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Non-Compete Laws in Maine

Maine allows non-competes only if reasonable and no broader than needed, bans them for workers earning at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, and requires notice and a copy at least 3 business days before signing.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Maine at a glance

Status
Restricted: wage floor, notice, delayed effect
Except for agreements with health care practitioners, an agreement takes effect only after 1 year of employment or 6 months from signing, whichever is later.
Enforceable against employees
Only if reasonable and above wage floor
Salary threshold
Above 400% of federal poverty level
Banned for employees earning wages at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, which changes yearly.
Advance notice required
Yes, 3 business days
The employer must disclose the requirement before the job offer and give a copy at least 3 business days before signing.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Maine

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

Status in Maine: Restricted: wage floor, notice, delayed effect. Except for agreements with health care practitioners, an agreement takes effect only after 1 year of employment or 6 months from signing, whichever is later.

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

Only if reasonable and above wage floor. Enforceable against employees in Maine: only if reasonable and above wage floor.

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

Salary threshold in Maine: Above 400% of federal poverty level. Banned for employees earning wages at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, which changes yearly.

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

Yes, 3 business days. Advance notice required in Maine: yes, 3 business days. The employer must disclose the requirement before the job offer and give a copy at least 3 business days before signing.

Where do the Maine non-compete laws come from?

The rules above come from 26 M.R.S. 599-A. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Non-competes are also banned for licensed veterinarians working in a facility where they have no ownership interest (PL 2023, c. 118).

PL 2025, c. 718 added a ban for health care practitioners employed by an entity in which they have no ownership interest.

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.