SNAP Waived Areas in Alaska

Waived areas in Alaska

Area waiver: November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026 (USDA letter dated October 23, 2025). 20 areas:

Boroughs and census areas

• Bethel Census Area (11.5% unemployment)
• Bristol Bay Borough (9.9% unemployment)
• Chugach Census Area (7.5% unemployment)
• Copper River Census Area (12.7% unemployment)
• Denali Borough (12.6% unemployment)
• Dillingham Census Area (8.4% unemployment)
• Haines Borough (11.8% unemployment)
• Hoonah-Angoon Census Area (10.8% unemployment)
• Kenai Peninsula Borough (6.3% unemployment)
• Kodiak Island Borough (6.5% unemployment)
• Kusilvak Census Area (17.5% unemployment)
• Lake and Peninsula Borough (6.9% unemployment)
• Nome Census Area (8.8% unemployment)
• Northwest Arctic Borough (9.5% unemployment)
• Petersburg Borough (8.1% unemployment)
• Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area (9.1% unemployment)
• Skagway Municipality (19.2% unemployment)
• Southeast Fairbanks Census Area (6.9% unemployment)
• Yakutat Borough (7.2% unemployment)
• Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area (11.5% unemployment)

How these areas qualified: Approved under the special rule H.R. 1 gave Alaska and Hawaii: each area had average unemployment of at least 1.5 times the national rate for December 2024 to February 2025. The national rate was 4.2%, so the bar was 6.3%.

Alaska’s good faith exemption

H.R. 1 also created a separate, temporary “good faith” exemption that only Alaska and Hawaii can use while they build the systems to run the time limit. It is not based on unemployment. Alaska’s Division of Public Assistance says USDA approved one effective November 1, 2025 through October 31, 2026. It covers every Alaska borough and census area except the Municipality of Anchorage, and DPA says it also let Alaska keep some groups exempt that the new law otherwise covers: people aged 56 to 64, households with children 14 to 17, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth 18 to 24.

By law, a good faith exemption can never run past December 31, 2028. As of October 31, 2026, DPA’s SNAP page (last captured October 17, 2026) still showed the October 31, 2026 end date and we found no posted extension.

What the waiver means if you live there

• The 3-month time limit does not apply while the waiver is in effect. Months you get SNAP while living in a waived area do not count toward your 3 months, even if you do not work 80 hours.
• It depends on where you live, not where you work. If you live outside the listed areas, the time limit applies to you even if your job or training is inside one.
• The general work rules still apply. A waiver does not cover them. If you are 16 to 59 and not excused, you must still register for work, accept a suitable job offer, not quit a job or cut your hours without good cause, and take part in a job program if your state refers you.
• Your state keeps counting the calendar. USDA tells states to keep tracking the 36-month period even in waived areas so they can restart the time limit when the waiver ends.
• Some people are exempt anywhere. American Indian, Alaska Native, Urban Indian and California Indian people, and anyone with another exemption, are not subject to the time limit wherever they live.

When the waiver ends

Both the area waiver and the good faith exemption reach their end dates on October 31, 2026, and USDA had not posted a new Alaska approval as of that date. If nothing new is approved, the time limit can apply across Alaska from November 2026 to adults 18 to 64 who are not exempt. Alaska Native and American Indian people stay exempt wherever they live.

When a waiver ends, months before it ended still do not count. Starting the month after, any full month you get SNAP without meeting the 80-hour rule or an exemption counts toward your 3 months in the current 36-month period. Your state should send you a notice first. To keep benefits, work, volunteer or train 80 hours a month, or check whether an exemption fits you.

Alaska DPA has not published a list of who will be affected after October 2026. Call the DPA Virtual Contact Center at 800-478-7778 to ask.

Check your own situation

Check if the time limit applies to you Count your months

For start dates, your 36-month period and how to report hours in Alaska, see SNAP work requirements in Alaska. For every state’s list, see all SNAP waived areas.