Maryland non compete law restricts non competes by statute: maryland voids a non compete or conflict-of-interest clause for any employee earning 150% of the state minimum wage or less, and since July 1, 2025 for licensed health-care workers in direct patient care earning $350,000 or less and for veterinary practitioners and technicians; higher-paid health-care workers get a one-year, 10-mile cap. Everyone else is judged under the common-law reasonableness test.
This guide gives the exact Maryland non compete law rule with the date we verified it, the threshold and carve-outs where they exist, what a court does with an overbroad term, and what to do if you signed one. Rules verified against the statute on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Maryland Department of Labor, Employment Standards Service or an attorney before you rely on it.
Maryland Non Compete Law at a Glance
| Status | Restricted by statute |
| Income threshold | 150% of the Maryland minimum wage (3-413); $350,000 in total annual compensation for direct-patient-care health-care licensees |
| Statute | Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. 3-716 |
| Notice / consideration | No statutory notice rule |
| Carve-outs | Workers at or below 150% of minimum wage; licensed health-care workers in direct patient care at or below $350,000 and veterinary practitioners and technicians… |
| Overbroad terms | null and void as against public policy for covered workers; blue pencil reasonableness for the rest |
| In effect since | October 1, 2019; health-care and veterinary rules July 1, 2025 (2024 Md. Laws ch. 378, HB 1388) |
In This Maryland Non Compete Law Guide:
Is a Non Compete Enforceable Under Maryland Non Compete Law?
Maryland voids a non compete or conflict-of-interest clause for any employee earning 150% of the state minimum wage or less, and since July 1, 2025 for licensed health-care workers in direct patient care earning $350,000 or less and for veterinary practitioners and technicians; higher-paid health-care workers get a one-year, 10-mile cap. Everyone else is judged under the common-law reasonableness test. The statute is Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. 3-716.
The carve-outs matter: workers at or below 150% of minimum wage; licensed health-care workers in direct patient care at or below $350,000 and veterinary practitioners and technicians (contracts signed on or after July 1, 2025); covered health-care workers above $350,000 get a 1-year / 10-mile limit; clients may be told where a departing provider went.
Maryland Non Compete Law at a Glance
Rules verified against the statute on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Maryland Department of Labor, Employment Standards Service or an attorney before you rely on it. The statute row is where to check it yourself.
| Status | Restricted by statute |
| What the rule says | Maryland voids a non compete or conflict-of-interest clause for any employee earning 150% of the state minimum wage or less, and since July 1, 2025 for licensed health-care workers in direct patient care earning $350,000 or less and for veterinary practitioners and technicians; higher-paid health-care workers get a one-year, 10-mile cap. Everyone else is judged under the common-law reasonableness test. |
| Income threshold | 150% of the Maryland minimum wage (3-413); $350,000 in total annual compensation for direct-patient-care health-care licensees |
| Statute | Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. 3-716 |
| Carve-outs | Workers at or below 150% of minimum wage; licensed health-care workers in direct patient care at or below $350,000 and veterinary practitioners and technicians (contracts signed on or after July 1, 2025); covered health-care workers above $350,000 get a 1-year / 10-mile limit; clients may be told where a departing provider went |
| What a court does with an overbroad term | null and void as against public policy for covered workers; blue pencil reasonableness for the rest |
| In effect since | October 1, 2019; health-care and veterinary rules July 1, 2025 (2024 Md. Laws ch. 378, HB 1388) |
The Reasonableness Test Under Maryland Non Compete Law
A Maryland court generally enforces a non compete only if it protects a real business interest, such as trade secrets, client lists or customer relationships, or if the worker’s services were unique. The court looks at whether the time limit and the area are no wider than needed to protect that interest.
It also asks whether the agreement places an undue hardship on the worker and whether it harms the public. Agreements that simply block ordinary competition are generally not enforced.
Maryland courts have more often upheld restrictions of about one to three years that are limited to the area or the customers the worker actually served. Restrictions that cover many years, very wide areas, or work the employee never did are more likely to be struck down, and a court may cut out the overbroad language but generally will not add new wording to save the agreement.
With an overbroad term the court will null and void as against public policy for covered workers; blue pencil reasonableness for the rest.
Maryland Non Compete Law If You Were Fired or Laid Off
Maryland’s highest court has said that a firing through no fault of the worker “might well” present a different situation than quitting, but no Maryland statute settles the question. Being laid off or fired without cause may count against enforcement, and how much it matters depends on the court and the facts, so confirm with a Maryland employment lawyer.
What the Employer Must Give Under Maryland Non Compete Law
Maryland courts have generally accepted continued employment as consideration when the worker stays employed for a substantial period after signing, rather than being let go shortly afterward. A raise, bonus, promotion or other new benefit given in exchange for signing makes the agreement harder to challenge on this point.
