§PlainStatute

Work · Non-Compete Agreements

Are Non-Competes Enforceable? The Rule in Each State

Whether your state enforces an employee non-compete, the income thresholds that void one, and the 2025 changes that reshaped Florida and Pennsylvania. Each cited to the statute or the controlling law.

6 of 50 states published. 1 verified against the official statute; the rest drafted from corroborating sources, including states where the rule is common-law rather than a single statute.This area moved a lot in 2024 and 2025. The federal FTC rule was removed, so enforceability is now purely state law, and it varies widely.

Read this first: four very different regimes

An employee non-compete bars you from taking a competing job after you leave. Whether that holds up depends entirely on your state, and the answers split into four camps. California bans them outright. Illinois voids them below an income line ($75,000 a year). Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania enforce reasonable ones, with Pennsylvania now banning most for health-care workers. And Florida enforces them strongly, allowing up to four years for higher earners under a 2025 law.

Two 2025 changes stand out: Florida’s CHOICE Act pushed toward the employer, while Pennsylvania’s health-care Act pushed the other way for doctors. The FTC’s 2024 rule that would have banned most non-competes nationwide was removed from the federal rules in early 2026, so there is no federal overlay left. Every figure here links to the source, and pages still pending verification say so.

Pick your state

The verdict, any income threshold, and the statute or controlling law on each card.

C

CA
California
Banned
In this state
Statute§16600

F

FL
FloridaDraft
Strongly enforceable
In this state
Statute§542.335 + 2025 CHOICE Act

I

IL
IllinoisDraft
Void if you earn ≤ $75k
In this state
Void at or below$75,000/year
Statute820 ILCS 90

N

NY
New YorkDraft
Enforceable if reasonable
In this state
StatuteNew York common law

P

PA
PennsylvaniaDraft
Enforceable if reasonable
In this state
StatutePennsylvania common law + Fa…

T

TX
TexasDraft
Enforceable if reasonable
In this state
Statute§15.50

What these pages are, and what they aren't

Each state page is a reference for whether an employee non-compete is enforceable and the neutral steps you can take. They are deliberately not advice for your specific contract: a non-compete is different from an NDA or a non-solicitation clause, and enforceability turns on your role, pay, and the exact terms. Each page links to the controlling law and a way to reach a licensed attorney. This is legal information, not legal advice.