Primary statute
R.I. Gen. Laws Ch. 28-59 (Rhode Island Noncompetition Agreement Act)
Secondaryhttp://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE28/28-59/INDEX.HTM
- Effective
- 2020-01-01
- Research verified
- 2026-05-08
Threshold regime
Non-compete enforceability in Rhode Island
Rhode Island Noncompetition Agreement Act voids non-competes for non-exempt FLSA workers, students, minors, and 'low-wage employees' (≤ 250% FPL).
What this means for you
Rhode Island is a threshold state: a non-compete is void below a statutory income floor and only potentially enforceable above it — and even above the floor it must still be reasonable in time, geography, and scope.
Additional statutes
R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-37-33 (physician total ban)Primary verified
Doctrine
Blue-pencil. Courts strike specific over-broad terms (duration, geography, scope) while preserving the enforceable core.
Salary / wage threshold
$39,125
2026 value
250% FPL for individual. 2026 FPL ≈ $15,650 → 250% ≈ $39,125. ESTIMATE — re-verify against HHS 2026 FPL guidelines.
Industry-specific rules
healthcare
Total ban on physician non-competes; only sale-of-practice exception (≤ 5 years).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-37-33Primary verified
Federal context
The FTC's 2024 federal non-compete ban was vacated nationwide in Ryan v. FTC and removed from the Code of Federal Regulations in February 2026. There is no federal ban in force — so Rhode Island's state law controls. Read the federal status.
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