South Carolina physician non-compete law
South Carolina enforces physician non-competes within defined limits.
South Carolina 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 20–25 miles and 12–24 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 (no blue pencil; physician-favorable)
- Last reviewed
- 2026-06-10
- Radius that tends to stand
- 20–25 miles
- Term that tends to stand
- 12–24 months
These are the general rules for South Carolina. 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
Poynter Investments, Inc. v. Century Builders of Piedmont, Inc. (2010, S.C. Supreme Court) — Held courts cannot rewrite/blue-pencil an overbroad territorial restriction; covenant must stand or fall on its own terms. (Sale-of-business covenant, not a physician case, but the no-blue-pencil rule is the controlling SC principle benefiting restrained parties incl. physicians.) 387 S.C. 583.
The detailed picture
As of June 2026, SC has NO physician-specific non-compete statute; enforceability rests on the common-law five-factor reasonableness test (legitimate interest, reasonable time/place, not unduly harsh, sound public policy, valuable consideration). SC courts strictly reject blue-penciling/reformation (Poynter, 2010), so an overbroad covenant falls entirely, making SC relatively physician-favorable, yet physician non-competes ARE enforced when reasonable (Baugh, 2013, upheld 1 yr / 20 mi plus liquidated-damages and forfeiture clauses). WATCH: physician-ban bill H.4767 passed the SC House on Mar 26, 2026 (58-53) and was reported favorably out of the Senate Labor, Commerce & Industry Committee on May 5, 2026, but has NOT passed the full Senate or been enacted. If enacted it would void physician non-competes (with carve-outs for trade secrets and, for physicians employed under 3 yrs, recoupment of recruiting/relocation/signing/retention-bonus costs, retention-repayment capped at 2 yrs) but would NOT apply to NPs/PAs or other mid-level providers.
Common questions
Are physician non-competes enforceable in South Carolina?
South Carolina enforces physician non-competes within defined limits.
How far and how long can a South Carolina physician non-compete reach?
Restrictions that tend to stand here run about 20–25 miles and 12–24 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.