Washington NIL Laws: Rules for College and High School Athletes

Washington State stands at a unique crossroads in the NIL revolution. Through Senate Bill 5913, the state dismantled ethics barriers that previously limited how public university employees could support NIL, enabling staff at UW and WSU to actively advise and facilitate NIL opportunities. Combined with the House v. NCAA settlement, Washington’s college NIL market is fully operationalized.

High school athletes, however, face strict WIAA “firewall” restrictions that separate personal branding from school identity. Here’s the complete guide to Washington NIL laws.

Washington’s NIL Leadership

Washington’s NIL landscape is defined by ethics reform at the college level and strict WIAA “no affiliation” rules at the high school level.

Senate Bill 5913 (2024) — Ethics Reform

• Passed by the Washington Legislature in early 2024; fully operational by 2025
• Exempts public university employees from the Ethics in Public Service Act (Chapter 42.52 RCW) for NIL activities
• Legalizes the use of “personnel, money, and property” to advise, facilitate, and educate athletes on NIL
• Coaches and staff can now legally broker NIL opportunities using university resources
• Statute includes compliance guardrails requiring alignment with NCAA rules

House v. NCAA Settlement (2025)

• Direct revenue sharing authorized (~$20.5M annual cap)
• Schools can share ~22% of average Power 5 revenue with athletes
• Roster limits replace scholarship limits (football 105, all can be scholarshipped)
• Effective July 1, 2025

High School Status — Restricted

• Governed by WIAA Rule 18.25
• NIL permitted, but under strict “No Affiliation” restrictions
• Coaches and school employees are prohibited from facilitating deals
• No use of school uniforms, logos, or facilities for NIL content

Why Washington Matters

UW (Big Ten) and WSU (Pac-12/WCC) represent divergent NIL funding models:

• UW: Donor-dependent, with reduced Big Ten revenue share during initial membership years
• WSU: Leverages the “Pac-2” war chest and an integrated Cougar Collective model

Washington is unique because SB 5913 legally empowers coaches and staff to facilitate NIL in ways many states still cannot.

Washington College NIL Rules

Washington college athletes benefit from SB 5913’s ethics reform, which explicitly allows universities to use public resources to support NIL education and facilitation.

What SB 5913 Allows

• Universities may use public resources (personnel, money, property) to advise and facilitate NIL
• Coaches may legally make introductions, broker opportunities, and advocate for athlete value
• Compliance offices can use institutional tools to track, assess, and value deals
• Staff can counsel athletes against predatory contracts as part of an “educational function”
• Must still comply with NCAA rules (built-in compliance guardrail)

The Three-Tiered Compensation Stack (2025)

Washington athlete income typically stacks across three layers:

Tier 1 — Scholarship Base
Tuition, room, board, cost of attendance

Tier 2 — Institutional Revenue Share
Direct payment from university (up to ~$20.5M cap)

Tier 3 — Third-Party NIL (Uncapped)
Collective + corporate NIL deals that “top off” elite talent

Program Models (UW vs. WSU)

University of Washington (Big Ten)

• Half-share of Big Ten media revenue during initial membership years
• Donor-dependent: must fundraise to cover the revenue-share cap gap
• Montlake Futures supports the “margin of victory” above base share
• AD messaging: philanthropic support is more critical than ever

Washington State University (Pac-12/WCC)

• “Pac-2” war chest provides immediate liquidity (hundreds of millions)
• Cougar Collective designated as “Official NIL Collective” with full integration
• Shared data + coordinated fundraising + aligned recruiting targets
• Staffing investments: Director of NIL Services and Director of Playfly Max roles
• WCC affiliate membership for basketball/Olympic sports provides stability

Clearinghouse Requirement (NIL Go)

• Third-party deals over $600 must be submitted to NIL Go (administered by Deloitte)
• Deals reviewed for fair market value to prevent disguised pay-for-play
• Non-compliant deals can be flagged and blocked

International Student Restrictions (F-1 Visa)

• F-1 visas prohibit off-campus employment, including most active NIL work
• Passive income may be permitted (licensing, royalties)
• Direct revenue sharing (Tier 2) may be treated as employment income, creating risk for international athletes
• International athletes may be excluded from institutional revenue share pending fixes

Washington High School NIL Rules

Washington high school athletes may monetize NIL, but the WIAA maintains a strict firewall separating commercial activity from school identity.

