Connecticut Non-Compete Agreement

Q: Are non-compete agreements enforceable in Connecticut?

Yes, when they are reasonable. Because Connecticut has no general non-compete statute for most workers, the question runs entirely through the five factors set in Scott v. General Iron & Welding Co.: time, geographic area, the fairness of the protection to the employer, the restraint on the employee's ability to earn a living, and the public interest. The covenant also has to protect a legitimate business interest and stay no broader than necessary. Stretch any of those, and a Connecticut court can hold the clause unenforceable.

Q: How long can a non-compete last in Connecticut?

For ordinary employees, no statute sets a ceiling. Duration is just one of the five Scott factors, and Connecticut courts have generally been more comfortable with restrictions of about one to two years when the rest of the clause is reasonable and anchored to a legitimate business interest. Push past that and the term draws sharper scrutiny. Physicians are the exception with a hard number: Section 20-14p caps their covenants at one year and fifteen miles from the primary practice site.

Q: What makes a non-compete reasonable in Connecticut?

Reasonableness in Connecticut is the Scott balancing test, five factors read together: how long the restriction lasts, how much ground it covers, whether the protection to the employer is fair, how heavily it restrains the employee's ability to make a living, and what it does to the public interest. A clause clears the bar when it guards a genuine business interest, such as trade secrets, confidential information, or established customer relationships, and limits time and geography to what that interest truly requires rather than to block ordinary competition.

Q: Is there a salary threshold for non-competes in Connecticut?

No. Unlike states that permit non-competes only above a set salary floor, Connecticut has enacted no wage or income threshold at all, so enforceability turns on the Scott reasonableness test rather than on what the employee is paid. A 2026 measure, House Bill 5492, proposed pegging enforceability to a multiple of the minimum wage, but it is proposed legislation and is not current Connecticut law, so no dollar threshold applies today.

Q: Can a Connecticut employer enforce a non-compete against a physician?

Only inside narrow statutory walls. Section 20-14p makes a physician covenant valid only if reasonable, and it can neither run longer than one year nor reach past fifteen miles from the primary site where the physician practices. It also collapses if the employer terminated the physician without cause, or let the contract expire without a bona fide offer to renew on the same or similar terms. On top of that, each covenant must be separately and individually signed by the physician.

Q: Will a Connecticut court rewrite an overly broad non-compete?

As a rule, no. Connecticut courts generally decline to redraft an overbroad restraint into a reasonable one. If a covenant is divisible by its own terms, a court may enforce the sound part and discard the rest; if it is indivisible and too broad, the court can refuse it outright. The practical lesson is to draft a narrow, reasonable clause from the start rather than count on a judge to blue-pencil an overreaching one into shape.

Q: What consideration is required for a non-compete in Connecticut?

No statute demands advance notice or a set payment. Under Connecticut case law, continued employment can supply sufficient consideration in some situations, but a non-compete first presented after the worker is already on the job can raise consideration questions. To sidestep that uncertainty, Connecticut employers frequently back the covenant with something new, a raise, bonus, promotion, or access to confidential information, particularly for existing staff.

Q: Does the FTC non-compete rule change anything in Connecticut?

No. The Federal Trade Commission's 2024 rule would have banned most non-competes nationwide, but a federal court set it aside before its effective date, so it never took hold and its status has stayed unsettled. Whatever becomes of it, non-competes in Connecticut keep running on the state's own Scott reasonableness rule and its occupation-specific statutes, such as Section 20-14p for physicians.

Connecticut enforces employee non-compete agreements only if reasonable in time, area, and scope. No salary threshold applies. Attorney review available.

Introduction

Connecticut has no general non-compete statute for most workers, so its rule comes from a single 1976 decision: Scott v. General Iron & Welding Co., 171 Conn. 132. Under Scott, a Connecticut court measures any employee covenant against five factors weighed together, the length of the restriction, the geographic area, the fairness of the protection to the employer, the restraint on the employee's ability to earn a living, and the effect on the public interest. A non-compete is a contract in which one party, usually an employee, agrees not to compete with a business for a set time and area after the relationship ends; in Connecticut it survives only when it is reasonable, guards a legitimate business interest such as trade secrets or established customer relationships, and reaches no further than that interest requires. Specific occupations get statutory floors on top of Scott: a physician covenant may not run past one year or reach beyond fifteen miles from the primary practice site and fails if the employer terminates without cause (Section 20-14p), while security guards (Section 31-50a) and most broadcast employees (Section 31-50b) generally cannot be bound at all. Pay does not enter into it; unlike states that gate non-competes on salary, Connecticut has enacted no wage threshold, and a 2026 reform bill that floated one never became law. This page walks through Connecticut's reasonableness rule and offers a template scoped to those limits. Read it as a state-law overview, not a promise that any given clause will survive review.

