Veterinary Non-Competes in Connecticut
Connecticut has no general non-compete statute; a veterinarian's covenant is judged under common-law reasonableness, though the sources read for this page do not set out that test in detail.
The state's only enacted non-compete statute, Conn.
Gen.
Stat. § 20-14p, caps physician covenants at one year and fifteen miles — its current text names physicians only and does not reach veterinarians.
The sources read identify no wage threshold.
Section 20-14p's current version took effect July 1, 2023; this page was last verified September 2026.
Mechanics, not a verdict on your contract
At a glance
Permitted — judged on reasonableness
Court decisions (no governing statute) — Connecticut common law (no general non-compete statute; the sources read describe a reasonableness standard). Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-14p separately limits physician non-competes and, by its own definition of "physician," does not reach veterinarians.
Healthcare statute reaches veterinarians: No — the healthcare statute's own definitions leave veterinarians out.
Connecticut has no general non-compete statute. Common-law reasonableness governs a veterinarian's covenant; the sources read for this page do not set out that test's factors in further detail, and no leading Connecticut case was found in them.
No. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-14p(a)(2) defines "physician" as an individual licensed to practice medicine under Chapter 370. A veterinarian is not licensed under Chapter 370, so § 20-14p's caps do not extend to a veterinarian's covenant.
Not stated in the sources read.
No statutory cap for a veterinarian. Section 20-14p caps a physician's covenant at one year and fifteen miles from the physician's primary practice site — that cap is physician-specific and does not reach veterinarians.
Not stated in the sources read.
Not stated in the sources read.
Not stated in the sources read.
Section 20-14p's current, in-force version is effective July 1, 2023 (applies to covenants entered into, amended, extended or renewed on or after July 1, 2016).
What Connecticut’s text actually says
“'physician' means an individual licensed to practice medicine under this chapter”
How a Connecticut veterinarian's non-compete is judged
Connecticut has no general statute governing non-compete agreements.
The sources read for this page establish that common-law reasonableness applies but do not set out the test's factors in further detail, and no leading Connecticut case applying it to a veterinarian was found in them.
Connecticut's one enacted non-compete statute, § 20-14p, exists alongside that common-law standard but is written around a different license — it does not set the rule for a veterinarian's covenant.
Why Connecticut's physician non-compete statute does not cover veterinarians
Section 20-14p is Connecticut's only enacted non-compete statute, and it is written for one license only.
Its definition section states that "'physician' means an individual licensed to practice medicine under this chapter" — Chapter 370, Medicine and Surgery.
A veterinarian is licensed under a different chapter of the Connecticut statutes, so the definition that triggers § 20-14p's protections — including its one-year duration cap and fifteen-mile geographic cap — does not extend to a veterinarian's employment agreement.
A reader who hears that Connecticut limits healthcare non-competes should not assume that limit reaches a veterinary practice's associate contract.
“'physician' means an individual licensed to practice medicine under this chapter”
An APRN/PA claim this page does not make, and what else is unanswered
An earlier summary of Connecticut law claimed that a 2023 amendment extended § 20-14p's protections to advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants.
Reading the current, in-force text of § 20-14p directly shows no APRN or PA language anywhere in the section — its definitions reach physicians licensed under Chapter 370 only.
If Connecticut extended an equivalent protection to APRNs or PAs, it did so in a different section not identified in the sources read for this page, so this page does not assert APRN or PA coverage under § 20-14p.
Either way, a veterinarian is not named in § 20-14p under any reading of it.
The sources read also do not address how a Connecticut court treats an overbroad covenant, how a covenant tied to selling a practice or an ownership interest is treated, or how client and staff non-solicitation clauses are handled — those gaps are left blank here rather than filled from another state's rule.
Take a specific agreement to a Connecticut attorney.
Have the agreement itself reviewed
Start with the mechanics
The reasonableness test, what a radius is measured from, the access-to-care argument, and the difference between a non-compete and a non-solicitation clause are covered in the national guide to veterinary non-competes. This page covers only what is specific to Connecticut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Connecticut's physician non-compete law, § 20-14p, cover veterinarians?
No. Section 20-14p(a)(2) defines "physician" as an individual licensed to practice medicine under Chapter 370 of the Connecticut statutes.
A veterinarian is licensed under a different chapter, so the section's caps on duration and geographic area do not extend to a veterinarian's covenant.
An earlier summary claimed the section was extended to APRNs and PAs in 2023, but the current in-force text contains no such language, so this page does not make that claim either.
Have a Connecticut attorney confirm how any statute applies to your specific agreement.
Is there a salary level below which a Connecticut veterinarian cannot be bound by a non-compete?
The sources read for this page do not identify a wage or salary threshold under Connecticut's common-law reasonableness standard, and § 20-14p's conditions apply only to physicians, not veterinarians.
That describes what the sources say, not how a specific contract would be treated.
A Connecticut attorney who handles veterinary employment agreements can tell you how the reasonableness standard bears on your situation.
How long or how far can a Connecticut veterinarian's non-compete run?
There is no statutory cap for a veterinarian.
The sources read establish that common-law reasonableness governs duration and geographic area but do not set out the test's factors in further detail.
Section 20-14p's one-year, fifteen-mile cap is written for physicians only and does not set a number for a veterinarian's covenant.
An attorney licensed in Connecticut can assess a specific covenant's terms against that standard.
Does selling my share of a Connecticut veterinary practice change how a non-compete is treated?
The sources read for this page do not address how Connecticut treats a covenant tied to the sale of a practice or an ownership interest, so this page does not answer that question.
A buy-in or buy-out agreement can carry its own restrictive covenant, drafted alongside the purchase terms rather than the employment terms.
Before signing one, have a Connecticut attorney who handles veterinary practice transactions review the covenant together with the purchase agreement.
When did Connecticut's non-compete rule that touches veterinarians last change?
The sources read for this page do not record a dated change to the common-law reasonableness standard that governs a veterinarian's covenant.
The current, in-force version of § 20-14p — the physician-specific statute that does not cover veterinarians — took effect July 1, 2023.
This page was last verified in September 2026; both courts and the legislature can change this area, so confirm the current law with a Connecticut attorney before relying on it.
More Connecticut Non-Compete Resources
Sources
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-14p — Connecticut General Assembly (official statutes site) (retrieved 2026-09-16)
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-14p — Midpage Legal Research (retrieved 2026-09-16)
Sourced from Connecticut’s own statute or leading court decisions (see the citations above). Verified September 2026; the governing provision was last amended Section 20-14p's current, in-force version is effective July 1, 2023 (applies to covenants entered into, amended, extended or renewed on or after July 1, 2016). This page is general information, not legal advice.