Federal & State Regulations | Non-compete agreements - Missouri

State Info

Summary of differences between federal and state regulations

The state of Missouri has no law specifically regarding non-compete agreements. That means that the state courts might have to determine whether the agreement would hold up or not.

Whether or not a non-compete agreement is a legal and binding contract depends on the scope of the restrictions the agreement includes, precedents set in court decisions, and a variety of other factors.

Some state courts have found that non-compete agreements are enforceable only if someone sells a business and agrees not to compete with the new owner. Typically courts do not want to deprive employees of earning a living in their chosen fields, but they also want to protect companies.

In 2012, the state Supreme Court found that non-compete agreements are enforceable if the duration and geographic scope is reasonable. Further, non-solicitation agreements may be valid if they are limited to customers with whom the employee had contact, rather than all customers of the employer.