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A Non-Compete Agreement is a legal document that restricts an employee or contractor from working with competitors or starting a similar business. Using this form helps protect confidential information, trade secrets, and business relationships after employment ends.
Last Update 7 October 2025
Also Known As
Restrictive Covenant
Non-Competition Clause
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A Non-Compete Agreement (NCA) is a contract used to prevent an employee or contractor from working with competitors or starting a competing business for a certain period of time after leaving a job.
As an employer, you can use this to protect sensitive information, for example, client lists, pricing, strategies, or trade secrets, so that the information cannot be used by rival companies.
An NCA includes specific clauses that define how, where, and for how long a person is not allowed to work with competitors.
Some common clauses you should add to your NCA, include:
There are ideal times to use this document to your benefit, such as :
You can use our Non Compete Agreement Template to help you make sure each clause is clearly written and tailored to your situation.
Before creating your document, it’s a good idea to look over an employee Non-Compete Agreement example. Look at the sample below to understand how to structure your form.
Non-compete agreements can be enforceable in the UK, but only if they meet strict legal standards.
A court will determine if the form is enforceable based on the following details:
A court will determine if it’s enforceable if these clauses are reasonable and do not go further than necessary.
Since there is no governing law for Non-Compete Agreements, it’s a good idea to have your document reviewed by a solicitor to make sure it is correct.
To create a legally sound Non-Compete Agreement, follow these key steps to draft your document and customise it to fit your particular circumstances:
Review the following answers to FAQs about using and creating Non-Compete Contracts to get all the important information you need to execute your document properly.
Your Non-Compete Agreement does not need to be notarised in the United Kingdom. For the document to be valid, you just need to have it signed and dated by both you and the other party.
However, even though it is not a legal requirement to notarise the document, having it notarised can add more validity.
The length of a Non-Compete Agreement depends on what is considered reasonable for the role and industry.
In most cases in the UK, the restriction lasts between 3 and 12 months. Courts will not enforce overly long durations unless they clearly protect a legitimate business interest.
Both you and the other party must sign the NCA for it to be considered legally binding.
Doing this shows that the employee has agreed to the restrictions that you as the employer has formally presented the terms. Without signatures, there is a good chance that the agreement will be considered invalid.
You can modify your Non-Compete Agreement, but only if both parties agree to the changes in writing.
Any modification must be documented, dated, and signed again by you and the employee. Verbal agreements or unilateral changes are not legally valid.
You can only work for a competitor if doing so does not breach the terms of the NCA that you signed. If the period of restriction has ended, or if the clause is too broad or vague to be enforced, you may be able to proceed.
However, it’s always a good idea to review the terms carefully or seek legal advice.
