Kansas non compete law enforces non competes only when they are reasonable: kansas has no statute governing employee non competes — the 2025 amendments to the Restraint of Trade Act expressly exclude them (50-163(d)(6)) — so a non compete is enforced under Kansas case law if it protects a legitimate interest, is reasonable in time and area, does not unduly burden the worker and does not injure the public.
Since July 1, 2025 written customer non solicits limited to material-contact customers and employee non solicits of two years or less are conclusively presumed enforceable, and courts must reform an overbroad covenant covered by the Act.
This guide gives the exact Kansas 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 Kansas Department of Labor, Employment Standards or an attorney before you rely on it.
Kansas Non Compete Law at a Glance
| Status | Enforceable if reasonable (common law) |
| Income threshold | No earnings threshold |
| Statute | Common law for non competes; K.S.A. 50-163 as amended by 2025 SB 241 (non solicits only) |
| Notice / consideration | No statutory notice rule |
| Carve-outs | Non competes are outside the 2025 statute; non solicits with employees: two years or less (customer non solicits limited to material-contact customers); owner… |
| Overbroad terms | reform — Kansas courts may narrow an overbroad non compete under case law, and the statute now requires reformation of an overbroad non solicit (50-163(b)) |
| In effect since | common law; SB 241 effective July 1, 2025 (signed April 8-9, 2025) |
In This Kansas Non Compete Law Guide:
Is a Non Compete Enforceable Under Kansas Non Compete Law?
Kansas has no statute governing employee non competes — the 2025 amendments to the Restraint of Trade Act expressly exclude them (50-163(d)(6)) — so a non compete is enforced under Kansas case law if it protects a legitimate interest, is reasonable in time and area, does not unduly burden the worker and does not injure the public.
Since July 1, 2025 written customer non solicits limited to material-contact customers and employee non solicits of two years or less are conclusively presumed enforceable, and courts must reform an overbroad covenant covered by the Act. The statute is Common law for non competes; K.S.A. 50-163 as amended by 2025 SB 241 (non solicits only).
The carve-outs matter: non competes are outside the 2025 statute; non solicits with employees: two years or less (customer non solicits limited to material-contact customers); owner non solicits: four years; workers keep every legal and equitable defense.
Kansas Non Compete Law at a Glance
Rules verified against the statute on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Kansas Department of Labor, Employment Standards or an attorney before you rely on it. The statute row is where to check it yourself.
| Status | Enforceable if reasonable (common law) |
| What the rule says | Kansas has no statute governing employee non competes — the 2025 amendments to the Restraint of Trade Act expressly exclude them (50-163(d)(6)) — so a non compete is enforced under Kansas case law if it protects a legitimate interest, is reasonable in time and area, does not unduly burden the worker and does not injure the public. Since July 1, 2025 written customer non solicits limited to material-contact customers and employee non solicits of two years or less are conclusively presumed enforceable, and courts must reform an overbroad covenant covered by the Act. |
| Income threshold | No earnings threshold |
| Statute | Common law for non competes; K.S.A. 50-163 as amended by 2025 SB 241 (non solicits only) |
| Carve-outs | Non competes are outside the 2025 statute; non solicits with employees: two years or less (customer non solicits limited to material-contact customers); owner non solicits: four years; workers keep every legal and equitable defense |
| What a court does with an overbroad term | reform — Kansas courts may narrow an overbroad non compete under case law, and the statute now requires reformation of an overbroad non solicit (50-163(b)) |
| In effect since | common law; SB 241 effective July 1, 2025 (signed April 8-9, 2025) |
The Reasonableness Test Under Kansas Non Compete Law
Kansas has no general non compete statute, so courts use a test from Kansas Supreme Court decisions. The agreement must be reasonable under the circumstances and not harmful to the public. Courts ask whether it protects a real business interest, such as customer relationships or confidential information, rather than just blocking competition.
They also ask whether it puts an undue burden on the worker, whether it hurts the public, and whether the time and area limits are reasonable.
Kansas courts have upheld restrictions of about two years limited to the area where the employer actually does business, including a two-year, 30-mile limit on a physician. Restrictions with no geographic limit, or that reach beyond the employer’s real customer base or the worker’s actual role, are more likely to be narrowed or refused.
With an overbroad term the court will reform — Kansas courts may narrow an overbroad non compete under case law, and the statute now requires reformation of an overbroad non solicit (50-163(b)).