Non Solicit and Non Disclosure Agreements Under Maryland Non Compete Law
A non solicit only bars contacting the employer’s clients or employees, and a non disclosure agreement only protects confidential information, so neither one stops someone from working in the field. Maryland courts generally find these narrower agreements easier to enforce than a full non compete because they are tied directly to the interests the law protects.
If You Already Signed One: Maryland Non Compete Law in Practice
Read the agreement closely for the time limit, the area, the covered work, and whether it applies when the job ends by layoff as well as by quitting. Ask the former employer in writing for a release or a written statement that the new job is not covered. Before accepting or starting a competing role, you may want to have a Maryland employment lawyer review the agreement and the offer.
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An employer may ask a Maryland court for an injunction ordering the worker to stop the competing work, and may also seek money damages for lost business. Attorney fees are generally available only if the agreement itself provides for them.
The Federal Rule and Maryland Non Compete Law
The Federal Trade Commission adopted a nationwide non compete ban in 2024, but a federal court blocked it before it took effect and the FTC later withdrew its defense; as of October 2026 there is no federal ban in force, so Maryland non compete law controls.
Since July 1, 2025, Maryland law has banned or tightly limited non competes signed by licensed health care professionals who provide direct patient care, and since June 1, 2024 they have been void for certain veterinary practitioners and technicians.
HB 1016 (Chapter 301 of 2026), effective October 1, 2026, makes non competes signed after that date unenforceable against licensed architects if the employer moves most of its workforce or its main place of business out of Maryland.
Other Maryland Non Compete Law Rules to Know
Maryland courts use a strict “blue pencil” rule, which means a judge may strike overbroad wording but generally will not rewrite the agreement or add terms. Separate statutory rules now cover licensed health care professionals, veterinary workers and, for agreements signed on or after October 1, 2026, licensed architects.
Think your employer owes you money or broke the law?
A non compete is a contract question, and the answer turns on your own agreement’s words. Your state bar runs a lawyer-referral service that connects you with an employment attorney for a short, low-cost first consultation — find it through the American Bar Association referral directory. Free legal aid may also help if your income qualifies.
Maryland — the bottom line
- Maryland non compete law is a statute with its own limits — the first thing to check is which side of the line your agreement falls on.
- Under Maryland non compete law, an overbroad term is null and void as against public policy for covered workers; blue pencil reasonableness for the rest — the words of your own agreement decide more than the headline rule.
- Maryland non compete law does not stop you from taking a new job in a different field or outside the restricted area — read the scope before you turn an offer down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are non competes enforceable in Maryland?
Sometimes. Maryland voids a non compete or conflict-of-interest clause for any employee earning 150% of the state minimum wage or less, and since July 1, 2025 for licensed health-care workers in direct patient care earning $350,000 or less and for veterinary practitioners and technicians; higher-paid health-care workers get a one-year, 10-mile cap. Everyone else is judged under the common-law reasonableness test.
Is there an income threshold under Maryland non compete law?
150% of the Maryland minimum wage (3-413); $350,000 in total annual compensation for direct-patient-care health-care licensees
What does a Maryland court do with an overbroad non compete?
Null and void as against public policy for covered workers; blue pencil reasonableness for the rest.
Can my employer enforce a non compete in Maryland after firing me?
Maryland’s highest court has said that a firing through no fault of the worker “might well” present a different situation than quitting, but no Maryland statute settles the question.
I signed a non compete in Maryland and have a new offer — what should I do?
Read the agreement closely for the time limit, the area, the covered work, and whether it applies when the job ends by layoff as well as by quitting. Ask the former employer in writing for a release or a written statement that the new job is not covered.
Official Maryland Sources & Resources
- Maryland Department of Labor, Employment Standards Service: https://www.dllr.state.md.us/labor/wagepay/
- Maryland non compete statute (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. 3-716): https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gle§ion=3-716&enactments=false
- Verified source: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2024RS/chapters_noln/Ch_378_hb1388E.pdf
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — state payday requirements: dol.gov
- Federal Trade Commission — the non compete rule (status): ftc.gov
This Maryland non compete law guide was last verified against official Maryland sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Maryland Workplace Rights Guides
- Maryland Final Paycheck Law: Deadlines and Penalties
- Maryland Wrongful Termination Laws: When a Firing Is Illegal
- Maryland At Will Employment Law: The Exceptions
- Maryland Labor Laws: Every Rule in One Place
- Unemployment and Workplace Rights Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Final-paycheck deadlines, penalties and non compete rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current rule with your state labor department or a licensed attorney before you act.