The 2023 MLS roster rules included a salary budget of $5,210,000 per team, representing an increase from the previous season's $4,900,000 cap. This salary budget covered all player compensation including base salary, guaranteed compensation, and performance bonuses for the team's roster.
Teams were allowed to carry between 20-30 players on their roster, with specific allocation money and designated player slots available to exceed the salary budget for key signings. The $5,210,000 budget applied to the first team roster and did not include academy or reserve players on separate contracts.
Additional roster mechanisms in 2023 included General Allocation Money (GAM), Targeted Allocation Money (TAM), and three Designated Player spots per team that allowed clubs to sign players whose salaries could exceed the budget cap through these special roster tools.