Is a non-compete enforceable in Hawaii?

Q: Is a non-compete enforceable in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, a non-compete clause is enforceable only if reasonable in scope, duration, and geography. We don't yet have a verified Hawaii non-compete clause ruling in the corpus to quote — coverage is expanding. Reasonableness test; statutory ban limited to tech employees — Haw. Rev. Stat. §480-4(d). This is an informational, primary-source-cited early-warning signal, not legal advice; enforceability is fact- and jurisdiction-specific.

Is a non-compete clause enforceable in Hawaii in 2026?

Short answerIn Hawaii, a non-compete clause is enforceable only if reasonable in scope, duration, and geography. We don't yet have a verified Hawaii non-compete clause ruling in the corpus to quote — coverage is expanding. Reasonableness test; statutory ban limited to tech employees — Haw. Rev. Stat. §480-4(d).

Based on 0 verified holding(s) from court opinions and regulatory actions, here's the breakdown for non-compete clauses in Hawaii:

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Full rulings

Academic baseline · Bishara/Johnson

NCA Enforceability Index

7.6/10 as of 2014

Higher = historically more enforcer-friendly. Peer-reviewed 7-dimension framework (Harvard Dataverse DOI 10.7910/DVN/37A0L2):

Statutory Basis: 8.0/10 — Explicit NCA statute → more enforcer-friendly
Protectable Interests: 6.0/10 — How broadly courts define protectable interests
Burden of Proof: 5.0/10 — Who must prove (un)reasonableness
Consideration Post-Hire: 6.0/10 — Whether continued employment validates a mid-career NCA

Historical context, not the current rule. This is the Bishara/Johnson academic index through ~2014; many states have changed their non-compete statutes since. For the live picture, rely on the verified rulings above — not this baseline. Informational only, not legal advice.

Disclaimer: This is an automated, informational early-warning signal derived from primary sources. It is NOT legal advice and creates no attorney-client relationship. Enforceability is fact- and jurisdiction-specific and changes over time; consult a licensed attorney before acting.

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