SNAP 3-Month Time Limit Calculator
Mark the months that counted against you to see how many of your 3 months are left and when your state’s 36-month count starts over.
How the 36-month period works
The time limit is 3 countable months in any 36-month period (7 CFR 273.24). Federal rules let each state choose how to measure that period:
- Fixed statewide period. Everyone shares the same dates, and the count starts over for everyone on the same day. For example, California uses January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028, and Maryland reset on July 1, 2026.
- Individual period. Your 36 months start from your own first month. Texas, North Dakota, New Hampshire and Oklahoma describe this kind of clock.
The calculator fills in the period for states that publish one. A few states have published only an end date or a start date, so the calculator works out the other end and labels it as worked out. If your notice shows different dates, use those.
Periods ending soon
Several states start a new 36-month count in the next few months. When that happens, months you used before stop counting:
- Georgia: new period starts December 1, 2026
- Iowa: Iowa HHS letters say people who used their 3 months lose SNAP "until December 2026"
- Massachusetts: current period ends December 31, 2026
- Illinois: new period starts January 1, 2027
- New Jersey: its FAQ points to a period ending January 31, 2027
Which months count
A month is countable only if all of these are true (7 CFR 273.24(b)):
- You got SNAP for the full month. A first month with prorated (partial) benefits does not count.
- You were not exempt that month.
- You did not live in a waived area.
- You did not meet the 80-hour rule.
- You did not have good cause, such as illness, a family emergency, or no transportation, for missing hours you would otherwise have done.
Your state may also use a "discretionary exemption" to keep a month from counting. Each one covers one person for one month. States have a limited number of them.
Months do not need to be in a row. Months in which you met the rule do not use up your limit, and you can keep SNAP as long as you keep meeting it.
After your 3 months are used
Your SNAP stops, but you can get it back. Do 80 hours of work, volunteering or approved training within 30 days in a row, or become exempt, then reapply or tell your SNAP office. If you later stop meeting the rule again, federal rules allow one extra set of 3 months in a row, once per 36-month period. Details are on how to get SNAP back.
Frequently asked questions
Do the 3 months have to be in a row?
No. Any 3 countable months within your state’s 36-month period add up, even if they are years apart.
When does the SNAP 3-month time limit reset?
When your 36-month period ends. In states with a fixed period, everyone’s count starts over on the same day. In states with individual clocks, it depends on when your own period started. Check your notices or your state page.
Do months before my state started the new rules count?
Not for people who were newly covered. States cannot count a month against you until they have screened you under the new rules and told you about the time limit. Months in a waived area also do not count.
I moved from another state. Do my months follow me?
They can. Several states, including Nevada and Kansas, say months used in another state count against your limit. Tell your new SNAP office about months you used before.
What if I think a month was counted by mistake?
Ask your SNAP office to review it, and give proof of your hours, exemption or good cause. If they still count it, you can ask for a fair hearing. Do it before the date on your notice to keep your benefits during the appeal.
Does this calculator use my state’s official count?
No. It counts the months you mark. Your state’s notices are the official record.