Non-compete laws · WI
Wisconsin physician non-compete law
As of October 21, 2026, Wisconsin 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. Wis. Stat. § 103.465 enforces employee noncompetes only if reasonably necessary to protect the employer; a covenant imposing any unreasonable restraint is void entirely, even as to parts that would be reasonable. (Wis. Stat. § 103.465)
Limits in the law
- Restriction must specify a territory and time and be reasonably necessary for the protection of the employer or principal
- A covenant imposing an unreasonable restraint is illegal, void and unenforceable even as to any reasonable part (no judicial rewriting of that covenant)
Who it covers
Covenants by an 'assistant, servant or agent' with an employer or principal; no physician- or clinician-specific provision.
Notes
§ 103.465 unchanged since 2015 as published. 2025 bills on medical-practitioner noncompetes (AB 675 / SB 657) failed on March 23, 2026.
Bills that have not become law
Non-compete bills from the 2025 and 2026 sessions that had not become law as of 2026-10-21, furthest along first. A bill that died has to be filed again to move in 2027. The 2027 session starts 2027-01-04 and ends no fixed date (two-year session; floor periods set by joint resolution).
- AB 675 / SB 657 (2025–2026) · Health care workers
Would void medical-practitioner noncompetes over 24 months or after employer-initiated termination
Committee action · Died. AB 675 hearing 2026-01-07; SB 657 hearing 2026-01-29 and reported by Senate Health 4-1 on 2026-02-10, never scheduled; both failed to pass under SJR 1 on 2026-03-23
- AB 567 (2025–2026) · All workers
Would make most post-employment noncompetes void and unenforceable
Introduced · Died. Introduced (Rep. Bare et al., Democrats) and referred to Assembly Workforce Development 2025-10-24; failed to pass under SJR 1 on 2026-03-23
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?
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 Wisconsin.