New York physician non-compete law
New York enforces physician non-competes within defined limits.
New York treats a reasonable physician non-compete as binding, so assume yours will apply and negotiate the scope down before you sign. Restrictions that tend to stand here run about 5–25 miles and 6–24 months; terms beyond that are the most vulnerable. Narrow the radius to the specific sites where you practiced, shorten the term, and ask for a defined buyout as a release valve.
- Posture
- Enforceable, common-law; courts lean physician-favorable
- Last reviewed
- 2026-06-10
- Radius that tends to stand
- 5–25 miles
- Term that tends to stand
- 6–24 months
Governing law: None (common law; no physician-specific statute in force as of June 2026)
These are the general rules for New York. Your contract's exact radius, term, and buyout decide how it actually lands. See how your own clause compares — free.
Check your contract — free →A case that shaped this
Reed, Roberts Associates, Inc. v. Strauman (1976, New York Court of Appeals (40 N.Y.2d 303)) — Foundational NY case limiting enforceable employer interests to trade secrets/confidential client lists or truly unique/extraordinary services and disfavoring restraints on ordinary competition; underpins the physician-favorable reading (restrained employee prevailed).
The detailed picture
New York has NO physician-specific or general non-compete statute in force; enforceability is purely common-law under the three-prong reasonableness/overbreadth test (BDO Seidman v. Hirshberg, 1999) — restraint must be no greater than needed to protect a legitimate employer interest, not unduly burdensome to the physician, and not injurious to the public, with courts applying it narrowly and disfavoring restraints that disrupt continuity of care or patient relationships. Gov. Hochul vetoed a broad ban (S3100-A) in Dec. 2023; successor bills remain PENDING and unenacted as of June 2026 — S4641-A (general ban, passed Senate June 2025, stalled in Assembly Labor Committee; bans non-competes for "health related professionals" regardless of income), its substantively-identical re-introduction S9759 (Gianaris, April 6, 2026, in Senate Labor Committee), and the healthcare-specific S9228 (Harckham, Feb. 18, 2026). Courts may blue-pencil/partially enforce overbroad covenants when the employer acted in good faith; upheld terms are highly fact-specific (radius small in NYC, larger upstate/rural; duration commonly up to ~1-2 years).
Common questions
Are physician non-competes enforceable in New York?
New York enforces physician non-competes within defined limits. Governing law: None (common law; no physician-specific statute in force as of June 2026).
How far and how long can a New York physician non-compete reach?
Restrictions that tend to stand here run about 5–25 miles and 6–24 months; terms beyond that are the most vulnerable. The radius and term in your specific contract decide how it lands — check your own clause.
Other states
General legal information, not legal advice. Non-compete enforceability turns on the exact wording of your contract and your circumstances; this page describes the state's general posture as last reviewed 2026-06-10.