college\u2019s NIL policy, and your school before signing anything.