Non-compete laws · GA

Georgia physician non-compete law

As of October 21, 2026, Georgia has no statute specific to physician non-competes; general non-compete law and court decisions apply.

No physician-specific statuteChecked 2026-10-21

No physician-specific rule. Georgia's Restrictive Covenants Act allows post-employment noncompetes for listed employee types, including professionals, if reasonable in time, area, and scope; two years or less is presumed reasonable. Courts may modify overbroad covenants. (O.C.G.A. § 13-8-53 (2025 Code, via Justia))

Limits in the law

  • Post-employment noncompetes are enforceable only against employees who customarily solicit customers, make sales, perform specified management duties, or perform the duties of a key employee or a professional (O.C.G.A. § 13-8-53(a))
  • Former employees (not tied to a sale): restraints of two years or less presumed reasonable; more than two years presumed unreasonable (§ 13-8-57(b))
  • Must be reasonable in time, geographic area, and scope of prohibited activities; non-compliant covenants are void, but a court may modify them so long as the modified covenant is no more restrictive than as drafted (§ 13-8-53(a), (d))

Who it covers

Employees in the § 13-8-53(a) categories. 'Professional' means an employee whose primary duty requires advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning acquired by prolonged specialized instruction (§ 13-8-51(14)). The Act has no physician or clinician-specific provision.

Exceptions

  • Sale or ownership of a business or professional practice: restraints up to the longer of 5 years or the payout period presumed reasonable (§ 13-8-57(d))
  • Customer nonsolicitation covenants are permitted for employees generally, limited to customers with whom the employee had material contact (§ 13-8-53(b))

Notes

Enacted 2011 (HB 30). HR 592 (introduced 2025), a resolution to create a House study committee on physician noncompetes, was reported by committee in February 2026 but never adopted.

Sources

Questions to ask about your contract

  • Is the radius measured from your practice site or from every location the employer owns?
  • Does the restriction apply if the employer terminates you without cause?
  • Is there a buyout, and how is the amount calculated?
  • What does your state's law say about physician non-competes?
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Not legal advice. This page summarizes the law as written. Whether a particular agreement is enforceable depends on its wording, when it was signed and court decisions. Ask an attorney licensed in Georgia.