Key Facts

• Governing Body: Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA)
• Status: Permitted with strict restrictions
• Framework: Rule 18.25 (Amateurism / “No Affiliation”)

WIAA Rule 18.25 — “No Affiliation” Restrictions

To remain eligible, high school athletes must follow strict separation:

Uniforms & Logos

• Cannot wear school uniform or display school logo/mascot/team name in commercial content

Facility Usage

• Cannot use school facilities (gyms, fields, locker rooms) for NIL content
• Allowed only if renting at standard district rate

Time of Activity

• Cannot conflict with school/team activities
• No NIL promotion during school games or events

Coaching Facilitation Ban (Major Difference vs College)

• Coaches, ADs, and school employees are expressly prohibited from facilitating NIL deals
• No brokerage, negotiation, or contract review support from school staff
• Designed to prevent NIL-driven recruiting wars
• NIL deals contingent on transferring = “undue influence” eligibility violation

Prohibited Categories (Vice Clause)

Athletes lose eligibility for promoting:

• Alcohol
• Tobacco/nicotine (including vaping)
• Cannabis
• Gambling/sports betting/lotteries
• Adult entertainment
• Weapons/firearms

College vs. High School: Key Differences

Feature	College (SB 5913)	High School (WIAA Rule 18.25)
NIL status	Fully legal	Permitted (restricted)
Institutional pay	Allowed (~$20.5M cap)	Prohibited
Third-party NIL	Unlimited (verified)	Allowed (no school affiliation)
Coach facilitation	Allowed	Prohibited
School logos/uniforms	Allowed	Prohibited
School facilities	Allowed	Prohibited (unless rented)
Collectives	Integrated/official	Not applicable
Pay-for-play	Prohibited	Prohibited

Key distinction: Washington college coaches can be NIL facilitators under SB 5913. High school coaches cannot. A single post in a school jersey can cost eligibility.

What Washington Athletes Can Do

College Athletes

• Receive institutional revenue sharing (Tier 2)
• Sign endorsement deals
• Monetize social media
• Earn from camps/clinics/training
• Sell autographs and merchandise
• Make paid appearances
• Hire agents and attorneys
• Receive coach/staff facilitation and advocacy
• Participate in collective NIL programs
• Use school logos/uniforms (per school licensing policy)
• Use school facilities for NIL activities
• Receive fan support through platforms like RallyFuel

High School Athletes

• Monetize personal brand in individual capacity
• Sign endorsement deals (no school affiliation)
• Monetize social media (no school references)
• Earn from camps and appearances off school grounds
• Build personal brand separate from school identity
• Prepare for college NIL opportunities

What Washington Athletes Cannot Do

College Athletes

• Accept pay-for-play
• Hide NIL contracts from compliance
• Sign deals conflicting with school sponsorships
• Bypass NIL Go fair market value review for deals over $600
• International students: engage in most active NIL on U.S. soil (F-1 risk); may be excluded from revenue share

High School Athletes

• Use school uniforms, logos, mascots, or team name in NIL content
• Use school facilities for NIL (unless renting)
• Conduct NIL during school games or team activities
• Receive NIL facilitation from coaches/ADs/school employees
• Accept NIL linked to enrollment (undue influence)
• Endorse vice categories (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, gambling, adult, weapons)

Both

• Must pay taxes on NIL income (WA has no state income tax; federal + self-employment apply)
• Must maintain academic eligibility
• Cannot accept recruiting inducements