Kansas Non Compete Law If You Were Fired or Laid Off
No Kansas rule automatically voids a non compete because the worker was fired or laid off instead of quitting. Kansas courts look closely at the trigger wording. If the agreement applies only when the employee chooses to leave, it may not apply after a termination, so check whether yours says “any termination” or only resignation.
What the Employer Must Give Under Kansas Non Compete Law
A Kansas appeals court has held that continued employment is not insufficient consideration as a matter of law, but it generally has to continue for a significant time after signing. Whether that standard is met depends on the facts, so a raise, bonus, promotion or other new benefit given at signing makes the agreement stronger.
Non Solicit and Non Disclosure Agreements Under Kansas Non Compete Law
A non solicit only bars contacting the employer’s customers or recruiting its staff, and a non disclosure agreement only protects confidential information. Neither one stops you from working for a competitor. Since July 1, 2025, Kansas law presumes a non solicit is enforceable if it lasts no more than two years and, for customers, covers only those you had material contact with.
That makes non solicits generally easier to enforce than non competes.
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If You Already Signed One: Kansas Non Compete Law in Practice
Read the agreement for its length, area, the type of work it covers, and what event triggers it, such as any termination or only resignation. Ask the former employer in writing for a release or a narrower waiver before starting the new job, and tell the new employer about the agreement.
A Kansas employment lawyer can review the terms and how they apply to your situation, and the state bar referral service can help you find one.
An employer can ask a Kansas court for an injunction, which is a court order stopping the competing work, and for money damages for losses caused by the breach. Damages can include amounts set in the agreement itself. Attorney fees are generally recoverable only if the agreement includes a fee clause.
The Federal Rule and Kansas 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 Kansas non compete law controls.
Kansas Senate Bill 241, effective July 1, 2025, added presumptions that employee and customer non solicits of up to two years are enforceable and requires courts to narrow overbroad covenants rather than throw them out. It expressly does not cover non competes. House Bill 2650 (2026 session), which would have voided non competes when a business is sold, died without passing.
Other Kansas Non Compete Law Rules to Know
Kansas courts strictly construe non competes against the employer. However, the worker challenging the agreement generally carries the burden of showing it is unreasonable.
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.
Kansas — the bottom line
- Kansas non compete law is a reasonableness test decided case by case — the first thing to check is which side of the line your agreement falls on.
- Under Kansas non compete law, an overbroad term is reform — Kansas courts may narrow an overbroad non compete under case law, and the statute now requires reformation of an overbroad non solicit (50-163(b)) — the words of your own agreement decide more than the headline rule.
- Kansas 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 Kansas?
Sometimes. Kansas has no statute governing employee non competes — the 2025 amendments to the Restraint of Trade Act expressly exclude them (50-163(d)(6)) — so a non compete is enforced under Kansas case law if it protects a legitimate interest, is reasonable in time and area, does not unduly burden the worker and does not injure the public.
Since July 1, 2025 written customer non solicits limited to material-contact customers and employee non solicits of two years or less are conclusively presumed enforceable, and courts must reform an overbroad covenant covered by the Act.
Is there an income threshold under Kansas non compete law?
No. Kansas has no earnings threshold; enforcement turns on whether the agreement is reasonable.
What does a Kansas court do with an overbroad non compete?
Reform — Kansas courts may narrow an overbroad non compete under case law, and the statute now requires reformation of an overbroad non solicit (50-163(b)).
Can my employer enforce a non compete in Kansas after firing me?
No Kansas rule automatically voids a non compete because the worker was fired or laid off instead of quitting. Kansas courts look closely at the trigger wording.
I signed a non compete in Kansas and have a new offer — what should I do?
Read the agreement for its length, area, the type of work it covers, and what event triggers it, such as any termination or only resignation. Ask the former employer in writing for a release or a narrower waiver before starting the new job, and tell the new employer about the agreement.
Official Kansas Sources & Resources
- Kansas Department of Labor, Employment Standards: https://www.dol.ks.gov/employment-standards
- Kansas non compete statute (Common law for non competes; K.S.A. 50-163 as amended by 2025 SB 241 (non solicits only)): https://ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch50/050_001_0063.html
- Verified source: https://www.proskauer.com/blog/kansas-passes-pro-employer-restrictive-covenant-legislation
- Verified source: https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb241/
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — state payday requirements: dol.gov
- Federal Trade Commission — the non compete rule (status): ftc.gov
- Kansas bar lawyer referral: https://www.ksbar.org/lawyer
This Kansas non compete law guide was last verified against official Kansas sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
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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.