SNAP Work Requirement Exemptions (2026)
If any one of these applies to you, the SNAP 3-month time limit does not. Here is the current list under federal law, what changed in 2025, and how to show you qualify.
Current exemptions from the SNAP time limit
These come from the Food and Nutrition Act (7 U.S.C. 2015(o)(3)) as rewritten by Section 10102 of H.R. 1, signed July 4, 2025. You are exempt if you are:
- Under 18, or 65 or older. The time limit covers ages 18 through 64.
- Medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for work. This includes people getting temporary or permanent disability benefits, people whose limits are obvious, and people with a statement from a doctor, nurse, psychologist, social worker or other provider your state accepts.
- A parent or other member of a household responsible for a child under 14. The child must be in your SNAP household.
- Excused from SNAP’s general work requirements. See the next list.
- Pregnant.
- An Indian, Urban Indian or California Indian, as defined by the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. This includes members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native villages or corporations, and many people served by urban Indian health programs. Native Hawaiians are not covered by this exemption.
Excused from the general work requirements
The general SNAP work rules (7 CFR 273.7(b)) excuse people who:
- Care for a child under 6 or for a person who cannot care for themselves.
- Get unemployment benefits, or have applied and are following its rules.
- Work at least 30 hours a week, or earn at least the federal minimum wage times 30 hours ($217.50 a week).
- Are following the work rules of their state’s cash assistance (TANF) program.
- Are enrolled at least half-time in school, a training program, or college (college students must also meet SNAP student rules).
- Take part regularly in a drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program.
- Are physically or mentally unfit for work.
Ages 60 to 64. The general work rules excuse everyone 60 and older, but that age exemption does not carry over to the time limit. USDA says people aged 60 to 64 are now subject only to the time limit. So if you are 62, you still need another reason to be exempt.
What changed: old rules vs. 2025–2026 rules
| Rule | Before H.R. 1 | After H.R. 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Ages covered | 18 to 54 (raised in steps by the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act) | 18 to 64 |
| Child in the SNAP household | Exempt if the child was under 18 | Exempt only if the child is under 14 |
| Veterans | Exempt | No longer exempt |
| People experiencing homelessness | Exempt | No longer automatically exempt |
| Former foster youth, ages 18 to 24 | Exempt | No longer exempt |
| American Indians, Alaska Natives, Urban Indians, California Indians | No separate exemption | Exempt |
| Pregnancy; unfit for work; excused from general work rules | Exempt | Still exempt |
| Area waivers | Unemployment over 10%, or "not enough jobs" | Only unemployment over 10% (Alaska and Hawaii: at least 1.5 times the national rate) |
The veteran, homeless and foster youth exemptions had been added in 2023 and were set to end in 2030. H.R. 1 ended them right away. Each state switched over on its own date. Many states used November 1, 2025, and some waited until 2026. See your state’s start date.
Not exempt, but your month may still not count
- Good cause. If you would have met the 80 hours but missed some because of illness, a family emergency, or no transportation, your state should treat you as meeting the rule for that month.
- Discretionary exemptions. States get a limited number of these to keep individual months from counting. Some states, like Maryland, apply them automatically. Others decide case by case.
- Waived areas. If you live in an area with a USDA waiver, months there do not count. As of October 1, 2026, that is only parts of 12 states.
- Serious barriers. Several states will consider chronic homelessness, domestic violence, or a history of not being able to keep a job when deciding if you are unfit for work. Maryland, Colorado, California, Minnesota and Massachusetts mention this on their own pages.
How to claim an exemption
- Tell your SNAP office at your interview, or report it as a change. Many states have a form, such as Connecticut’s W-1460 or Illinois’s IL444-2341. Your state page lists the ones we could verify.
- Give proof if asked: a doctor’s or provider’s note, a school schedule, a pay stub showing 30 hours or $217.50 a week, an unemployment letter, a treatment program letter, or proof of tribal membership.
- Keep copies and write down who you talked to and when.
- If your exemption is denied, you can ask for a fair hearing. See appeals and fair hearings.
Frequently asked questions
Are veterans exempt from SNAP work requirements in 2026?
No. H.R. 1 removed the veteran exemption. A veteran who receives VA disability benefits or has a health condition that keeps them from working may still be exempt as unfit for work.
Are homeless people exempt from the SNAP time limit now?
Not automatically. The homelessness exemption ended. Some states will find a person unfit for work when homelessness keeps them from working 20 hours a week. Ask to be screened, and explain what keeps you from working.
Does the child have to be mine?
No. The law covers "a parent or other member of a household with responsibility for a dependent child under 14." Several states, like North Carolina, say a child under 14 in your SNAP household exempts you even if you are not the parent.
Who counts as an Indian, Urban Indian or California Indian?
The law uses the Indian Health Care Improvement Act definitions. They include members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native groups, many people living in urban areas who are tribal members or their children or grandchildren, and certain descendants of California Indians. States may ask for proof such as tribal enrollment. Texas lets people self-declare.
Does earning $217.50 a week exempt me even if I work less than 20 hours?
Yes. Earning at least the federal minimum wage times 30 hours ($217.50 a week) excuses you from the general work rules, which also exempts you from the time limit.
I am 60. Am I exempt?
Not because of age alone. People 60 to 64 are excused from the general work rules but are covered by the time limit unless another exemption applies.
Sources
- Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1), Sec. 10102: Modifications to SNAP work requirements (govinfo.gov)
- 7 CFR 273.24: Time limit for able-bodied adults (eCFR)
- 7 CFR 273.7: Work provisions and general work requirement exemptions (eCFR)
- USDA FNS: SNAP provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, ABAWD exceptions implementation memo
- USDA FNS: Tribal consultation framing paper on SNAP policy changes (Oct. 2025)
- USDA FNS: SNAP work requirements