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Non-Compete Laws in Illinois

Illinois voids non-competes for employees earning $75,000 a year or less (rising to $80,000 on January 1, 2027) and requires 14 days to review the covenant plus written advice to consult a lawyer.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Illinois at a glance

Status
Restricted: salary threshold and notice
Also void for construction workers and certain public union employees.
Enforceable against employees
Only with conditions
Earnings must exceed $75,000 a year; non-solicits need more than $45,000.
Salary threshold
More than $75,000 (2026)
Rises to $80,000 on January 1, 2027, $85,000 in 2032 and $90,000 in 2037.
Advance notice required
Yes, 14 days and attorney advice
Employer must advise in writing to consult an attorney and give at least 14 calendar days to review.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Illinois

Are employee non-compete agreements banned, restricted or enforceable in Illinois?

Status in Illinois: Restricted: salary threshold and notice. Also void for construction workers and certain public union employees.

Can an employer enforce a non-compete against an employee in Illinois?

Only with conditions. Enforceable against employees in Illinois: only with conditions. Earnings must exceed $75,000 a year; non-solicits need more than $45,000.

Is there a minimum salary for a non-compete to be enforceable in Illinois?

Salary threshold in Illinois: More than $75,000 (2026). Rises to $80,000 on January 1, 2027, $85,000 in 2032 and $90,000 in 2037.

Does Illinois require employers to give advance notice of a non-compete?

Yes, 14 days and attorney advice. Advance notice required in Illinois: yes, 14 days and attorney advice. Employer must advise in writing to consult an attorney and give at least 14 calendar days to review.

Where do the Illinois non-compete laws come from?

The rules above come from 820 ILCS 90/10 and 820 ILCS 90/20. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Since January 1, 2025 (P.A. 103-915), non-competes and non-solicits entered into after that date cannot be enforced against licensed mental health professionals serving veterans and first responders where enforcement would likely raise cost or difficulty for those patients.

What this means in practice

Read the restriction closely before signing. Note how long it lasts, the area it covers, which activities it bars and which state's law the contract says applies. A choice-of-law clause does not always control, because some states refuse to apply another state's law to their own residents or workers.

Salary thresholds are often adjusted every year for inflation. If a state uses a threshold, check the figure for the year the agreement was signed or is being enforced, and how the statute defines earnings.

A non-compete is different from a non-solicitation or confidentiality agreement. Many states that limit non-competes still allow narrower clauses that protect trade secrets or customer lists. An employment lawyer can explain how the rules apply to a specific agreement.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.