Are Non-Competes Enforceable in Missouri?
Last updated: 2026-10-07 · Verified against the statutes 2026-10-07
Enforceable if reasonable
Enforced if reasonable; courts may narrow overbroad terms
Missouri has no general non-compete statute. Courts enforce a non-compete that protects legitimate interests such as trade secrets or customer contacts and is reasonable in time and area, and may modify an overbroad covenant. A separate statute makes written covenants not to solicit or hire employees enforceable and conclusively presumes them reasonable if they last one year or less (that presumption does not cover workers who provide only secretarial or clerical services).
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
Missouri enforces non-competes that protect a legitimate business interest and are reasonable in time, geography and scope.
- Missouri: Enforced if reasonable; courts may narrow overbroad terms. RSMo 431.202 (employee non-solicits)
Other Missouri rules to check
- Non-solicitation clauses: Written covenants not to solicit, recruit or hire employees are enforceable to protect confidential information, trade secrets, customer or supplier relationships or goodwill, and are presumed reasonable if they last 1 year or less after employment.
- If a court finds it too broad: Courts may narrow an overbroad covenant to what's reasonable.
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.
Missouri non-compete rules
- Non-solicitation
- Written covenants not to solicit, recruit or hire employees are enforceable to protect confidential information, trade secrets, customer or supplier relationships or goodwill, and are presumed reasonable if they last 1 year or less after employment.
- Overbroad covenants
- Courts may narrow an overbroad covenant to what's reasonable
Recent and pending changes
Pending: HB 2184 and HB 2821 (2026), which would void physician non-competes, were referred to the House Emerging Issues Committee on May 15, 2026 and did not pass.
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 Missouri?
Enforced if reasonable; courts may narrow overbroad terms. Missouri has no general non-compete statute. Courts enforce a non-compete that protects legitimate interests such as trade secrets or customer contacts and is reasonable in time and area, and may modify an overbroad covenant. A separate statute makes written covenants not to solicit or hire employees enforceable and conclusively presumes them reasonable if they last one year or less (that presumption does not cover workers who provide only secretarial or clerical services).
Did the FTC ban non-competes in Missouri?
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, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky
Protect information instead with a confidentiality agreement (NDA generator), or hiring in Missouri? Use the offer letter generator.
Not legal advice. Enforceability depends on the agreement's wording and the facts; consult an employment attorney licensed in Missouri.