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Key Things to Know

1
Connecticut has no general non-compete statute for most workers. Enforceability instead traces to Scott v. General Iron & Welding Co., 171 Conn. 132 (1976), where the state's courts settled on a five-factor reasonableness test: the length of time, the geographic area, the fairness of the protection to the employer, the restraint on the employee's ability to work, and the public interest. All five are weighed together on the facts.
2
Physicians face the tightest statutory limits. Under Section 20-14p a physician non-compete may not exceed one year or reach beyond fifteen miles from the primary practice site, and it fails outright if the employer terminated the physician without cause or let the contract lapse without a bona fide renewal offer. Each covenant must be separately and individually signed by the physician.
3
Two occupations are largely off-limits in Connecticut. A security guard in SOC classification 339032 generally cannot be barred from a similar job at the same location unless the employer proves the guard obtained trade secrets (Section 31-50a), and most non-sales, non-management broadcast employees cannot be made to sign geographic non-competes or offer-matching clauses (Section 31-50b).
4
To clear the Scott test, a Connecticut non-compete must protect a legitimate business interest, such as trade secrets or customer relationships, and stay no broader than that interest needs. Restrictions of roughly one to two years tied to the area where the employer actually does business have generally fared better in Connecticut, but no fixed cap governs ordinary employees.
5
Pay does not decide the question in Connecticut. The state has enacted no salary or income threshold that turns a non-compete on or off, so enforceability rides on reasonableness rather than earnings. House Bill 5492 proposed in 2026 to tie enforceability to a multiple of the minimum wage, but it is proposed legislation and is not current law, so treat no dollar figure as a live threshold.
6
Connecticut requires no advance notice before an employee signs. Continued employment has been treated as sufficient consideration in some cases, yet a clause first handed to an already-hired worker can raise consideration questions, which is why employers often attach a fresh benefit such as a raise, bonus, or promotion.
7
Connecticut courts generally will not redraft an overbroad clause to rescue it: a divisible covenant may be enforced in part, but an indivisible, overbroad one may simply be refused. Because of that, many Connecticut employers lean on a confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement and the Connecticut Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 35-50 et seq.) instead of a broad restraint.

Key decisions before you file

Before you file a Non-Compete Agreement in Connecticut, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Non-Compete Agreement guide walks through them.

Open the Non-Compete Agreement guide

Customize your Non-Compete Agreement Template with DocDraft

CONNECTICUT NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT (Employee covenant not to compete, scoped to Connecticut reasonableness limits)

IMPORTANT CONNECTICUT NOTICE: Connecticut has no general non-compete statute, so a court measures this covenant against the five-factor test from Scott v. General Iron & Welding Co., 171 Conn. 132 (1976): time, geographic area, fairness to the employer, restraint on the employee, and the public interest. The clause holds up only if it is reasonable on all five and protects a legitimate business interest, so keep the time and area no broader than needed. Separate rules cover physicians (one year and fifteen miles, Section 20-14p), security guards (Section 31-50a), and most broadcast employees (Section 31-50b); do not use this form for those roles without checking those statutes. A Connecticut court generally will not rewrite an overbroad clause to save it.

PARTIES. This Non-Compete Agreement is made on [DATE] between [EMPLOYER NAME] (the Company) and [EMPLOYEE NAME] (the Employee).
CONSIDERATION. In exchange for this covenant, the Company provides [NEW CONSIDERATION: e.g., employment or continued employment, a raise, bonus, promotion, or access to confidential information]. The parties agree this is adequate consideration under Connecticut law.
LEGITIMATE BUSINESS INTEREST. The Employee will have access to the Company's [TRADE SECRETS, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS, GOODWILL], which the Company has a legitimate interest in protecting.
NON-COMPETE. For [DURATION, e.g., one (1) year] after the Employee's employment ends, the Employee will not, within [GEOGRAPHIC AREA where the Company actually does business], perform [NARROWLY DEFINED COMPETING SERVICES] for a business that competes with the Company. This restriction reaches no further than is reasonably necessary to protect the interests in Section 3. Set the time, area, and job scope no broader than needed, because a Connecticut court weighs each against the burden on the Employee and the public interest and generally will not narrow an overbroad clause to save it.
NON-SOLICITATION. For the same period, the Employee will not solicit the Company's customers or employees with whom the Employee worked or about whom the Employee learned confidential information. A narrow non-solicitation clause is often easier to enforce in Connecticut than a broad non-compete because it burdens the Employee less.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND TRADE SECRETS. The Employee will not use or disclose the Company's confidential information or trade secrets, consistent with the Connecticut Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 35-50 et seq.). This obligation is independent of, and survives, the restrictions above, and carries no time or geographic limit.
REASONABLENESS AND SEVERABILITY. The parties intend this covenant to be reasonable in time, area, and scope under Connecticut law. If any part is found unreasonable, the parties intend the remaining reasonable parts to stay in effect to the extent Connecticut law allows.
GOVERNING LAW. This agreement is governed by Connecticut law.

