Athlete Agent Laws and Registration Requirements by State
Last Updated on January 11, 2023
Disclaimer: This information is made available for educational purposes. It provides general information and is not intended to provide specific legal advice. This information should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. We update the information as often as possible, but you should check with the Secretary of State’s office in each state for the latest information.
Wondering how to become a registered sports agent so you can work with college student athletes? Many states require that you be registered in the states where you’re representing clients, so we’ve gone through the state athlete agent laws and done our best to find all the sports agent requirements, fees and applications to help you operate legally as an athlete agent.
Unfortunately, many student athletes are signing with people who haven’t gone through the sports agent registration process, which is a risk to both the agent and the student athlete.
Parents/Athletes: If you’re a student athlete or parent who wonders if you need an agent or how to find the best one for you, check out my guide here.
Last Updated on January 11, 2023| State (link to law) | Test Required? | Fees | Surety Bond | Other things to note |
| Arkansas | No | $500 for new license. $500 if renewal. $100 if based on app from another state | Application here | |
| Alabama | No | $200 initial application fee, reduced to $100 if registered in another state that meets the AL standards; $100 renewal fee where registered in AL or another state that meets the AL standards | Commission only meets quarterly to consider applications; link to application | |
| Alaska | No law | |||
| Arizona | No | |||
| California | No | Filing disclosure statement: $30; Filing an amendment to a disclosure statement: $20; more on fees | $100,000 | California requires the filing of a disclosure statement; |
| Colorado | No | No | Not required | Registration law has been repealed |
| Connecticut | No | $200 for initial registration and for renewal of two years. Same fee applies for registration that began in another state. | $100,000 | |
| Delaware | No | No | Not required | Registration law has been repealed |
| District of Columbia | $400 initial fee; $400 renewal fee | Application instructions’ here | ||
| Florida | No | $630 initial application fee; $220 renewal fee in even-numbered years; $505 reinstatement fee | Application here; you can get a temporary athlete agent license while the application is pending, but only for 60 days with no extensions | |
| Georgia | No | $200 initial application fee; $250 annual renewal fee; $500 reinstatement | $10,000 | Application here |
| Hawaii | No | Depends on year: if an even numbered year the fee is $357; if odd number year then fee is $497. Have to renew license by June 30 of every even-numbered year. More info | Not required | Application here |
| Idaho | No | No | Not required | Registration law has been repealed |
| Illinois | No | No | Not required | Registration law has been repealed – license issued by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is no longer required. |
| Indiana | No | $700 filing fee via check or money order | Not required | Application here. An individual may act as an agent without being registered as an agent if: the athlete initiates the contact, and no later than a week after the first contact the individual has submitted an application to be an agent. |
| Iowa | No | $500 registration and $500 for renewals | $25,000 | Application here |
| Kansas | No | $515 | Not required | Application here |
| Kentucky | No | $300 for an initial application and $200 for the renewal application that originated in Kentucky; $250 for an initial application and renewal application with a license that originated outside of Kentucky | Not required | Application here |
| Louisiana | Have to be certified by the corresponding players association before an individual can apply for agent registration | $100 filing fee | Not required | Application here. An attorney licensed to practice under the Louisiana state bar and is an active member of the Louisiana Bar Association, is not required to pay the registration fee. The attorney does have to pay their annual membership dues and be in good standing. |
| Maine | No law found | |||
| Maryland | No | $25 to be sent in with the initial application; if approved an invoice will be sent for an additional $1,000 | Application here. Check with state department to see if surety bond is required, not specifically stated in law. However, they are available for purchase as seen at the link connected. | |
| Massachusetts | No law found | |||
| Michigan | No law found | NIL law mentions agents but no requirements | ||
| Minnesota | No | $500 for initial application fee; $400 for renewal fee | Not required | Application here |
| Mississippi | No | $200 for initial application; $200 renewal fee; | Not required | Application here |
| Missouri | No | Application Fee: $70.00; State Criminal Records Check: $20.00; Federal Criminal Records Check: $13.25 | Not required | Application here |
| Montana | No | Not required | ||
| Nebraska | No | $300 for an initial application (good for two years); $150 for renewal fee every two years | Not required | Application here |
| Nevada | No | $500 for initial registration and renewal | Application here. In lieu of the surety bond requirement, a registrant or business entity may deposit an appropriate penal sum cash bond with the Secretary of State. | |
| New Hampshire | No | $100 application fee; biennial renewal $50; more info here | Not required | Application here |
| New Jersey | No law found | |||
| New Mexico | No | $250 for initial application; $250 for renewal | Not required | Application here |
| New York | No | $100 for initial registration application (registration is for two years); $50 for renewal application | Not required | Application here. If an individual is licensed in another state, they can submit a copy of their original application and certificate instead of filing a new application. |
| North Carolina | $200 initial filing fee; $200 annual renewal fee | Not required | Application here. No need to register if you are a licensed NC attorney, who is a resident of NC, who represents no more than two student-athletes, and you do not advertise or claim you are qualified to represent student-athletes. | |
| North Dakota | No | $250 for initial application fee; $150 for renewal of in and out-of-state | Not required | Application here |
| Ohio | No | $500 for an Individual License and/or $500 for a Business Entity License (Individual and Business licenses last 2 years); $500 renewal fee | $15,000 surety bond OR a certificate of deposit for $15,000 in an account assigned the state of Ohio OR certificate from agents insurance that they have a professional malpractice insurance policy equal to or greater than $50,000, or lesser than if they received approval from the Ohio Athletic Commission | Application here |
| Oklahoma | No | $1,000 for initial application and renewal | $50,000 | Application here |
| Oregon | No | $250 for initial application fee; $150 for renewal application fee; $150 initial application based on registration from qualifying state; $150 for renewal application based on registration from qualifying state | Not required | Application here |
| Pennsylvania | No | For both the initial registration and renewal: $200 for an individual application or $400 for a partnership, association, corporation or other legal entity; a $100 processing fee | A surety bond or an alternate security for at least $20,000 | Application here. Criminal record check also required. |
| Rhode Island | No | $50 for initial application; $25 for renewal application | Not required | Application here |
| South Carolina | No | $1,500 initial application per agent; $700 renewal filing fee every two years | Not required | Business/organization application here; Employee/agent application here |
| South Dakota | No | $100 for initial application from in-state; $50 for application that was previously registered in another state; $25 renewal fee | Not required | Application here |
| Tennessee | No | $500 for initial registration; $200 renewal fee | $25,000 surety bond | Application here |
| Texas | No | $500 filing fee; $500 renewal fee annually | $50,000; separate $100,000 surety bond if providing financial services under a financial services contract; form here | Application here |
| Utah | No | $510 application fee | Not required | Manual application here; Online application here |
| Vermont | No law found | |||
| Virginia | No | For a one-year registration or renewal, the fee is $700; For a two-year registration the fee is $1,150 | Not required | Application here. A temporary certificate of registration may given to an individual while their application for registration or renewal is pending. |
| Washington | No | No | Not required | Athlete agent disclosure form requirements |
| West Virginia | No | $100 for initial registration fee; $50 for renewal | Not required | Manual application here. Create an online account to apply here. A temporary certificate of registration may given to an individual while their application for registration or renewal is pending. |
| Wisconsin | No | $700 for registration or renewal (lasts for two years) | Not required | Application here |
| Wyoming | No | No | Not required |
Research assistance provided by Madeline Myers