Non-Compete Laws in Mississippi
Mississippi courts enforce an employee non-compete to the extent it is reasonable, and may enforce it for the reasonable part of an overbroad area.
Last checked . General information, not legal advice.
Mississippi at a glance
- Status
- Enforceable if reasonable (case law)
- In Redd Pest Control Co. v. Heatherly (1963), the court enforced the covenant only within a reasonable area.
- Enforceable against employees
- Yes, if reasonable
The rules in Mississippi
Are employee non-compete agreements banned, restricted or enforceable in Mississippi?
Status in Mississippi: Enforceable if reasonable (case law). In Redd Pest Control Co. v. Heatherly (1963), the court enforced the covenant only within a reasonable area.
Can an employer enforce a non-compete against an employee in Mississippi?
Yes, if reasonable. Enforceable against employees in Mississippi: yes, if reasonable.
Where do the Mississippi non-compete laws come from?
The rules above come from Redd Pest Control Co. v. Heatherly, 248 Miss. 34, 157 So. 2d 133 (1963). Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.
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.
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