Compliance Requirements

For College Athletes

• Disclose NIL contracts to compliance
• Submit third-party deals over $600 to NIL Go for FMV verification
• Check for sponsorship conflicts
• File taxes on NIL income (expect 1099 for $600+)
• International athletes: consult university visa services before NIL; revenue share may be restricted

For High School Athletes

• Conduct NIL only in individual capacity
• Never use school uniforms/logos/team name
• Never use facilities for NIL content (unless renting)
• Never promote NIL during school events
• Do not involve coaches or school staff in any NIL facilitation
• Treat the “no logo” rule as zero-tolerance

For Parents

• Review contracts before signing
• Set aside 25–30% for taxes (WA has no state income tax, but federal applies)
• Teach and enforce the “No Affiliation” rules early
• Understand: booster-facilitated deals that violate WIAA rules can trigger ineligibility
• Consider legal counsel for significant deals

How Fans Support Washington Athletes

Washington has passionate college fans—from Husky Stadium to Martin Stadium—and fans can support athletes through NIL.

College Athletes

Fans can support athletes at:

• University of Washington (Big Ten)
• Washington State University (Pac-12/WCC)
• Gonzaga, Seattle U, Eastern Washington (WCC / Big Sky)
• All sports, not just football and basketball

How It Works

1. Create an account on RallyFuel.com or the mobile app
2. Select your Washington school affiliation
3. Browse verified athletes on your program’s roster
4. Purchase Fan Fuel
5. Track support through your fan dashboard

Conditional Protection: Fan Fuel purchases create Conditional NIL Engagement Rights (CNERs). If conditions aren’t met (e.g., athlete transfers), an automatic refund is issued.

Important: Fan support through RallyFuel is voluntary and conditional. Fuel purchases are not charitable donations. RallyFuel is not a guarantor that any athlete will accept an NIL Agreement. Purchasing Fan Fuel does not guarantee athletic performance, playing time, or any specific outcome.

High School Athletes

Washington high school athletes may pursue NIL in individual capacity under WIAA Rule 18.25, but coaches/school staff cannot facilitate deals, and NIL linked to school enrollment is an eligibility violation.

Learn More About the NIL Landscape

Name, Image, and Likeness plays an increasing role in college sports, and understanding how it works often requires more than individual articles or news updates.

RallyFuel is a platform focused on NIL-related topics across college athletics. It brings together information about athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure behind modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in more depth.

Visit RallyFuel

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Senate Bill 5913?

SB 5913 exempts public university employees from certain ethics restrictions for NIL activities, allowing the use of university resources to advise, facilitate, and educate athletes on NIL.

Can Washington high school athletes do NIL?

Yes, but only with strict “No Affiliation” restrictions. WIAA Rule 18.25 prohibits school uniforms/logos/team names/facilities in NIL content, and prohibits coach facilitation.

Do Washington athletes pay taxes on NIL income?

Washington has no state income tax, but athletes still owe federal income tax and self-employment taxes. Many set aside 25–30% of gross earnings.

What are Washington’s major collectives?

UW: Montlake Futures
WSU: Cougar Collective (official/integrated model)

What is the clearinghouse requirement?

Third-party NIL deals over $600 must be submitted to NIL Go for fair market value review. Deals that appear to be disguised pay-for-play can be flagged and blocked.

What happens if an athlete I supported transfers?

If conditions aren’t met during the conditional period (including transfers), an automatic refund is issued to the original payment method.

Washington: Ethics Reform Meets the NIL Era

Through SB 5913, Washington dismantled ethics barriers and empowered public university staff to actively facilitate NIL—while maintaining a strict firewall at the high school level through WIAA Rule 18.25. Combined with revenue sharing under House v. NCAA, Washington is one of the clearest examples of how NIL is becoming a fully operationalized system.

For college athletes ready to maximize NIL—and fans who want conditional protection—Washington is built for the next era.