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Non-Compete Laws in Wisconsin

Wisconsin enforces an employee non-compete only if its restrictions are reasonably necessary to protect the employer, and an unreasonable covenant is void even as to any part that would be reasonable.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Wisconsin at a glance

Status
Enforceable if reasonable (statute)
An unreasonable restraint makes the covenant void even as to any part that would be a reasonable restraint.
Enforceable against employees
Yes, if reasonable
Salary threshold
No salary threshold
The statute sets no minimum salary.
Advance notice required
No

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Wisconsin

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

Status in Wisconsin: Enforceable if reasonable (statute). An unreasonable restraint makes the covenant void even as to any part that would be a reasonable restraint.

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

Yes, if reasonable. Enforceable against employees in Wisconsin: yes, if reasonable.

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

Salary threshold in Wisconsin: No salary threshold. The statute sets no minimum salary.

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

No. Advance notice required in Wisconsin: no.

Where do the Wisconsin non-compete laws come from?

The rules above come from Wis. Stat. 103.465. 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.