Are Non-Competes Enforceable in Connecticut?
Last updated: 2026-10-07 · Verified against the statutes 2026-10-07
Enforceable if reasonable
Enforced if reasonable; limits for doctors, APRNs, PAs
Connecticut has no general non-compete statute; courts weigh the covenant's length, geographic area, fairness to the employer, the burden on the employee and the effect on the public. Statutes cap physician, APRN and physician-assistant covenants at one year and 15 miles and make them unenforceable if the clinician is fired without cause. Non-competes are banned for security guards (unless they obtained trade secrets), broadcast employees and homemaker, companion and home-health workers.
Check a non-compete
Answer a few questions; the result cites the statute behind each point. Rules verified 2026-10-07. Saved only in your browser.
Thresholds are measured differently by state (salary, cash compensation, W-2 box 1).
Enforceable if reasonable
Connecticut enforces non-competes that protect a legitimate business interest and are reasonable in time, geography and scope.
- Connecticut: Enforced if reasonable; limits for doctors, APRNs, PAs. Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-14p (physicians)
Other Connecticut rules to check
- If a court finds it too broad: No settled rule we could confirm.
General information, not legal advice. Enforceability also depends on the exact wording, the employer's legitimate interest and the facts; talk to an employment lawyer before relying on it.
Connecticut non-compete rules
- Statute
- Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-14p (physicians)Conn. Gen. Stat. 31-50a (security guards), 31-50b (broadcast employees)
- Overbroad covenants
- No settled rule we could confirm
Profession-specific rules
- LimitedPhysician covenants must protect a legitimate business interest, may not exceed 1 year or 15 miles from the primary practice site, must be separately signed, and are unenforceable if the employer ends the relationship without cause or lets the contract lapse without a bona fide renewal offer. Since October 1, 2023 they are also unenforceable if the physician rejects a material pay change at renewal and the employer then ends the relationship (except in physician-owned groups of 35 or fewer). (effective October 1, 2023) Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-14p
- LimitedAdvanced practice registered nurses (20-101d) and physician assistants (20-12k): covenants entered, amended or renewed on or after October 1, 2023 are limited to 1 year and 15 miles, must be separately signed, and are unenforceable if the clinician is terminated without cause. (effective October 1, 2023) Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-101d (APRNs)
- VoidAny covenant not to compete restricting homemaker, companion or home-health services is against public policy, void and unenforceable; agencies also may not use 'no-hire' penalties against clients. Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-681, 20-683
- VoidEmployers may not require security guards (SOC 33-9032) to agree not to work the same or similar job at the same location for another employer, unless the employer proves the guard obtained trade secrets. Conn. Gen. Stat. 31-50a
- VoidBroadcast employment contracts may not bar a broadcast employee (other than sales or management staff) from working in a geographic area for a period after leaving. Conn. Gen. Stat. 31-50b
Recent and pending changes
- October 1, 2023: P.A. 23-97: new 1-year/15-mile limits for APRN and PA covenants and a new physician pay-change rule apply to covenants entered, amended or renewed from this date. Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-14p (history note)
Pending: 2026 HB 5492 (pay-based limits on non-competes) received a favorable Labor Committee report and was tabled for the House calendar on April 2, 2026; no further action is recorded and it was not enacted.
Federal law
There is no federal ban on employee non-competes. The FTC's 2024 Non-Compete Clause Rule (16 CFR Part 910), which would have voided most non-competes from September 4, 2024, never took effect: a Texas federal court set it aside nationwide on August 20, 2024 (Ryan LLC v. FTC). On September 5, 2025 the Commission voted 3-1 to drop its appeals and accept that ruling, and on February 12, 2026 it formally removed Part 910 from the Code of Federal Regulations. State law therefore decides whether a non-compete is enforceable.
Frequently asked questions
Are non-competes enforceable in Connecticut?
Enforced if reasonable; limits for doctors, APRNs, PAs. Connecticut has no general non-compete statute; courts weigh the covenant's length, geographic area, fairness to the employer, the burden on the employee and the effect on the public. Statutes cap physician, APRN and physician-assistant covenants at one year and 15 miles and make them unenforceable if the clinician is fired without cause. Non-competes are banned for security guards (unless they obtained trade secrets), broadcast employees and homemaker, companion and home-health workers.
Did the FTC ban non-competes in Connecticut?
No. The FTC's 2024 rule never took effect — a federal court set it aside in August 2024, the FTC dropped its appeals in September 2025 and removed the rule from the Code of Federal Regulations in February 2026. State law controls, though the FTC still challenges some non-competes case by case.
Official Sources
Figures checked against these sources on 2026-10-07Other states
Same category (Enforceable if reasonable): Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi
Protect information instead with a confidentiality agreement (NDA generator), or hiring in Connecticut? Use the offer letter generator.
Not legal advice. Enforceability depends on the agreement's wording and the facts; consult an employment attorney licensed in Connecticut.