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Division I Legislation
How Division I rules are made — which committees can propose rule changes and the processes used to decide the changes.
Division I Legislative Authority
The following Division I committees have the authority to propose, and in certain cases approve, changes to the Division I Manual. Committee members collaborate with NCAA staff, member conferences and institutions and student-athletes throughout the decision-making process.
Sport oversight committees can directly introduce and approve changes in five specified, sport-specific areas — sportsmanship and other ethical behaviors, conduct of athletics personnel (Bylaw 11), recruiting (Bylaw 13), playing and practice seasons (Bylaw 17), and regular-season/championship administration (Bylaw 31) .
The Academics and Eligibility Committee can directly introduce and approve legislative proposals that impact Bylaws 12, 14 and 16 (excluding rules tied to the House settlement).
The Membership Committee can directly introduce and approve legislative proposals that impact Bylaw 20 (excluding division dominant provisions, common provisions, membership provisions and provisions related to FBS or FCS requirements).
National SAAC can introduce legislative proposals that impact student-athlete governance and representation in bodies at the institutional, conference and national levels, as well as proposals that impact the student-athlete core guarantees.
Any Division I committee, including sport oversight committees, may introduce proposals in areas outside their specified areas of legislated authority. If a committee introduces a proposal outside of its area of authority, the cabinet must take action to adopt the proposed change.
Conferences, national governing bodies and coaches associations may submit concepts, including suggested amendments, for a Division I committee or the Cabinet to consider.
After a Division I committee approves a proposal within its specified legislative authority, the Cabinet reviews the action and may let it stand, remand, table, defeat, or amend the committee’s proposal. If the Cabinet takes no action at its next quarterly meeting, the proposal is considered adopted final following the meeting.
Amendments to Division I Legislation
Division I legislative proposals are reviewed through one of four legislative processes depending on the scope, urgency and impact of the proposal. While most proposals move through the standard legislative process, Division I governance bodies may use accelerated, emergency or division dominant processes when circumstances warrant. The table below provides an overview of each legislative pathway, including proposal requirements, voting thresholds and potential outcomes.
Division I Legislative Calendar
These deadlines only apply to legislation introduced into one of the 2026-27 quarterly standard legislative cycles.
Accelerated Legislative Review
The below describes how the cabinet will conduct accelerated legislative review of requested action taken by Division I committees within their areas of legislative authority.
- A Division I committee takes action to introduce and approve a proposed change within its authorized legislative authority via the accelerated legislative process.
- The proposal will be made available in LSDBi within five business days of the committee’s action.
- The proposal will be included in the next grouping of proposals prepared for accelerated cabinet review.
- Proposals introduced and approved by a committee during the first 15 days of a month will be grouped together, and
- Proposals introduced and approved during the second half of a month (16th day through the end of the month) will be grouped together.
- The cabinet will have three business days to review the committee’s action, along with any other proposals approved via the accelerated legislative process during the previous two weeks.
- Unless 25% of cabinet members wish to discuss the committee’s action, the proposal will be considered adopted after the three-business day review concludes.
Division I Legislative Resources
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- Practical Workflow for Calculating Equivalencies
- NCAA Division I Bylaw 15 (2024-25)
- NCAA Division I Proposal No. 2026-27 Playing and Practice Seasons – Soccer – Length of Playing Season Question and Answer Resource
- Proposed House Settlement – Implementation Committee February 2025 Status Update
- Question and Answer: Impact on Current Division I Student-Athletes
- NCAA Division I Proposal No. 2026-48 Recruiting — Precollege Expenses — Complimentary Admissions to Away-From-Home Athletics Events — After Commitment – Basketball Question and Answer Resource
- Question and Answer: Impact on Institutions (Updated May 29, 2026)
- NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement
- Division I Playing and Practice Seasons
Division I Compliance
How Division I schools follow the rules day to day — forms and reporting, attestation, legislative relief and waivers, and rules support.
Division I Compliance Forms & Reporting
Division I Attestation of Compliance
Division I chancellors, presidents and directors of athletics are required to complete an annual attestation of compliance affirming their understanding of the institutional obligations and personal responsibilities outlined in NCAA Constitution Article 1 and Constitution Article 6. Directors of athletics also attest that athletics department staff members are aware of these responsibilities, and that institutional policies, procedures and practices comply with NCAA legislation. Failure to complete the attestation may result in removal from or ineligibility to serve on NCAA boards, councils or committees, as well as ineligibility to participate in NCAA championships.
The 2025-26 attestation window opens Sept. 8 and closes Nov. 6. The NCAA national office uses DocuSign to provide a streamlined electronic attestation process. The annual attestation reflects the NCAA’s continued commitment to institutional control and accountability, principles reaffirmed during the Association’s 2021-22 constitutional review process.
Division I Legislative Relief Waivers
The NCAA Division I Cabinet has authority for legislative relief waivers for NCAA Division I sports that do not have an oversight committee (e.g., sports without NCAA championship such as national collegiate, emerging sports) as well as requests involving the following bylaws: institutional control (Bylaw 8), ethical conduct (Bylaw 10), financial aid (Bylaw 15), awards and benefits (Bylaw 16), and governance structure and committees (Bylaw 21).
The sports oversight committees authority extends to legislative relief waivers of conduct of athletics personnel (Bylaw 11), recruiting (Bylaw 13), playing and practice seasons (Bylaw 17) and processes and procedures related to the administration of the regular seasons and championships (Bylaw 31).
The NCAA Division I Academic and Eligibility Committee was developed to establish a single committee responsible for matters governing eligibility. The NCAA Division I Academic Eligibility Subcommittee has authority for legislative relief waivers related to academic eligibility (Bylaw 14). The Athletics Eligibility Subcommittee generally has authority for legislative relief waivers related to athletics eligibility (Bylaw 12). Authority includes review of individual waivers as well as the ability to issue blanket waivers.
Required Forms and Actions
Have Additional Questions or Need Help?
NCAA Legislative Interpretations and Bylaw Assistance
NCAA member institutions and conferences can request guidance on NCAA legislation, bylaws and student-athlete eligibility matters through the NCAA Governance and Member Services (GMS) staff.
Submit an Interpretation Request
The preferred method for requesting an NCAA interpretation is through Requests/Self-Reports Online (RSRO).
How to Submit a Request
1. Log in and select the Home tab
2. Under My Application Links, select Requests/Self-Reports Online (RSRO)
3. Click Request or Self-Report
4. Select Interpretation Request from the dropdown menu
5. Complete and submit your request
If you have questions or experience issues submitting a request, email rsro@ncaa.org. Please include your case number, if applicable.
Note: If RSRO does not appear in your application list, contact your institution’s Single Sign-On (SSO) administrator to request access.
For urgent requests requiring a response by the next business day when there is insufficient time to submit through RSRO.
General contact information for NCAA Governance and Member Services
NCAA Governance and Member Services
P.O. Box 6222
Indianapolis, IN 46206-6222