Is My Non-Compete Enforceable in California?

What California Law Says

1. Non-competes for employees are void

California law voids any contract that stops you from doing a lawful job, trade or business, and says this applies to job non-competes “no matter how narrowly tailored.” Even a “reasonable” one, like six months in one city, is void.

2. Your employer isn't allowed to include one, or try to enforce one

Putting a non-compete in a job contract is against the law, and so is trying to enforce one.

3. Where you signed it may not matter

The law says a non-compete that's void under these rules can't be enforced “regardless of where and when the contract was signed.” If you signed yours in another state and later moved here, how this applies can depend on your situation, so it's worth asking a lawyer.

4. You can take action, and recover legal costs

You can go to court to stop an employer from enforcing a void non-compete, or to recover money you lost because of it. If you win, the law says you're entitled to reasonable lawyer's fees and costs.

5. You may have been owed a letter

If you worked for a California employer after January 1, 2022, and your contract had a non-compete, your employer had to tell you in writing by February 14, 2024 that it was void.

6. “Another state's law” clauses

If you mainly live and work in California, an employer can't make you agree, as a condition of the job, to handle California disputes in another state or give up California law's protection. You can choose to cancel that part of the contract. This doesn't apply if you had your own lawyer negotiating that clause.

The Exceptions

A non-compete can still be valid if you:

• Sell a business, or your share of one, and agree not to run a similar business in the area where it operated.
• Leave a partnership, or it ends, and you agree not to run a similar business in the area where it operated.
• Leave an LLC, or it ends, under the same kind of agreement.

What to Do if Your Employer Says Your Non-Compete Still Applies

1. Paste it into the checker above to see exactly what it claims to restrict.
2. Check whether you got the 2024 letter saying it was void.
3. Keep copies of your contract and any messages about the non-compete.
4. Talk to a California employment lawyer. Since the law lets you recover lawyer's fees if you win, many people find it's worth asking.

What About the Federal Ban?

The FTC's nationwide non-compete rule never took effect, and it was removed from federal rules on February 12, 2026. For California workers, California's own law already goes further.

This page covers non-competes only. Other clauses, like confidentiality or non-solicitation, have their own rules. Paste them into the checker separately.

Questions People Ask

Related Guides

• Non-Compete Checker: How Non-Competes Work Across the US
• What Is a Non-Compete Clause and Is It Enforceable?
• Non-Compete for Non-Sales Roles: Can It Be Enforced?
• Does a Non-Compete Restrict Who You Work For, or Where?
• When an "NDA" Is Really a Non-Compete
• Does a Non-Compete Cover a Family Member's Business?