California Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) Template
For two businesses, or a business and a consultant, investor or prospective buyer, about to share financial, technical or customer information for a defined purpose. This edition of the form is completed for California: the governing statute, filing office and document names below are already typed in, and the clauses California law treats differently from the state-neutral version have been adjusted.
Buy and download
What the California edition already fills in
Governing law line on the cover: California — California Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Cal. Civ. Code § 3426 et seq. and the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act.
| Item | California |
|---|---|
| Trade secrets statute | California Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Cal. Civ. Code § 3426 et seq. |
| Non-compete covenants | Void — Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 16600–16607. Void, however narrow, for employees and for members of an LLC, except on the sale of a business or an ownership interest or on dissolution (§§ 16601–16602.5). Employers must not include or enforce them (§ 16600.5) and had to notify affected employees by February 14, 2024. |
What is inside
- Confidentiality Agreement: Key Terms table (mutual or one-way, purpose, disclosure and confidentiality periods, optional non-solicitation) + 7 articles — what is confidential, obligations, return or destruction, trade secrets, no obligation to proceed, remedies including injunction, general
- Instruction Sheet: mutual vs one-way, what counts as confidential, who may see it, remedies, after-signing practice (marking, log), when the form is not enough
How it works
- Buy and download the zip (Word .docx files).
- Open the Instruction Sheet; it explains every field in plain language.
- Open the California edition and replace each yellow [BRACKETED FIELD].
- Delete the cover page, print or sign electronically, keep the signed original with your records.
Questions
Is this non-disclosure agreement (nda) valid in California?
Yes. The California edition is the state-neutral form with the California statute, filing office and document names typed in, and the clauses California treats differently adjusted. It is a template you complete yourself; have an attorney licensed in California review it if your situation is unusual.
What file do I get?
A zip with the California edition and all other 50 state editions, each as Word (.docx) files in English and Spanish, plus the Instruction Sheet. Open in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice.
How do I complete it?
Open the Instruction Sheet first. Replace each yellow [BRACKETED FIELD] with your information, delete the options you do not use, delete the cover page, then print or e-sign.
Do I need a notary or a lawyer?
The Instruction Sheet says when a signature needs a notary and lists the situations where the form is not enough and an attorney should review it.
Other California templates
- California Single-Member LLC Operating Agreement
- California Multi-Member LLC Operating Agreement
- California LLC Resolutions and Written Consents Pack
- California LLC Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (Member Buyout)
- California LLC Dissolution and Winding-Up Kit
- California Corporate Bylaws and Organizational Consents
- California Corporate Resolutions and Secretary's Certificates Pack
- California Independent Contractor Agreement
- California Services Agreement (Provider-Side)
- California Promissory Note with Optional Guaranty
- California Commercial Lease Agreement
- California Employment Offer Letter + Employee Confidentiality Agreement
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in other states
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