Pay-threshold ban
Maine Non-Compete Law (2026): Void below the pay floor
Maine treats non-competes as presumptively against public policy and permits them only where they are genuinely needed to guard trade secrets, confidential information or goodwill. Workers earning $63,840 or less in 2026 are off limits entirely, as are veterinarians without an ownership stake and — since July 13, 2026 — health care practitioners who do not own part of the business. Employers who ignore the rules face a statutory fine starting at $5,000 per violation.
The rule
How Maine treats non-compete agreements
Because the threshold tracks HHS poverty guidelines rather than a wage index, it moves on a federal schedule each January and can jump faster than CPI-linked figures elsewhere. Employers also miss the timing rule: even a perfectly drafted covenant simply does not operate during the employee's first year.
If you are an employer
Recalculate the 400%-of-poverty figure every January, disclose the requirement before the offer and deliver the paperwork three business days early, and stop papering non-competes for clinical staff who hold no equity.
If you are a worker
If your 2026 pay is $63,840 or less, or you are a licensed clinician or veterinarian without an ownership share, a Maine non-compete has no force — and your employer risks a $5,000 fine for demanding one.
| Classification | Low-wage ban plus operative health-care and veterinary bans |
|---|---|
| Pay threshold | $63,840 for 2026 — four times the federal poverty guideline for a single-person household ($15,960). Anyone earning at or under that figure cannot lawfully be asked to sign a non-compete. |
| Maximum term | The statute sets no numeric ceiling; length is judged against the common-law reasonableness standard. It does, however, delay the start: the restriction cannot bite until the later of one year on the job or six months after signature, an exception now lifted for health care practitioners. |
| Notice or consideration | Two-step disclosure. The employer has to flag that a non-compete will be required before extending the offer, and must then hand over the actual document at least three business days ahead of asking for a signature. |
| Primary statute | 26 M.R.S. § 599-A (general); 26 M.R.S. § 599 (broadcast employees) |
Detail
What has changed, and what is still moving
Legislation 2024–2026
L.D. 2200, signed by Governor Mills on April 15, 2026 and enacted as P.L. 2025, ch. 718, took effect July 13, 2026. It renders non-competes unenforceable against health care practitioners without an ownership interest in the employing entity — a definition broad enough to sweep in nurses, PAs, therapists and technicians, not just physicians. Nothing else changed the statute in 2024 or 2025.
Bills to watch
No significant restrictive bills pending; the 132nd Legislature has adjourned.
Leading cases
Published interpretation of § 599-A remains thin; disputes have largely settled or been resolved on the statute's plain text. Pre-2019 Maine common law on reasonableness still fills the gaps for agreements the statute does not void outright.
If you have one in hand
What can make a non-compete unenforceable in Maine
- You earn below the threshold. $63,840 for 2026 — four times the federal poverty guideline for a single-person household ($15,960). Anyone earning at or under that figure cannot lawfully be asked to sign a non-compete.
- The employer skipped a required step. Two-step disclosure. The employer has to flag that a non-compete will be required before extending the offer, and must then hand over the actual document at least three business days ahead of asking for a signature.
- The scope is wider than the interest behind it. A restriction that reaches beyond the customers, trade secrets or goodwill the employer can actually point to is the most common reason a covenant fails in Maine.
Whether any of these applies turns on the wording of your own agreement, your role and the case law your court follows. This page maps the statutory landscape; it does not replace advice on a specific contract.
FAQ
Maine non-compete questions
Are non-compete agreements enforceable in Maine?
Maine treats non-competes as presumptively against public policy and permits them only where they are genuinely needed to guard trade secrets, confidential information or goodwill. Workers earning $63,840 or less in 2026 are off limits entirely, as are veterinarians without an ownership stake and — since July 13, 2026 — health care practitioners who do not own part of the business. Employers who ignore the rules face a statutory fine starting at $5,000 per violation.
How long can a non-compete last in Maine?
The statute sets no numeric ceiling; length is judged against the common-law reasonableness standard. It does, however, delay the start: the restriction cannot bite until the later of one year on the job or six months after signature, an exception now lifted for health care practitioners.
Is there a minimum salary for non-competes in Maine?
$63,840 for 2026 — four times the federal poverty guideline for a single-person household ($15,960). Anyone earning at or under that figure cannot lawfully be asked to sign a non-compete.
What notice or consideration does Maine require?
Two-step disclosure. The employer has to flag that a non-compete will be required before extending the offer, and must then hand over the actual document at least three business days ahead of asking for a signature.
Sources
How this entry was checked
- Primary source. 26 M.R.S. § 599-A (general); 26 M.R.S. § 599 (broadcast employees) — the statutory text itself.
- Secondary sources consulted. 26 M.R.S. § 599-A (Maine Legislature), P.L. 2025, ch. 718 (L.D. 2200), Verrill, Bernstein Shur, Epstein Becker Green, Sheehan Phinney, Foley & Lardner.
Check it against a third party
None of these is ours. If a figure here matters to a decision, verify it:
- Federal Trade Commission — non-compete hub
- Economic Innovation Group — State Noncompete Law Tracker
- Fair Competition Law (Beck Reed Riden) — 50-state legislation tracker
- GAO-23-103785 — Noncompete Agreements (May 2023)
This page is general legal information published by Jurizmo and is not legal advice, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and may not reflect amendments enacted after the review date above. Consult a licensed attorney in the relevant state before acting on any agreement.