[EMPLOYER NAME] [EMPLOYEE NAME]

Signature and date Signature and date

Note: Connecticut enforces employee non-competes only when reasonable under Scott v. General Iron & Welding Co., 171 Conn. 132 (1976); there is no general non-compete statute and no enacted salary threshold. Physician covenants are capped at one year and fifteen miles (Section 20-14p), while security guards (Section 31-50a) and most broadcast employees (Section 31-50b) generally cannot be bound. For the generic template and other states, see the full Non-Compete Agreement template hub.

Connecticut Requirements for Non-Compete Agreement

Enforceable If Reasonable
In Connecticut an employee non-compete is enforceable if it is reasonable. There is no general non-compete statute for most workers, so courts decide enforceability under a common-law five-factor test (Scott v. General Iron & Welding Co., 171 Conn. 132 (1976)) that weighs time, geographic area, fairness to the employer, the restraint on the employee, and the public interest. A clause that is too broad or not tied to a real business interest can be held unenforceable.
No Salary Threshold
Connecticut has no enacted salary or income threshold that decides whether a non-compete is enforceable. Enforceability turns on the reasonableness test, not on how much the employee earns. A 2026 bill (House Bill 5492) proposed tying enforceability to a multiple of the minimum wage, but it is proposed legislation and is not current Connecticut law. Do not rely on any other state's salary figure when the worker is in Connecticut.
Five-Factor Reasonableness Test
Connecticut courts weigh five factors together: the length of time of the restriction, the geographic area it covers, the fairness of the protection to the employer, the extent of the restraint on the employee's ability to pursue an occupation, and the effect on the public interest. All five are balanced on the facts, so a Connecticut non-compete should be drafted to satisfy each factor rather than pushed to the edge of any one.
Legitimate Interest and Reasonable Scope
A Connecticut non-compete must protect a legitimate business interest, such as trade secrets, confidential information, or established customer relationships, and be no broader than necessary. Courts in Connecticut have generally been more willing to uphold restrictions of about one to two years tied to the area where the employer actually does business, but there is no fixed cap for ordinary employees and each clause is judged on its facts.
Physician Non-Competes Capped
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 20-14p, a physician non-compete is valid only if reasonable and may not exceed one year or reach beyond fifteen miles from the primary site where the physician practices. It is unenforceable if the employer terminated the physician without cause, or let the contract expire without a bona fide offer to renew on the same or similar terms. Each covenant must be separately and individually signed by the physician.
Security Guard and Broadcast Bans
Connecticut bars non-competes for certain occupations. Section 31-50a stops an employer from making a security guard (SOC classification 339032) agree not to take a similar job at the same location, unless the employer proves the guard obtained trade secrets. Section 31-50b bars broadcast industry employers from requiring most broadcast employees to sign geographic non-competes or offer-matching clauses. Do not use a standard non-compete for these roles.
Courts Do Not Rewrite Overbroad Clauses
Connecticut courts generally will not redraft an overly broad non-compete to make it reasonable. Where a covenant is divisible by its own terms, a court may enforce the reasonable part and drop the rest, but where it is not divisible and is too broad, the court may decline to enforce it entirely. Connecticut also has no general advance-notice statute; continued employment can be consideration, though a new benefit is safer for existing employees.
Protect Trade Secrets Instead
Because an overbroad non-compete may not be enforced, Connecticut employers often protect confidential information with a confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement and the Connecticut Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 35-50 et seq.). This protects trade secrets and customer data without a broad restraint on where a former employee may work, and is often more durable than a non-compete. The 2024 Federal Trade Commission non-compete rule was set aside by a court before it took effect and is not currently binding, so Connecticut law controls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are non-compete agreements enforceable in Connecticut?

How long can a non-compete last in Connecticut?

What makes a non-compete reasonable in Connecticut?

Is there a salary threshold for non-competes in Connecticut?

Can a Connecticut employer enforce a non-compete against a physician?

Will a Connecticut court rewrite an overly broad non-compete?

What consideration is required for a non-compete in Connecticut?

Does the FTC non-compete rule change anything in Connecticut?

Introduction

Key Things to Know

Key decisions before you file

Customize your Non-Compete Agreement Template with DocDraft

Connecticut Requirements for Non-Compete Agreement

Enforceable If Reasonable

No Salary Threshold

Five-Factor Reasonableness Test

Legitimate Interest and Reasonable Scope

Physician Non-Competes Capped

Security Guard and Broadcast Bans

Courts Do Not Rewrite Overbroad Clauses

Protect Trade Secrets Instead

Frequently Asked Questions