A plain-English guide | Reams Law | November 2026

You have a job offer from a competitor, or you want to start your own shop — but you signed a non-compete years ago. Or you are an employer watching a key salesperson walk out the door with your customer list. In either case, the same question comes up: are non-compete agreements enforceable in Oklahoma?

The short answer: against employees, mostly no. Oklahoma has one of the strongest statutory policies against non-competes in the country. But “mostly” is doing real work in that sentence, and there are traps on both sides.

The statute: 15 O.S. § 219A

Oklahoma law voids contracts that restrain a person from practicing a lawful profession, trade, or business (15 O.S. § 217), with narrow exceptions. For employees, Section 219A is specific: a former employee may engage in the same business as the former employer, or a similar one, as long as the former employee does not directly solicit the sale of goods or services from the established customers of the former employer. Any contract provision that conflicts with that rule is void and unenforceable.

In practice:

• A clause barring you from working for a competitor for two years within 50 miles is generally unenforceable against an Oklahoma employee.
• A clause barring you from directly soliciting your former employer’s established customers is generally enforceable.
• Oklahoma courts are reluctant to rewrite an overbroad agreement to save it.

What employers can still enforce

• Customer non-solicitation that stays within Section 219A.
• Employee non-solicitation. Section 219B allows agreements not to solicit a former employer’s employees or independent contractors.
• Trade secrets and confidentiality. The Oklahoma Uniform Trade Secrets Act and the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act protect genuine trade secrets regardless of any non-compete. Taking customer lists, pricing files, or technical data on the way out is the fastest way for a departing employee to get sued.
• Sale-of-business non-competes. When someone sells the goodwill of a business, a reasonable non-compete tied to the sale is permitted (15 O.S. § 218).

The trap: out-of-state forum and choice-of-law clauses

Many Oklahoma employees work for companies based elsewhere, and their agreements say that another state’s law applies and that any lawsuit must be filed in that state. Those clauses can matter a great deal. In 2025, a federal court in Tulsa transferred an Oklahoma employee’s challenge to his non-compete to Michigan under a forum-selection clause — even while noting it would likely have voided the restrictions under Oklahoma law — and the Michigan court then entered an injunction against the employee.

The lesson for employees: do not assume Oklahoma law will protect you if your agreement points to another state. Get advice before you resign, not after you receive a cease-and-desist letter.

If you are an employee

1. Gather every agreement you signed, including offer letters, equity agreements, and handbooks.
2. Check for governing-law and forum clauses.
3. Do not take or forward company documents, and return all devices and files.
4. Let customers come to you; do not initiate contact with established customers of your former employer.
5. Have a lawyer review the agreement before you give notice.

If you are an employer

1. Replace unenforceable non-competes with agreements drafted to Section 219A’s direct-solicitation standard.
2. Add employee non-solicitation and strong confidentiality terms.
3. Identify and actually protect your trade secrets — access controls matter in court.
4. Act quickly when a departing employee takes data or solicits customers. Delay undermines a request for an injunction.

Frequently asked questions

My former employer sent a cease-and-desist letter. What should I do?

Do not ignore it and do not respond on your own. A measured response from counsel often resolves the matter.

Can I announce my new job on social media?

A general announcement is different from directly soliciting established customers, but the line can blur. Get advice on your specific plan.

Do these rules apply to independent contractors and business owners?

Different provisions may apply to sales of a business and partnership dissolutions. The analysis depends on the relationship.

Talk to Reams Law

Reams Law advises employees and businesses on non-compete, non-solicitation, and trade-secret disputes. Call (405) 285-6878 or contact us online. Learn more on our Commercial Litigation page.

This article discusses Oklahoma law in general terms. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not make anyone a client of this firm. Statutes change, courts reinterpret them, and the outcome of any matter depends on its own facts. Speak with a lawyer about your situation specifically.